City law firm asked intern to work until 5am

A young intern was asked to work until 5am at a City law firm, sparking a new row over London's late hours' culture.

SJ Berwin has admitted it "got it wrong" by asking the female student to stay on for an "all-nighter" rather than merely inviting her to do so.

City lawyers regularly work through the night on corporate takeovers or to prepare for major trials and SJB said most interns "jump at the chance" to work on important contracts.

However, after the story appeared on Lawyer 2B, a careers website for law students, the firm was condemned for its "unacceptable" behaviour.

The student, on a placement during the summer holidays, was working on a document for an international arbitration with a female colleague, and stayed all night willingly.

Lawyer 2B editor Husnara Begum said: "No student should ever expect to work through the night unless they expressly offer to do so."

One comment posted on the website by "El Guiri" said: "This kind of behaviour towards someone who had no idea what she was letting herself in for is unacceptable."

However, an anonymous post said: "If you can't do an all-nighter, then you're not cut out to be a City lawyer."

Another calling themselves ex-SJB Associate went on: "There were a fair few vac schemers I saw who put the long hours in on their SJB summer schemes... She would surely not have been the first to do an all-nighter."

SJ Berwin's graduate recruitment partner, Nicola Bridge, said: "Vacation students are sometimes invited to take part in work such as deal completions and trial preparation, which can run into the night. But as a matter of policy we shouldn't go beyond invitation and directly request that vacation students work into the night, and on this occasion we got it wrong."

SJ Berwin's placement programme lasts for two weeks. Students in City firms are paid around £300 a week.

The issue of long hours is sensitive for SJB after the workload of partner Catherine Bailey, 41, was partly blamed for her suicide in 2009.