Akin is a global law firm with more than 900 lawyers and advisors who pride themselves on dedication to their clients and their communities. With 17 offices worldwide, they are renowned for numerous market-leading practices; their strengths are in complex private capital transactions, financings and restructurings, high-stakes litigation, and public policy and regulatory matters; and the unyielding pro bono commitment.

Driven by a forward-thinking leadership, Akin has built a strong culture of innovation and collaboration as well as a talented workforce committed to the success of clients and each other. Fostering a workplace focused on opportunity and inclusion, all employees are supported and given the tools to succeed. The organization is focused on recruiting and nurturing the next generation of exceptional legal talent and is proud that its recruitment and professional development efforts are recognized as among the best in the industry.

What we do: Market-leading practices include financial restructuring, corporate transactions (including mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures), private equity, finance (including debt finance and project finance), energy including renewables, debt and equity capital markets, financial services regulatory, disputes, employment, international arbitration, investment funds (including hedge and private equity funds and secondaries transactions), international trade – including in relation to the new National Security & Investment Act – as well as EU/UK competition, intellectual property, share incentives, technology and tax.

London office: Akin's London office is the hub for the firm’s international practice and its third largest office. The firm’s strategy in London has always been to grow practices that complement its core strengths globally. The fully integrated nature of the office within the broader firm means that the firm’s London lawyers work closely with their counterparts around the globe.

2026 spring vacation scheme 

Our preferred method of trainee hiring is via our yearly vacation scheme because it is the best opportunity for you to experience life at Akin, and for us to get to know you better.

Akin's two-week spring vacation scheme provides an excellent opportunity to gain a first-hand understanding of the day-to-day work of trainees in an international law firm. Through training sessions, interactive workshops, mentoring and social activities, you will get to know our firm. Through working side by side with partners and associates on live deals, you will get to know our practices and clients. 

We welcome applications from penultimate-year law students, final-year students and graduates of any subject, looking to commence a training path in two years’ time. At the end of the scheme, participants will be offered the chance to interview for our two-year training programme commencing in 2028. 

Scheme participants are paid a £1,200 salary with 50% paid on Day 1 of the scheme and an additional £300 Work-Ready Payment paid two weeks before the scheme begins to help cover any upfront costs. Whether it’s buying a new work wardrobe or subscribing to resources to develop your commercial awareness, we want you to feel confident, prepared, and excited for your experience with us. 

Our 2026 spring vacation scheme will run from Monday 13 – Friday 24 April 2026. 

Applications will open on Thursday 18 September 2025 and close on Sunday 4 January 2026. 

Application and interview workshops

Before drafting and submitting your application, we strongly encourage all applicants to join a one-hour virtual ‘Application Tips & Tricks’ worshop to hear directly from our graduate recruitment team about the application and interview process. Visit the 'Meet Us' page on the graduate recruitment website to secure your spot! 

You’ll experience on-the-job experiential learning which will allow you to develop a keen commercial awareness and to take on responsibility and ownership of tasks for each practice area you work in. Examples of tasks you may be involved in during your training include, but are not restricted to, legal research, preparing client communications, attending client meetings, organising deal closing checklists and preparing trial bundles.

You’ll receive supportive supervision from England and Wales-qualified practitioners with valuable ongoing feedback and two substantive evaluations during each seat.

You will attend regular practice group and office-wide training on relevant areas of law and practical skills. You will also join webinars and training sessions run by external consultants to aid your professional development throughout your two-year training programme and beyond.

Akin prides itself on a friendly, approachable culture and a strong support network. Our trainee development team and dedicated development partners will coach and guide you throughout the two years. We also have a buddy system, providing you with a peer mentor who can tell you things that formal training can’t and junior associate mentors to support you within each practice area. We have an in-house ‘Be Well’ counselling service which offers unlimited one-on-one support, as well as regular group training sessions.

Trainees start on a salary of £60,000, which increases to £65,000 in their second year.

We have partnered with The University of Law to provide an exceptional legal education and training programme. Applications from an LPC study route will still be given due consideration.

Akin was founded on the guiding principle that everyone should feel welcome and have the opportunity to thrive and do their best work. We believe that the various perspectives and experiences of our lawyers and professionals enable us to identify creative solutions for our clients and enrich all aspects of our firm and communities.

More information can be found here.

Successful applicants will be required to complete the PGDL (if applicable) and LLM Legal Practice (SQE1 and 2) to equip them with essential skills prior to starting their qualifying work experience. Our legal education provider is The University of Law and studies will be funded by the firm. We provide a maintenance grant of £20,000 per year of study to our future trainees.

• Corporate/M&A
• Finance
• Financial restructuring
• Litigation
• Financial regulation
• Competition
• International trade
• Investment funds
• Tax/incentives
• Some international
• client secondment opportunities

• Corporate & Commercial

• Abu Dhabi
• Boston
• Dallas
• Dubai
• Fort Worth
• Geneva
• Hong Kong
• Houston
• Irvine
• Los Angeles
• New York
• Philadelphia
• San Antonio
• San Francisco
• Singapore
• Washington DC

• London

• City Year
• Hackney Community Law Centre
• Horizon Legal Advice Clinic
• Inspiring the Future
• Islington Law Centre
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
• Lawyers Without Borders
• Migrants Resource Centre
• Reprieve
• Youth Justice Legal Centre

• #10000BlackInterns
• Aspiring Solicitors
• Cityyear
• Mindful Business Charter
• Social Mobility Foundation
• Stonewall