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More info
Non-law – September 2027/March 2028 (non-law finalists and graduates only): Applications opened on 2 September 2024 and close on 29 November 2024.
Law – September 2027/March 2028 law intake (for law finalists and graduates): Applications opened on 2 September 2024 and close on 29 November 2024.
Applications for our September 2027/March 2028 law intake for penultimate year law students will open in June 2025.
Offers are made on a rolling basis and we cannot guarantee that places will be available as we progress with these interviews.
What do we look for?
Our trainees come from a range of universities – it is the quality of the candidate, not the university that is important to us. Across all of our opportunities, we are looking for candidates with:
- a sharp intellect
- drive and an interest in commercial law
- commercial awareness
- communication and interpersonal skills
- resolve and resilience
- independent thought and curiosity
- a range of interests outside of the law
- a good sense of humour
- a willingness to take on responsibility
How to apply
We have approximately 95 vacancies for trainee solicitors each year. We look for candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds with a good 2.1 at undergraduate level from any university, and take law and non-law graduates.
We use the Rare Contextual Recruitment System for all of our opportunities. The system helps us to identify high potential candidates by putting applicants’ grades and achievements in the context of their social and educational background.
Applications for all of our opportunities should be submitted using the online form. You will be asked to provide some personal details (including a full breakdown of all your examination results) and to attach your CV and cover letter (or responses to three questions for the spring scheme).
You can find information on what to include in your cover letter and CV on our website.
We encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible during an application window. Training contract offers are made on a rolling basis.
How to apply
www.slaughterandmay.comFollow us on
Applications to
Ms Janine Arnold
Method of application
Online application formMethod of assessment
- HR-led interview
- Partner interview
- Written exercise
Slaughter and May has a global reputation for providing outstanding legal services. The strength of our practice is reflected in the multi-jurisdictional nature of our work and our international client base. The firm is a trusted adviser to some of the largest companies in the world, advising on complex cross-border deals every single day.
We advise on high-profile and often landmark international transactions. Our varied client list ranges from governments to entrepreneurs, from retailers to entertainment companies and from conglomerates to Premier League football clubs.
Our practice areas
We are a full service law firm to corporate clients 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; information technology; 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, and we think that by broadening your training and experience, you will be a better lawyer.
Much of our work has an international element and on average we work with more than 200 law firms across 100 countries annually. Our work is international and cross-border in nature; we go where our clients go. We never compromise on the quality and consistency for which we are widely recognised.
At Slaughter and May we also take a different approach to time; there are no set billing or time targets. This means that our lawyers are free to work collaboratively, sharing expertise and knowledge, so that they can concentrate on what matters most – the quality of the work and client service.
We offer open days, workshops and work experience schemes to enable you to gain an insight into life as a commercial lawyer. Full details of these opportunities can be found on our website.
Virtual insight programme
In this 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.
Our programme is open to all students – no legal knowledge or previous work experience is required. Tasks one to four cover aspects of a fictional transaction. Task five is a typical trainee task – as a trainee you can expect to be pulled in to assist on other matters at short notice!
To find out more please visit our website.
Meet us
To provide an insight into the firm, 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. (https://www.slaughterandmay.com/careers/trainee-solicitors/meet-us/)
Please click here to sign up to our mailing list for updates on events and vacancies.
Virtual internship afternoons 2024
The aim of our virtual insight afternoons is to give finalists and graduates an insight into a career as a lawyer at Slaughter and May.
During the event, 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 our training contract application and interview process.
Our 2024 insight afternoons will take place on 9 October 2024 (2:00pm – 5:00pm) and 6 November 2024 (2:00pm – 5:00pm).
To register – please complete this form. Please note that the programme for 9 October 2024 and 6 November 2024 will be the same, so you will not need to register for both.
Registrations will close on 2 October 2024 (for the 9 October 2024 event) and 30 October 2024 (for the 6 November 2024 event).
The open afternoons are open to all final year students and graduates. There are no tests or interviews.
Our 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. 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.
During your two years as a trainee solicitor, you will spend time in different practice areas, which are referred to 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. All trainees complete at least two six-month seats in our corporate and M&A and financing groups. Subject to gaining some contentious experience, you choose where to spend your remaining time. It 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. Recent trainee secondment destinations include: US (NYC), France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands. Spain, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong. We also offer opportunities for client secondments in and around London that eligible trainees can apply for.
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.
Please refer to: Diversity And Inclusion UK Statistics 2023 (slaughterandmay.com).
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
Practice Areas
Extra info
Phone: 020 7090 4454
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.slaughterandmay.com/careers/early-careers
Work placement: | Yes |
Minimum qualification: | Good A levels and good 2.1 marks at degree level, any discipline |
Start salary: | £56,000 |
Fees paid for: |
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Has overseas secondments: | Yes |
Overseas secondments: |
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- London
- Beijing
- Brussels
- Hong Kong
- Amicus
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Islington Law Centre
- Legal Advice Centres
- Excellerators
- PRIME
- Rare Recruitment
- Social Mobility Business Partnership
- The Access Project