Slaughter and May is a leading international law firm, recognised for our exceptional legal service and our commitment to clients.  The firm is a trusted adviser to some of the largest companies in the world, advising on high-profile, complex and often ground-breaking transactions. Our forward thinking, innovative approach to legal services complements the best-in-class advice on which our reputation is built. Excellence is deeply ingrained in our culture and absolutely central to everything we do at Slaughter and May.

We thrive on original thinking and novel approaches. Our inclusive culture gives rise to a unique diversity of thinking, which is critical to our success and helps maintain our position as a true market leader.  

Our practice areas

We are a full-service law firm and have leading practitioners across a wide range of areas including mergers and acquisitions, corporate and commercial, financing, tax, competition, disputes and investigations, real estate, pensions and employment, financial regulation, and technology, digital, data and intellectual property.  

A world of difference

There are clear differences between Slaughter and May and other global law firms: 

• We train each of our lawyers to be a multi-specialist, equipped to advise on a broad range of legal matters which at other firms would be handled by a number of different lawyers. This is hard work, but our lawyers say it makes for a far more fulfilling career. It provides challenge and interest, while allowing lawyers to develop deeper relationships with clients, because they get to know their businesses better. 
• Much of our work has an international element and we work with the very best law firms across the globe, hand-picked to meet the needs of each matter, to support our clients. On average we work with more than 200 law firms across 100 countries annually.  We never compromise on the quality and consistency for which we are widely recognised.   
• Our inclusive culture is built on intentional collaboration and support. With no set billing targets, our lawyers are free to share expertise and knowledge, allowing them to focus on what truly matters – delivering exceptional work and outstanding client service.

We offer work experience schemes, open days and virtual insight afternoons to enable you to gain an insight into life as a commercial lawyer. Full details of these opportunities can be found on our website.

Summer work experience schemes 2026

Our summer work experience schemes are designed to offer you the opportunity to experience life as a trainee at the firm and find out more about our work and our culture.   

During the scheme, you will sit in one of our legal groups and will get involved in legal work and conducting hands-on legal research. There will be a trainee solicitor assigned to you, who will help you to settle in and will be available throughout your scheme to answer any questions and assist with any tasks you may be given.

Throughout your time in the firm, you will also take part in training, workshops and interactive case studies, and different social activities will be organised to give you opportunities to talk with partners, associates and trainees outside the office.

Spring Forward programme 2026

An inclusive and diverse workforce is critical to our firm’s success and we seek the brightest minds to join us. Our clients work with us because they know that they can access exceptional talent.

Data from the Law Society shows that lawyers from ethnic minority or lower socio-economic backgrounds are underrepresented in law firms compared to the undergraduate population at UK universities. In our search for the best talent, we want to improve access to the profession for undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds.

If you are a first-year law student from a lower socio-economic and/or ethnic minority background, our Spring Forward programme has been designed to give you an insight into life as a lawyer at Slaughter and May. This programme aims to develop your understanding of the work and culture of the firm and to provide information and experience for when you make decisions about applying for summer work experience schemes and training contracts in your penultimate year.

The programme includes:

• A one-week in-person work experience scheme in April 2026. During the one-week scheme, your time will be split between working alongside an associate and taking part in training sessions and skills workshops to help you develop your understanding of our work and build your commercial awareness.
• Ongoing support including an ongoing ‘buddy’ relationship following the scheme to provide support with the summer scheme application/interview process in your penultimate year.

Our 2026 Spring Forward programme will be taking place in our London office from Monday 13 April – Friday 17 April 2026.

Spring open days 2026

The aim of our spring open days is to provide an insight into the legal profession in general and more specifically the work of a City law firm. 

During the day, you will have the opportunity to hear from partners and trainees about their experiences of working at the firm, learn about one of our recent deals and find out more about what we are looking for in the application and interview process for our summer work experience schemes and training contract. 

Explore law virtual insight programme

Explore law – our virtual insight programme available on the Forage platform – offers you the opportunity to delve into the world of commercial law and learn more about Slaughter and May and the world of our lawyers.  

During the programme, you will explore four of our main practice areas: financing, corporate, competition, and disputes and investigations – as you advise an imaginary client on a transaction and gain valuable insights into the types of work our lawyers do at the start of their careers. The programme also encourages the development of important skills and commercial awareness which will give you a better understanding of what a career at Slaughter and May entails. 

You can also use it on applications and in interviews as further evidence of your interest in, and understanding of, a career in commercial law. 

Explore law is open to everyone, but it has been designed for 16-18 year olds and those just starting to explore a career in commercial law. No prior legal knowledge or work experience is required.  

To find out more please click here.

Commercial law virtual insight programme

During the programme, you will be introduced to some of the types of work our trainees and lawyers do every day. The programme encourages the development of important skills and commercial awareness which will give you a better understanding of what a lawyer does and what a career at Slaughter and May entails. 

You can also use it on applications and in interviews as further evidence of your interest in, and understanding of, a career in commercial law. 

Commercial law is open to everyone – no prior legal knowledge or work experience is required.  

To find out more please click here.

Meet us 

To provide an insight into the firm and the opportunity to meet our lawyers and trainee solicitors, we host in-person events at a number of UK universities from September – December, and run a series of virtual presentations and application Q&As throughout the year.  To find out more and to register your place at these, please visit our website.

Our two-year training contract is designed to offer you the breadth of experience and training needed to become a multi-specialist, equipped to advise on a broad range of legal matters. 

During your time at the firm, you will spend time in different practice areas, known as ‘seats’. In each seat you will share an office with a partner or associate (your ‘supervisor’) who will guide you and ensure that you are actively involved in their work and the work of the group. You will be given responsibility from an early stage and the opportunity to work alongside partners, who, together with other team members in the firm, provide mentoring and individual support.

All of our trainees complete at least two six-month seats in our corporate and M&A and financing groups. Subject to gaining some contentious experience, your remaining time can be divided into two or three specialist areas or focused on one. 

Our overseas offices and close working relationships with market-leading law firms in other jurisdictions mean there are also opportunities for trainees to apply for a secondment in their second year; this can either be an international secondment (to destinations such as Paris, Amsterdam, New York and Hong Kong), or a client secondment located in and around London. 

You can find out more on our website here.

All of our future trainee solicitors take the SQE path to qualification. We have collaborated with BPP Law School and five other global law firms to create the City Consortium Solicitor Training Programme (‘CCP’). The CCP is a 12-month course which includes SQE1 and SQE2 preparation as well the bespoke Plus Programme  which focuses on key areas for our practice, as well as the additional knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours necessary to ensure that you are well prepared to undertake your training contract with us. You can read more about our route to qualification here.

The solicitor apprenticeship programme

Our six-year solicitor apprenticeship programme is designed for bright and motivated school leavers interested in a career in commercial law, and will offer you the breadth of experience and training needed to become a multi-specialist lawyer, equipped to advise on a broad range of legal matters.

During your first four years as a solicitor apprentice, you will rotate annually through a range of practice areas. This will allow you to gain a wealth of knowledge and experience whilst studying at BPP University one day per week towards your undergraduate law degree.

Towards the latter part of the programme, you will join the trainee rotations, moving to a new practice area every three to six months. You will also continue to attend BPP university to study for your degree and then the SQE. Both UK and international secondment opportunities may be available in the latter stages of the apprenticeship programme.

In each seat, you will be supervised by an experienced lawyer who will work with you and BPP on setting goals and giving exposure to a range of tasks, work and areas of law. You will be actively involved in the work your supervisor and group are handling. Responsibilities and tasks will vary, but you will be an important part of the team straight away, working on exciting and often ground-breaking transactions. 

Who can apply? 

Our solicitor apprenticeship programme is for applicants who have not yet completed an undergraduate degree.

You must have achieved 7 GCSEs at grade 6 or above (including Maths and English) and have achieved or be predicted to achieve AAB at A level. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into account.

You must have the right to work in the UK.

We welcome applications irrespective of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, belief or marital status.

How to apply

Applications are now open and will close on Wednesday 7 January 2026.

To apply, please complete the online application, which can be accessed here, and attach your CV.

Please refer to https://www.slaughterandmay.com/our-firm/our-culture-and-values/diversity-and-inclusion/

SQE, GDL and LPC fees plus maintenance grant.

• Competition
• Corporate & M&A
• Disputes & investigations
• Financial regulation
• Financing
• Intellectual property/technology
• Pensions
• Employment & incentives
• Real estate
• Sustainability & climate change
• Tax

• Corporate & Commercial
• General Commercial

• London
• Beijing
• Brussels
• Hong Kong

• London

• Amicus
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• Islington Law Centre
• Legal Advice Centres

• Excellerators
• PRIME
• Rare Recruitment
• Social Mobility Business Partnership
• The Access Project