Training Contract (September 2028)
Shoosmiths
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Salary
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Type of firm
Regional Law Firms
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Location
Glasgow, Birmingham, London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Manchester
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Vacancies
36
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Deadline
31/03/2026
Train where your future gets real
Your career starts here: real cases, real clients & a team committed to helping you thrive.
Where your legal career truly begins
We believe in developing lawyers who think commercially, act with empathy, and lead with purpose. Across two years, you’ll complete four six-month seats in different areas of law. Each one is designed to challenge your thinking, refine your skills, and immerse you in real client work from day one.
You’ll gain:
- hands-on responsibility that matters
- client exposure that builds your confidence
- mentorship from expert and award-winning lawyers
- structured learning that goes way beyond the classroom
- a culture that supports your wellbeing as much as your success
Our training contract is your launchpad into a bold, rewarding legal career.
'We look for bright, commercially minded solicitors who love a challenge dealing with leading organisations.', Samantha Hope, Senior Emerging Talent Manager
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for great people who are curious, collaborative, and commercially aware. People who care about doing great work – and doing it the right way.
Ambitious people thrive here because we work in an enterprising, supportive, and inclusive environment. You’ll be encouraged to take initiative from day one, contribute meaningfully to your team, and grow in a firm that values individuality as much as intellect.
We welcome applicants from all degree disciplines and universities, including career changers. We know that real-world experience and diverse perspectives make our teams stronger.
What you'll experience
There are no compulsory seats, but your four rotations will cover at least one contentious and one non-contentious area. We’ll make sure your training meets all the requirements set by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and The Law Society in your jurisdiction.
Advisory Services
Bring clarity to complexity & shape the future of advisory law
Our advisory teams do more than solve problems; they empower clients to thrive in a fast-changing world. You’ll craft commercial agreements that enable growth and manage risk, guide businesses through employment challenges and global mobility, resolve disputes with pragmatic, strategic solutions, and help organisations stay ahead of evolving regulatory obligations.
Our advisory teams partner with clients on:
Commercial contracts: crafting agreements that enable growth and manage risk.
Employment & immigration: guiding businesses through workforce challenges and global mobility.
Dispute resolution: resolving conflicts with strategic, pragmatic solutions.
Regulatory & compliance: helping clients stay ahead of evolving legal obligations.
Every matter is an opportunity to combine insight with innovation—delivering advice that builds confidence and creates lasting value. If you’re ready to work at the heart of business-critical decisions, this is where your expertise will shine.
Corporate
Shape the deals that define industries
Our corporate team works at the heart of strategic growth and innovation, advising ambitious businesses on complex, high-value transactions. You’ll drive transformational mergers and acquisitions, support investors and entrepreneurs in scaling through private equity and venture capital, deliver banking and finance solutions in a fast-moving market, and guide boards on governance, compliance, and responsible leadership. Every deal is an opportunity to influence the future—combining commercial insight with creativity to help clients achieve bold ambitions. If you’re ready to work where decisions shape markets, this is your stage.
Our corporate lawyers work at the heart of strategic growth and innovation, focusing on:
Mergers & acquisitions: driving transformational deals for ambitious clients.
Private equity & venture capital: supporting investors and entrepreneurs in scaling businesses.
Banking & finance: delivering solutions for lenders and borrowers in a fast-moving market.
Corporate governance: guiding boards on compliance, risk, and responsible leadership.
Join a team that advises some of the most exciting businesses on complex, high-value transactions.
Real Estate
Shape the spaces where business happens
Our real estate team combines commercial insight with technical expertise to deliver projects that transform communities and create lasting value. You’ll advise on landmark developments and regeneration schemes, help clients maximise returns on property portfolios, navigate complex planning and environmental regulations, and support the delivery of major construction and infrastructure projects. Every challenge is an opportunity to influence the built environment—bringing vision, precision, and creativity to work that truly makes an impact. Our real estate specialists combine commercial insight with technical expertise across:
Development & regeneration: dvising on landmark projects that redefine communities.
Investment & asset management: helping clients maximise returns on property portfolios.
Planning & environment: navigating complex regulations to unlock opportunities.
Construction & engineering: supporting delivery of major infrastructure and building projects.
If you’re ready to help shape the future of real estate, this is where you belong.
What you’ll need before you start
Our training contracts run full-time for two years. You’ll need to have completed theLPCorSQE(for England) or theDiploma(for Scotland) before you start.
If you’re a non-law graduate, you’ll also need to complete thePGDL (England)or theAccelerated LLB (Scotland). We provide funding support towards postgraduate studies.
You can find the current trainee salary and further details on our FAQ page.
Make your first move
Our selection process is designed to get to know you – not just your grades. Apply today, take an online strengths-based assessment and meet our team at one of our assessment centres.
If it’s the right fit, we’ll make it official with an offer.
Applications open: 4 December 2025
Deadline: 31 March 2026
Start date: September 2028
Locations: Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Birmingham, Manchester & Leeds
Assessment centres: June–July 2026

