Simmons & Simmons is an international law firm built for a changing world. Working with many of the world's leading organisations, you'll help clients navigate complexity, unlock opportunity and solve some of their most important challenges. You'll be part of a firm recognised for its deep sector expertise, international outlook and innovative approach, helping shape the future of business and law.

You'll work alongside specialists in five highly regulated sectors: asset management and investment funds; financial institutions; healthcare and life sciences; technology, media and telecommunications; and energy, natural resources, infrastructure and construction. By combining exceptional legal expertise with commercial insight, you'll help clients respond to change and seize new opportunities in an increasingly connected world.

From day one, you'll be encouraged to be curious, challenge convention and share your ideas. Whatever your role, you'll collaborate with ambitious and talented colleagues across our international network, bringing together different perspectives and expertise to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients.

You'll join a diverse and high-performing team built on trust, respect and collaboration. We value different experiences, backgrounds and ways of thinking because we know the best ideas come from working together and learning from one another.

As we build a leading AI-enabled law firm, you'll have the opportunity to develop new skills, embrace new technologies and shape the future of your career. Through continuous learning and development, you'll be supported to grow personally and professionally, take on meaningful challenges and make a lasting impact for our clients, our people and the world around us.

Start to get under the surface of what it’s like to train at Simmons & Simmons, with one of our paid schemes. We offer schemes in London and Bristol. You’ll learn more about our firm, so you can work out how you fit into our world, and how we fit into yours.

Spring insight scheme (London): A two-day workshop for first year university students of any degree subject, as well as penultimate year non-law students. Applications open 10 December 2026 and close 31 January 2027.

Summer vacation scheme (London): A two-week scheme open to penultimate and final year university students and graduates of any degree subject. Applications open 15 October 2026 and close 15 December 2026.

Summer vacation scheme (Bristol): A two-week scheme open to penultimate and final year university students and graduates of any degree subject. Applications open 15 October 2026 and close 5 February 2027.

AI internship (London): A two-week scheme open to penultimate and final year university students and graduates of any degree subject. Applications open 15 October 2026 and close 15 December 2026.

About the trainee programme

We offer training contracts in London and Bristol, where you’ll spend two years discovering the innovation and collaborative approach we’re known for. Ideally placed to build a long-term career, you’ll uncover a world of high-end clients and gain immediate exposure to some of their most complex challenges. As well as moving through four six-month seats across our practice areas, you’ll also benefit from the Compass programme; our unique and progressive trainee skills academy that offers a combination of practical learning and online tools designed to support your journey through to qualification.

Trainee profile/who we are looking for

We want to hear from ambitious and curious future lawyers, who are ready to leave their mark. We’re looking candidates who have around 120 UCAS points (BBB or equivalent) and are on course for a 2.1 in any degree subject. That said, academic performance isn’t everything: that’s why we look for raw talent and potential throughout our assessment process.

Our training contracts have transitioned to the SQE route. Those who have completed the LPC prior to gaining a training contract will only need to complete SQE2 and our Essentials for Practice course.

We offer a solicitor apprenticeship and are recruiting for apprentices to join our Bristol and London offices starting in September 2027.

Qualify as a solicitor and earn while you learn through our six year solicitor apprenticeship programme. From day one, you’ll be immersed in life at Simmons and have a dedicated support network. Four days a week will be spent gaining practical work experience and one day a week studying with BPP University. By combining work and study, you’ll be able to put want you learn into practice through a variety of tasks and projects. You’ll spend time across multiple practice groups discovering the innovation and collaborative approach we’re known for.

During your studies, you’ll complete your LLB (Hons) Law and Legal Practice and go on to study towards the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE). On successful completion of the SQE, you will qualify as a solicitor at the end of the programme.

We want to hear from ambitious and curious future lawyers, who are ready to leave their mark. School/college leavers require GCSE grades 4 or above with at least a 6 in Maths and English, plus A-level grades at ABB (or equivalent).

Applications open 1 December 2026 and close on 15 January 2027 (London) and 5 February 2027 (Bristol).

Sponsorship (UK)

On becoming a Simmons & Simmons trainee lawyer we’ll cover your full tuition fees for law school and provide you with a maintenance grant. Those joining our Bristol office will be offered the option of studying in Bristol or London and those joining the London office will study in London.

Non-law graduates will study BPP University’s Law Conversion Course (previously known as the Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PDGL), for which we will provide a maintenance grant of £11,000 in Bristol and £13,000 in London.

Trainees will complete the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) route to qualification. The SQE involves a one year preparatory course. The course is designed to support you through the SQE exams and ensure you have all the skills you need to hit the ground running during your training contract. During the SQE course we provide a maintenance grant of £14,000 in Bristol and £18,750 in London.

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