Summer Vacation Scheme 2025

We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. We have more than 3,700 lawyers and other legal staff based in Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa.

Recognised for our industry focus, we are strong across all the key industry sectors: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare. Through our global risk advisory group, we leverage our industry experience with our knowledge of legal, regulatory, compliance and governance issues to provide our clients with practical solutions to the legal and regulatory risks facing their businesses.

Wherever we are, we operate in accordance with our global business principles of quality, unity and integrity. We aim to provide the highest possible standard of legal service in each of our offices and to maintain that level of quality at every point of contact.

Main areas of work

Our London office delivers domestic and multi-jurisdictional legal services to corporates, financial institutions, governments and other public sector organisations. We excel across a range of legal practices, including corporate, M&A and securities; banking and finance; dispute resolution and litigation; real estate; antitrust and competition; tax; employment and labour; intellectual property; regulation and investigations; and risk advisory. We also advise on US law, and we have a world leading Islamic finance practice. We are particularly well-known for our focus on industry sectors and are strong in financial institutions, including insurance; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare.

Who should apply

There’s no progress more vital than what you’ll experience on our training contracts. Over two years – broken into four six-month seats – you’ll hit all kinds of new firsts with us, big and small. You’ll explore new areas, for instance. Each seat will take you through different sectors and practice areas, with compulsory seats in both banking and corporate. One of your seats will almost certainly be on secondment too – your first encounter with working in a new country, or maybe six months spent working in a client office. As you move from one milestone to the next, you’ll have a sizeable team at your back. A partner mentor to turn to and to learn from. A trainee buddy to teach you the ropes. And the whole trainee development team, to keep you on track from day to day.

An impeccable academic record and intellectual rigour are prerequisites. We expect successful candidates to have at least AAB at A level (or equivalent) and be on track for a 2:1 (or equivalent).

You’ll have an enquiring mind, strong interpersonal skills, and the motivation to make constant progress. You’ll never stop pushing yourself forward, grasping every opportunity – both at home and abroad – that our firm has to offer. You’ll be interested in business too, and keen to build relationships within a firm that’ll help you make progress with purpose.

Summer Vacation Scheme 2025

Finding the place you want to start your career is a moment you’ll always remember, and that’s exactly the kind of insight we offer on our vacation schemes. The scheme will involve interactive sessions with senior stakeholders, group and individual assessments, engaging workshops, as well as a Partner Supervisor and trainee buddy to support you throughout the week. There will also be a training contract interview on the last day. Our vacation schemes offer you an unparalleled insight into the life, work and culture of who we are, giving you the chance to see if we are the firm for you. 

Application details

Our Summer Vacation Schemes are for penultimate year students, finalists and graduates from law and non-law subjects. Applications will open from 4 November 2024 to 5 January 2025 and assessment days will be held in February 2025. 

For more information and to apply please visit our website.

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Jump Start Podcast

What are we really looking for in your application? And how can you shine in your interview? Jump Start is presented by our Early Careers recruitment team, providing practice advice and insights into what happens behind the scenes of the application process.

Through a series of informal conversations, we also meet our colleagues across the firm to talk about different paths into law, as well as tackling some of the more difficult topics, such as diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal sector.

To listen to our Jump Start podcasts please visit our website.