Law school sponsorship
Many firms offer to pay their future trainees’ GDL and LPC fees, if they have been recruited while an undergraduate. Some (although not many) will even retrospectively pay those fees if a recruit has already started one of the courses. Additionally, a number of firms will also pay a maintenance grant to students while they are studying the course(s). It may be that when it comes to selecting a firm at which to train, this kind of financial incentive and support is a critical factor. A full list of those firms that offer such benefits follows:
| Firm | Sponsorship details |
| Accutrainee | Currently we cover the cost of the Professional Skills Course. |
| Addleshaw Goddard | Fees paid where applicable. Benefits include corporate gym membership, season ticket loan, subsidised restaurant, pension and private healthcare. |
| Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld | GDL/LPC plus £8,000 per year maintenance grant. |
| Allen & Overy LLP | For candidates studying for the GDL (in London) and the Allen & Overy LPC, we will provide an annual maintenance grant of £8,000 as well as all tuition fees paid. |
| Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP | APKS will pay your fees for the LPC and the GDL. In addition we will pay a maintenance grant over the duration of each course. |
| Ashfords | We offer full sponsorship of the LPC at any University of Law centre |
| Ashurst LLP | For the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and Legal Practice Course (LPC), we offer scholarships that cover your course fees and provide £8,000 per year towards the cost of maintenance (£7,000 if you choose to study the GDL outside London). |
| Baker McKenzie | For both the GDL and LPC+, we will pay your course fees, together with a maintenance grant towards living expenses. |
| Bates Wells Braithwaite | Full funding for the LPC and GDL provided. |
| Bevan Brittan LLP | Bursary and funding for GDL and LPC available. |
| Bircham Dyson Bell LLP | Bircham Dyson Bell provides funding for GDL and LPC fees with BPP Law School. |
| Bird & Bird | Bird & Bird pays successful applicant's GDL/LPC fees and offers a maintenance grant of £5,500 for each study year. |
| Blake Morgan LLP | We offer financial support towards your LPC and a sustenance grant should you decide to undertake the course full-time. We do not currently offer financial support towards the GDL. |
| BLM | LPC sponsorship available. |
| Boodle Hatfield LLP | LPC and GDL fees are paid for as well maintenance grants. |
| Brabners LLP | LPC Fees paid in full. |
| Bristows LLP | For future trainee solicitors we pay for their GDL and LPC fees as well as provide a maintenance grant of £8,000 for each course. |
| Browne Jacobson LLP | LPC/GDL fees paid, plus maintenance grant for LPC/GDL of £5,000. These will not be paid retrospectively. |
| Burges Salmon LLP | The firm pays GDL and LPC fees for our future trainees to attend The University of Law. Maintenance grants of £7,000 are paid to LPC students, and £14,000 to students studying for both the GDL and LPC (£7,000 pa). |
| Charles Russell Speechlys | We undertake to pay GDL and/or LPC course fees together with a maintenance grant. |
| Clarion Solicitors | We do not currently provide sponsorship for the LPC or GDL courses. |
| Clifford Chance | CPE/GDL/LPC. |
| Clyde & Co LLP | We pay full fees for the GDL and LPC as well as a maintenance grant. |
| CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP | LPC and GDL fees are paid plus a maintenance grant. Apply on our website at graduates.cms-cmno.com. |
| Cooley (UK) LLP | GDL/LPC fees funding plus living allowance of £8,000 in London and £7,500 outside London per annum. |
| Covington & Burling LLP | Covington will pay tuition and examination fees for both the GDL and the LPC. Maintenance will be paid at the current rate of up to £8,000 per annum. |
| Cripps LLP | Cripps has an exclusive deal with the BPP Law School for LPC and PSC studies. This provides all our future trainees with discounted rates. In addition, we have a discretionary funding scheme for LPC students. This provides 50% by way of bursary and 50% by way of an interest-free loan. |
| DAC Beachcroft | Payment for LPC, GDL and £5,000 maintenance. |
| Dechert LLP | GDL and LPC fees, plus £10,000 maintenance grant for each year of law school. |
| Dentons | We pay full fees for the GDL and/or LPC during years of study and offer a maintenance grant of £5,000 per annum (£6,000 per annum for students studying in London). |
| Devonshires Solicitors | We do not offer sponsorship for the GDL or LPC. |
| DLA Piper UK LLP | Where training contracts are secured prior to course completion, we fully fund the LPC and the GDL. We also offer maintenance grants of up to £8,000. |
| DWF LLP | DWF sponsors the LPC and the Scottish Diploma. |
| Edwin Coe LLP | Students who accept a training contract with Edwin Coe LLP will be provided with sponsorship for the LPC course fees, provided they have yet to complete the course |
| EMW Law LLP | Discussed at interview. |
| Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP | Financial support is offered to prospective trainees for the GDL and LPC. The firm will cover fees for these courses and currently provide an annual maintenance grant of between £5,000 – £7,000. |
| Farrer & Co LLP | Fees for GDL and LPC and £7,000 grant per year. |
| Fieldfisher | We have chosen University of Law to be our preferred provider of the GDL and LPC. We will pay course fees in full and provide a competitive maintenance grant. For more details please visit our website: www.careers.fieldfisher.com/graduates. |
| Fladgate LLP | We offer a comprehensive sponsorship package to our trainees. We will pay your course fees for the GDL and/or the LPC if you still need to undertake the course(s). We will also provide you with a maintenance loan of £6,000 per annum for studying the course(s) in London and £5,000 per annum for studying the course(s) outside of London. You will repay the loan during your training contract. |
| Foot Anstey LLP | Sponsorship available for GDL/LPC and living expenses. |
| Forsters LLP | We have an exclusive arrangement with The University of Law for the provision of GDL and LPC courses to our future trainees, but we do not mind if you have already completed either course elsewhere. Payment of course fees, plus a maintenance grant of £5,500 per year of study, is offered to future trainees who have yet to complete these courses. |
| Freeths LLP | Discretionary LPC funding on the direct entry training programme. GDL and LPC fees are paid on the training contract with part-time study programme. |
| Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP | We pay our prospective trainees' tuition fees for the GDL and LPC and offer a maintenance grant of £7,250 per year for those studying the GDL and £7,000 for those studying the LPC (we require prospective trainees to undertake the accelerated LPC at BPP Law School in London). |
| Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (London) LLP | For future trainees of the firm, we will sponsor both the GDL and LPC, and will provide an annual maintenance grant of £7,000. |
| Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP | Gibson Dunn will pay GDL/LPC fees in full. Competitive maintenance allowance also paid for each year of law school. |
| Goodman Derrick LLP | Funding for LPC fees at the institution of your choice and a maintenance grant of £4,000 during the LPC. |
| Goodwin Procter (UK) LLP | We offer full sponsorship of both the GDL and LPC, together with a maintenance grant of £7,000 to all our future trainees. |
| Gordons LLP | The firm contributes £5,000 towards LPC course fees. |
| Government Legal | Departments will pay your Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) fees in full provided you have not yet started the course. Where the course has begun, they will pay your fees for the remainder. They cannot make any retrospective payments to candidates who have successfully completed the course. There is no preference which Law or Bar school you attend. You can also expect to be provided with a grant of between £5,400-£7,600 for the vocational year. If you have yet to start your Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), departments may be able to contribute towards your GDL fees. However, since this funding cannot be guaranteed, you will need to discuss this with the department making you an offer of a trainee position. |
| Gowling WLG (UK) LLP | We cover your Legal Practice Course (LPC) and Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) fees, as well as providing a maintenance grant for each course. We offer all trainees the following: bonus scheme, gym membership/subsidy, life assurance, pension scheme with company contributions, private healthcare, season ticket loan, subsidised restaurant, income protection insurance, 25 days’ holiday (plus optional unpaid holiday), cycle to work scheme, an active social club, access to corporate rates and discounts, employee assistance programme, budget for staff entertainment, childcare vouchers and interest free loan. |
| Herbert Smith Freehills LLP | £7,000 pa for GDL maintenace grant outside London. £8,000 pa for GDL maintenance grant in London. £7,000 pa for LPC maintenance grant in London. Payment of all course fees. |
| HFW | GDL/LPC fees paid and a maintenance grant of £7,000 (£5,500 outside London) is available for each year of study. |
| Hill Dickinson LLP | LPC and maintenance grant. |
| Hodge Jones & Allen LLP | Sponsorship contribution may be considered, but is not generally available. |
| Hogan Lovells | GDL and LPC course fees are paid. The maintenance grants are: £7,000 for LPC students £8,000 for GDL students in London £7,000 for GDL students outside London |
| Howard Kennedy | We offer full sponsorship for the LPC fees. |
| Ince & Co LLP | We will pay your GDL and LPC fees and provide you with a maintenance grant. For the GDL we currently pay a maintenance grant of £6,500 for study within London and Guildford and £6,000 for elsewhere, and for the LPC this is currently £7,000 for study within London and Guildford and £6,500 for elsewhere. |
| Jones Day | GDL and LPC fees paid and £9,000 maintenance per year. Jones Day offers its sponsored students the fast track LPC at BPP law school in London from mid-August to end Februrary each year. The full year's maintenance grant remains unchanged at £9,000. Students will have the opportunity to take a six-month gap between concluding their LPC and commencing their training contract at Jones Day in early September. |
| K&L Gates LLP | GDL funding: fees paid plus £5,000 maintenance grant. LPC funding: fees paid plus £7,000 maintenance grant. |
| Katten Muchin Rosenman UK LLP | Payment of all course fees. £8,000 for GDL Maintenance grant in London. £8,000 for LPC Maintenance grant in London. |
| Kirkland & Ellis International LLP | We partner with The University of Law for the GDL and LPC. Full sponsorship is provided for both courses plus a maintenance grant of £8,000 pa. |
| Latham & Watkins | Once you receive your training contract offer, we ask you to enrol for the GDL and LPC (where applicable) at BPP. We support you financially during your studies, paying your fees and a maintenance grant of £8,000 per year. If you have already completed the GDL and/or LPC we will reimburse your fees in full. If you achieve, or have achieved a distinction in your LPC you will receive a £500 bonus. |
| Lee Bolton Monier-Williams | Contribution towards cost of LPC - £7,000. |
| Lewis Silkin | Full financial support for GDL and LPC course fees and a maintenance grant of £6,500 for those commencing their GDL/ LPC. |
| Linklaters LLP | We welcome talented, passionate students from all backgrounds, and in fact, around 40% come from non-law backgrounds. The Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) You can train as a lawyer without completing an undergraduate law degree. The Graduate Diploma in Law is a one-year conversion course that provides the legal knowledge to start training alongside law graduates. You choose which branch of the University of Law you'd like to study at, and we do the rest. We'll provide help and advice with your application, pay the fees and provide a maintenance grant. The Legal Practice Course (LPC) All graduates complete this bespoke course before joining: the fundamental introduction to professional legal practice. We'll help with arrangements, pay your fees and provide you with a maintenance grant. Moreover, it offers the option to obtain an MSc in Law, Business and Management. It's an opportunity to start building your network and getting to know how we work. And all training is held at the Moorgate branch of the University of Law – conveniently close to the Linklaters office. Visit our careers site to find out more and apply. |
| Macfarlanes LLP | CPE/GDL and LPC course fees. Maintenance allowance for CPE/GDL students, £7,000 for courses studied in London, Guildford and Oxford, and £6,250 for courses studied elsewhere. Maintenance allowance for LPC students, £7,000. |
| Marriott Harrison LLP | We currently pay future LPC fees for successful applicants about to start the LPC course. |
| Mayer Brown International LLP | We pay all course fees for the GDL (if applicable) and the LPC together with a maintenance grant of £6,500 (£7,000 for London and Guildford) for each. |
| McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP | LPC funding and maintenance grant. |
| Memery Crystal LLP | The firm funds the GDL and LPC at the provider of your choice. |
| Michelmores LLP | We fully fund the LPC with the University of Law (outside of London) and offer a £5,000 bursary. |
| Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy | Full sponsorship of the GDL and LPC plus a maintenance grant of £8,000 during each year of study. |
| Mills & Co. Solicitors Limited | We will pay your GDL and LPC fees. |
| Mills & Reeve LLP | GDL and LPC fees are paid. A maintenance grant is available too. |
| Mishcon de Reya LLP | Full LPC and GDL funding. Living allowance of £6,000 payable in the GDL and LPC year. |
| Morgan, Lewis & Bockius UK LLP | We sponsor our trainees through the GDL/LPC at BPP, offering a maintenance grant of £8,000. |
| Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP | We pay full GDL and LPC course fees at the University of Law for our future trainees. We also offer an £8,000 maintenance grant during the GDL and LPC. If students have completed the GDL or LPC prior to securing a training contract with us we offer 50% reimbursement of fees. |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | GDL and LPC course fees are paid. The maintenance grants are: £7,000 for LPC students £8,000 for GDL students in London |
| Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (UK) LLP | GDL and LPC course fees paid plus £7,000 maintenance grant. |
| Osborne Clarke LLP | We have an arrangement with BPP to teach both the GDL and the LPC to our future trainees. We will pay candidates tuition fees provided that they are no more than half way through either course when they are recruited, along with a maintenance grant of £6,500 per course. |
| Paris Smith LLP | Paris Smith currently pays a one off contribution of £7,000 towards Legal Practice Course fees. |
| Paul Hastings | Full fees for GDL and LPC plus a maintenance grant whilst you are studying. |
| Payne Hicks Beach | Payne Hicks Beach offers full GDL and LPC funding, and a maintenance grant each year of study. BPP law school is the firm's preferred provider. |
| Pemberton Greenish LLP | A contribution of £10,000 will be made towards the LPC qualification. |
| Penningtons Manches LLP | Full LPC fees plus a maintenance grant of £5,000. |
| Pinsent Masons LLP | In England, full sponsorship is offered for the GDL and LPC fees, as well as a maintenance grant. In Scotland, financial assistance is offered for PEAT1 fees, together with a maintenance grant. In Northern Ireland the firm will pay your IPLS/GSPLE fees. |
| Reed Smith | GDL funding: Fees paid plus £6,000 maintenance. LPC funding: Fees paid plus £7,000 maintenance. |
| Ropes & Gray International LLP | We will pay tuition and examination fees for both the GDL and the LPC. Maintenance will be paid at the current rate of £8,000 per annum. |
| Roythornes Solicitors | We pay £10,000 towards your LPC fees, which you can study either before you join us or part-time while doing your training contract. We also pay for your Professional Skills Course (PSC). |
| RPC | Bursaries are available for the GDL, if applicable, and the LPC. Bursaries comprise course and examination fees and maintenance grants of up to £7,000. We request that all our trainees complete their LPC and GDL at The University of Law. |
| Russell-Cooke Solicitors | We provide capped sponsorship of up to £10,000 per candidate for LPC fees. We also offer an interest free loan of up to £5,000 re-payable out of a trainee’s salary over a two-year period. |
| Shoosmiths | Shoosmiths will offer financial support towards your future postgraduate studies (GDL/LPC or equivalent) and in some circumstances will also offer a living allowance whilst you study. Full details are provided with your offer of a training contract. |
| Sidley Austin LLP | GDL and LPC fees paid. Maintenance grant also paid (up to £7,000 per annum). Trainees undertake the fast-track LPC at BPP Law School. |
| Simmons & Simmons LLP | The firm will cover your full tuition fees for law school and offer a maintenance grant of £7,000 for the GDL and £7,500 for the LPC. |
| Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP | The firm pays for GDL and LPC course fees and provides a £8,000 maintenance grant for each year of these courses. |
| Slaughter and May | Maintenance grant, tuition and examination fees. |
| Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP | Tuition fees are paid for both the GDL and LPC, plus a maintenance grant. |
| Stephenson Harwood LLP | Fees paid for the GDL and LPC, at BPP law school in London and maintenance awards of up to £6,000 (if still studying). |
| Stevens & Bolton LLP | We pay the fees for the CPE/GDL and LPC at the level set by the University of Law Guildford, and a £6,000 maintenance grant for each course of study. Any future trainees who are yet to take their LPC or the GDL are usually required to attend the University of Law Guildford. |
| Sullivan & Cromwell LLP | In addition to offering the most attractive trainee salary and benefits package of any major law firm in London, we will cover Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and Legal Practice Course (LPC) fees for prospective trainees who accept our offer of a training contract. We will also pay a maintenance grant. |
| Taylor Vinters LLP | Full sponsorship of the LPC. |
| Taylor Walton LLP | Capped contribution towards LPC fees. |
| Taylor Wessing | GDL and MA (LPC with Business) fees at BPP London sponsored. A maintenance grant is provided. |
| Teacher Stern LLP | We offer a grant of £7,500 and a further loan of £7,500, in each case, to candidates who have not yet commenced their LPC. |
| Tees | The firm contributes £5,000 maintenance grant to assist during LPC course. |
| Thomas Cooper LLP | Thomas Cooper will sponsor successful candidates for both the GDL and the LPC. |
| Thomson Snell & Passmore LLP | A sponsorship grant and interest-free loan for the Legal Practice Course is available. |
| TLT LLP | If you haven’t already taken them, we’ll cover your GDL and LPC fees and give you a maintenance grant. That way, you can concentrate on making the most of your training contract. |
| Travers Smith LLP | GDL and LPC paid in full and maintenance grant provided. |
| Trowers & Hamlins LLP | If you are recruited by us as a trainee and have yet to complete the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and / or the Legal Practice Course (LPC), you will need to complete your study at the University of Law and we will cover your course fee(s) in full. We will also provide you with a maintenance grant of either £6,500 (if you study the course(s) in London) or £6,000 (if outside of London) for each year of learning. In terms of LPC electives, we require our future trainees to undertake the following: 1. Advanced real estate law and practice; 2. Mergers and acquisitions law and practice; and 3. Debt finance law and practice. |
| Vinson & Elkins RLLP | GDL and LPC fees paid, plus a maintenance grant of up to £8,000 for the LPC and GDL years. |
| VWV Veale Wasbrough Vizards | Candidates who have been offered and have accepted a training contract with the firm may be eligible for sponsorship of tuition fees whilst studying for the Legal Practice Course. VWV offers a maintenance grant to help with living expenses. |
| Walker Morris LLP | We will pay future LPC/GDL fees together with £5,000 mainteance fees to students who have been offered a training contract. Travel bursaries We offer three travel bursaries up to £3,000 to future trainees. The successful applicant(s) will have demonstrated a desire to undertake charitable work and or develop their commercial skills either in the UK or abroad. |
| Ward Hadaway | GDL/LPC funding and maintenace grant. |
| Watson Farley & Williams LLP | Full fees (both GDL and LPC) are paid, dependant on the point of offer, plus a maintenance grant of £5,500 per annum if studying outside London or £6,500 if studying in London. |
| Wedlake Bell LLP | LPC fees paid and £4,000 maintenance grant where local authority grant not available. |
| Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP | We offer full sponsorship of both the GDL and LPC, together with a maintenance grant of £8,000 to all our future trainees. |
| White & Case LLP | Full fees for the GDL and LPC plus maintenance grant. Benefits In addition to our core benefits (including a personal pension plan, private medical insurance and life insurance) and flexible benefits (including cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan and dental insurance) every employee receives a health-wellness account where you can be reimbursed up to £500 per year towards the cost of fitness activities, gym memberships and relaxation services. |
| Wilkin Chapman LLP | A discretionary £3,500 grant towards LPC fees may be available, as well as an interest free loan for the remainder. |
| Wilsons Solicitors LLP | We offer an interest free loan of £4,500 for the LPC. Further details can be obtained from the human resources team. |
| Winckworth Sherwood LLP | Under certain conditions the firm provides financial assistance for course fees to trainees attending the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or in exceptional circumstances studying for a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). |
| Winston & Strawn London LLP | Full sponsorship of GDL and LPC fees, plus a maintenance grant (not retrospective). |
| Withers LLP | Full fees for GDL and LPC and a maintenance grant of £5,000 per course. |
| Womble Bond Dickinson | GDL and LPC are paid for along with £6,000 grant. |
| Woodfines LLP | This is currently under review and enquiry should be made to the firm via jegan@woodfines.co.uk. |
