Is a career at a City law firm for you?

Becoming a solicitor in the big business world of City law is the goal for many aspiring lawyers. But how do you know whether it’s right for you?

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If you want to work on exciting deals, in a fast-paced environment, with high-profile clients, the City might be calling your name. City law firm recruiters are always on the lookout for interesting, new talent who are enthusiastic about working for a City law firm. However, working out whether a career in the City is the right path for you isn’t easy. Read our insights below and find out how attending LawCareersNetLIVE London can support your decision.

The legal services sector is always undergoing plenty of change – for example, it’s currently navigating the challenges brought about by AI, economic instability and geopolitical shifts.

Despite these challenges, the legal sector posted its highest-ever monthly revenue in October 2025 (£5.26 billion), according to data released by the Office for National Statistics. Plus, merger talks seem to be on the rise, with Taylor Wessing and Winston & Strawn LLP voting to merge in January 2026 to form Winston Taylor, while A&O Shearman (2024’s merger between Allen & Overy LLP and Shearman and Sterling) recently confirmed a retention rate of 76% for its spring 2026 trainee cohort.

In terms of AI, law firms are continuing to look at ways that the technology can boost productivity and serve its clients, with global law firm White & Case LLP announcing a firm-wide rollout of Legora’s AI platform across its 43 offices at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, the Law Society of England and Wales recently made the call for clearer AI guidance on anonymising client data and the liability associated with AI use, among other things.

Global outposts in the City continue to pursue business across the world, adjusting their focus to suit client demand. Most recently, Pinsent Masons LLP announced plans to open a new Warsaw office in mid-2026 to further scale up the firm’s “capabilities in Europe”, with Poland adding a “valuable component” to the firm’s pan-European offering. City firms evidently understand the importance of emerging opportunities around the world, which is  one of their key selling points to prospective lawyers seeking internationally oriented, dynamic careers.

High workload, high reward

The City law career path has enduring appeal, despite its reputation for long hours, late nights, and the other demands placed on its solicitors. The career is undeniably exciting: perfect for those who like to challenge themselves and want to work in a 24/7 world that bridges countries and time zones.

On occasions – and reasonably often during a busy phase of the economy or a deal – a lawyer will have to deprioritise personal and social commitments in favour of their workload. For some, this lifestyle is exciting and exactly what they’re looking for from a career in the legal profession; however, it won’t suit everyone. It’s important to weigh up your priorities before making law firm applications – make sure you choose a career path that suits you and is sustainable with your other commitments, hobbies, and one you can see yourself thriving in.

Take a look at our training contract directory for an idea of salaries and note that high-paying law firms are likely to be among the most difficult to join. Yet many City lawyers will tell you that the biggest buzz comes from the incredible career experiences, job satisfaction and working collaboratively with talented, motivated individuals, be they clients or other lawyers.

In recent years there’s been an increased awareness of wellness in the workplace, with mental health at the forefront of many notable City firms’ initiatives and a key factor in aspiring lawyers’ research into firms. In line with this trend, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP recently launched a series of ‘resilience’ workshops to prepare the next generation of lawyers for the pressures of City practice. This comes as LawCare’s most recent Impact Report found that more people in the legal sector sought mental health support last year than ever before. Embedding flexible working and equipping managers with the time and skills required to support their teams were among some of the recommendations set out by the charity, with many firms, like Freshfields, looking at ways to develop their lawyers’ emotional awareness and stress-management techniques.

When researching law firms, aspiring lawyers are taking more into consideration than just the size of the firm and the opportunities it might offer. The ‘work until you burn out’ ethos is no longer the assumed norm of City life. Plenty of firms offer flexible working policies, workshops on mindfulness and managing stress, as well as training for employees to become mental health ambassadors and first aiders.

Find out more about work/life balance in the legal profession, with insights from Elizabeth Rimmer, CEO of legal mental health charity LawCare.

That’s not to say that all City lawyers are working less and feeling more zen because there’ll always be clients to please and work to be done. However, it does mean that it might not be long before all law firms are expected to be more flexible and attentive to their employees’ wellbeing.

What City firms are looking for

The process for entering the profession is highly competitive, perhaps more so now than ever before. Yet City law firm recruiters want applicants with the right combination of talents and attitude.

All firms expect candidates to have:

• an excellent academic record;
• a commercial mindset;
• an international outlook;
• attention to detail;
• an analytical mind; and
• ambition.

Each of these traits is important, whether you lean towards transactional work or disputes. An international outlook, for example, is crucial because most of your work in a City law firm will be international. English law is frequently used to govern deals that have absolutely no link to the UK, simply because companies around the world have confidence in it. Scan through the English High Court's case lists, meanwhile, and you’ll find litigants from almost everywhere in the world. The City's law firms are working hard to ensure it stays that way, even in a post-Brexit London landscape.

International placements are widely available; indeed, at some City law firms they’re mandatory. Opportunities regularly crop up in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US. Does that mean you must be fluent in another language? Not necessarily. However, if you do speak another language, an international law firm is going to find this an interesting aspect of your skill set. That said, the language of business in most overseas offices is English, and plenty of trainees are seconded overseas without speaking the language.

To find out more about assessing your skill set and improving the areas that need work, read our Feature on how to demonstrate the key skills for law in applications.

Get a taste for the City at LawCareersNetLIVE

If reading the above has solidified that the City is where you want to be, and you have the excellent grades and work experience to back it up, you should consider applying to our LawCareersNetLIVE student careers conference in London. Applications for the conference will open in June 2026, so keep your eyes peeled for the details. The conference is a great place to meet prospective employers and to network with those who could be in your cohort as you enter the legal profession. It’s a fantastic insight into life working in the City, with practice area workshops and panel discussions providing exclusive glimpses into several of the big City law firms.  

Want to be the first to hear about applications opening? Register for a LawCareers.Net account to receive email reminders in your inbox.

Read our five tips for flawless LawCareersNetLIVE applications to give yourself the best chance of success.

The event provides candidates with the opportunity to meet and network with an elite group of City firms. In 2025, we hosted two in-person and one virtual event enabling candidates to talk to representatives from firms, including Baker McKenzie, Osborne Clarke LLP and Shoosmiths, as well as the chance to take part in interactive firm-led workshops and panel discussions with partners and recruiters in an environment they felt comfortable in.

To find out more about the event and how to apply, visit the LawCareersNetLIVE site.