Clifford Chance FAQs

Find out the answers to all your key questions about Clifford Chance here.

What role am I eligible for?

You can find the eligibility criteria for each role we recruit for on our website. Please take a look at our Early careers page and click on the role you are interested in.

Can I apply for more than one grad role?

No – you can only apply for one role per year and you should not apply for a Training Contract with the firm in more than one location in the same recruitment year.

If I am rejected for a role this year, can I apply next year?

Yes, absolutely. If you are unsuccessful in applying for a Training Contract, you are welcome to re-apply the following year.

I am an international student, can I still apply?

We hire globally, so all students are welcome to apply. Please note that ahead of commencing a Training Contract, anyone who does not have an English and Wales qualifying law degree must complete the PGDL (Post Graduate Diploma in Law) along with the SQE.

Can I start my Training Contract earlier than the advertised intake?

No – the intake you apply for is the intake in which you will join Clifford Chance. However, you can join our waitlist but there is no guarantee that a space on an earlier cohort will become available.

I have mitigating circumstances, are they taken into consideration? And where can I detail these on my application?

Should you have mitigating circumstances, you can declare this on your application form and they will be taken into consideration.

If I am studying law outside of the UK, do I still need to complete the PGDL? (This includes Scots and Irish law degrees)

Although recent changes by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) now allow individuals who have an international law degree or are a foreign qualified lawyer to complete the SQE without having to complete a conversion course, at Clifford Chance, we seek to provide individuals with the foundation knowledge to not only pass the SQE assessments but thrive during their Training Contract.

With this in mind, we have continued to adopt the PGDL. Without completing a conversion course to gain an in depth understanding of the foundations of English law, we feel that individuals would be at a significant disadvantage as they begin their SQE and Training Contract. It is for these reasons that despite there being no regulatory requirement, we are continuing to fund the PGDL for all those who do not have an English law degree.

Apply now!