Slaughter and May is a leading international law firm, recognised for our exceptional legal service, commercial awareness and commitment to clients. We are trusted advisers to some of the world’s largest companies, advising on complex, high-profile and often ground-breaking transactions, and our forward thinking and innovative approach complements the best-in-class advice on which our reputation is built.

Whether you join us as a trainee solicitor or solicitor apprentice, you will be trained to advise on the full range of work within the practice areas you experience during your training and on qualification. Working across a broad variety of matters in each seat, you will develop the deep expertise, commercial judgement and independence of thought needed to deliver the landmark work for which we are known. From the outset, you will work with leading law firms around the world and will build strong relationships with clients through direct exposure to international and cross-border matters. You will do so in a collaborative and inclusive culture where excellence is achieved through collective effort and shared expertise.

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 and projects; pensions, employment and incentives; 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 our lawyers to advise across the full range of work within their practice area, giving them exposure to a broader range of matters than they might experience at another firm. This is hard work, but our lawyers say it makes for a far more fulfilling career. Working on complex, varied and high-profile matters from the start provides challenge and interest, and allows them to develop deeper relationships with clients, because they get to know their businesses better.
• Through longstanding relationships with leading law firms around the world and our overseas offices, we provide seamless legal advice to our clients wherever they operate. On average, we work with more than 200 law firms across 100 countries annually, giving our lawyers exposure to international work from an early stage. Through this experience, they gain valuable insights into different markets, cultures and legal systems, developing the judgement and adaptability our clients value.
• Our culture is built on collaboration, trust and diversity of thought, creating an inclusive environment in which our people achieve excellence through collective effort and shared expertise. Without billing or time targets, our lawyers are encouraged to focus on delivering the best outcomes for clients and supporting each other's development, fostering a strong sense of belonging and teamwork

Summer work experience schemes 2027

Our summer work experience schemes are designed to give you a real insight into 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.

At the end of the summer scheme, you will be offered the chance to interview for a training contract.

Applications open on 1 September 2026 and close on 4 December 2026.

Spring Forward programme 2027

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 is designed to help you explore life as a lawyer at Slaughter and May. Through a week in our London office, you’ll gain first-hand insight into our work, our people and our culture, helping you build your confidence and understanding as you start thinking about future applications for summer work experience schemes and training contracts.

The programme includes:

• A one-week, in-person work experience scheme in April 2027, where you’ll spend time working alongside an associate and take part in training sessions and skills workshops designed to develop your commercial awareness and understanding of the work we do.
• Ongoing support after the scheme, including an ongoing ‘buddy’ relationship to provide support with the summer scheme application and interview process in your penultimate year. 

Our 2027 Spring Forward programme will be taking place in our London office from Monday 5 April – Friday 9 April 2027.

Applications open on 5 October 2026 and close on 6 January 2027.

Spring open days 2027

Our spring open days are designed to help you explore a career in commercial law, and gain an insight into life as a lawyer at Slaughter and May. 

During the day, you will have the opportunity to hear from partners, associates and trainees about their experiences of working at the firm, learn about one of our recent transactions 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. 

Our 2027 spring open days will take place in person in our London office on the following dates: 

• 23 March 2027
• 1 April 2027
• 7 April 2027

Applications open on 5 October 2026 and close on 6 January 2027.

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

Commercial 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 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 training contract is designed to offer you the breadth of experience and training needed to advise on the full range of work within the practice areas you experience during the two years and on qualification.

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 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, for example, disputes and investigations, competition, real estates and projects.

Our overseas offices and longstanding relationships with leading law firms around the world 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, Madrid, 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.

Our six-year solicitor apprenticeship programme is designed for bright and motivated school leavers interested in a career in commercial law. 

Through exposure to the full range of work undertaken by the practice groups you experience during the programme, and ultimately join on qualification, you will develop broad and varied experience alongside deep legal expertise. This will equip you with the commercial judgement, intellectual ability and independence of thought needed to deliver the complex and landmark work we are known for. 

The solicitor apprenticeship programme

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 seven 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, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, gender reassignment, age, religion/belief or marital status.

How to apply

To apply, please complete the online application form and attach your CV. You will be asked to complete a situational judgement test within two days of submitting your application. 

For more information on the application process and what we look for, please visit our website a Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme.

Applications open on 12 October 2026 and will close on Wednesday 6 January 2027. 

Please refer to https://www.slaughterandmay.com/media/2jyjwi3a/london-diversity-statistics-report-2025.pdf

SQE, GDL and LPC fees plus maintenance grant.

• Corporate & M&A
• Financing
• Disputes & investigations
• Competition
• Real estate & projects

• Corporate & Commercial
• General Commercial

• London
• Beijing
• Brussels
• Hong Kong

• London

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

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