Internal Education and Training
NKF offers a continuous program of practice-oriented professional development and learning sessions, such as:
Junior Circuit
The NKF Junior Circuit is a platform for NKF partners to introduce and discuss a topic of their choice, providing you with hands-on, practical advice about the legal profession. You will meet our partners and learn first-hand about their diverse interests and varied activities.
NKF Training
NKF Trainings are training courses and workshops provided by internal and external speakers to all our employees on topics as diverse as IT skills, efficient working strategies, retirement and pensions, cyber security and business etiquette.
NKF Lectures
NKF Lectures keep you up to date with regard to new legislation and the latest developments in case law and doctrine. Over a lunch break, you will learn about and discuss the latest legal developments with your colleagues.
Bar Exam Preparation
We offer Bar Exam Preparation by way of a monthly lunch session under the guidance of a Senior Partner and former member of the Zurich Bar Examination Board. This provides the opportunity to solve and discuss cases from past examinations together with other junior associates.
Business English Skills
English language skills are key to your success as a lawyer. To improve these skills, we offer our lawyers individual and personalised business English lessons taught by a specialised English language coach.
Training on the Job
The best training is the experience gained on the job. You will be working closely with our lawyers, learning from the best, and have client contact from day one.
Continuous Professional Development
Our professional development programme will train you in our core practice areas and to ensure the consistent outstanding quality of our services across the firm and at every level.
External Seminars and Training
At NKF, you will be given the opportunity to participate in external training and seminars. For example, NKF’s associates are provided with a yearly budget to attend external seminars, both in Switzerland and abroad, to broaden their horizons, develop their interests and legal knowledge, and build their network.
Ongoing Legal Education
At NKF, you will be encouraged to continue your legal education and gain international experience. Options include:
LL.M.
We strongly encourage all associates to pursue an LL.M. degree abroad. A year at law school abroad will be a great life experience, allowing you to build an international network and develop intercultural skills. Knowledge of a foreign legal system and strong English skills will be valuable assets in your further career at NKF.
Dissertation
NKF has a strong academic tradition, and we encourage you to consider writing a dissertation, either prior to joining NKF, or by taking a sabbatical after having gained valuable insights and experience working as a lawyer. Our excellent connections with universities and professors will help you find the right supervisor and topic.
Tax Expert Education
Aspiring tax lawyers embark on the educational program leading to the certified tax expert degree. NKF supports you with time off to study and attend courses, flexible working models, and a financial contribution, ensuring the successful launch of your career as a tax expert.
Secondment
NKF has excellent contacts with leading global law firms in the US and the UK, and many other countries. We have a long-standing tradition of seconding lawyers to the UK-based “Magic circle” firms and top-tier US law firms. Our associates have spent time on secondments in New York, London, Singapore, and Buenos Aires, to name just a few destinations.
An alternative option is a secondment as an in-house lawyer with our clients, including many large corporations in Switzerland and abroad, or with a Swiss administrative or supervisory body. An in-house secondment provides a change of perspective and valuable insights into a corporate organisation.
Specialised Lawyers
NKF encourages its employees to gain additional qualifications in Switzerland, e.g., as a bar-certified specialist SBA (Fachanwalt), as well as abroad, e.g. by sitting for bar exams abroad.
From Internship to Partnership
There are many ways to join NKF, be it through an internship, as a junior associate, as an associate, or as a lateral hire to senior associate, counsel or even partner level. We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Internship
An internship is a great way to find out more about working in a law firm, and to get to know our different teams and practice areas, as well as the NKF spirit. If you want to build a challenging career by being part of a bigger team, and if you are passionate about the law and interested in corporate and business matters, we would like to meet you – come and introduce yourself to NKF at career events to find out more.
Many of our interns return as junior associates and then continue their careers at NKF.
Junior Associate
Do you look past problems to find solutions? Do you cut an efficient path through complex topics? Do you aspire to gain mastery of your field? Do you see every success as a stepping stone to greater challenges and more learning? We would love to meet you. Come to our events, or meet us at your university and apply for our junior associate programme.
The NKF junior associate programme is a year-long opportunity for you to work with and learn from passionate, dedicated lawyers at all levels and to prepare for the bar exam.
Many of our junior associates return as associates and then continue their careers at NKF.
Associate and Senior Associate
Do you look past problems to find solutions? Do you cut an efficient path through complex topics? Do you aspire to gain mastery of your field? Do you see every success as a stepping stone to greater challenges and more learning? We look forward to meeting the next generation of NKF lawyers. Join NKF as an associate today.
As an associate, you will continue your specialisation in your team, interact with clients, and actively work on all our mandates. You will continue your legal education on the job, possibly by pursuing an LL.M. degree or going on a secondment.
Senior Associate
After four years at NKF, you will be considered for promotion to senior associate. In this position, you will take primary responsibility for many of the matters you are working on, in line with the skill set and knowledge you have acquired while working at NKF. You will start to build your personal network, develop your business case, and consider running for partner at NFK.
Partner or Counsel
If your team are convinced that you possess the necessary skill set and experience, you may be nominated for partnership or a counsel position. You will be supported in the preparation of your candidacy and go through a review process by our nomination committee. The ultimate decision will be taken jointly by all partners.
Tips & Testimonials
Discover the experiences our lawyers have had first-hand.
Join Us
Do you have any questions regarding our recruiting process? Please contact our Head of Human Resources.
