Training Contract

Being a successful City lawyer requires more than purely legal knowledge. Our Learning and Development department organises a full and varied legal and commercial education programme which starts before you join the firm and continues during the training contract.

Your personal training schedule will cover technical legal knowledge, legal skills, and commercial and financial awareness. We’ll also train you on the necessary mental approach, professional skills, delegation, personal impact and more. 

There’ll be responsibility from an early stage, the opportunity to work alongside partners, mentoring and individual support. You’ll never stop learning, not even as a partner.

During your two years as a trainee solicitor you will spend time in different practice areas, which are referred to as 'seats'. To ensure you get the most from your training contract, our HR team will work with you to design a seating programme that best suits your individual preferences. The experience in different seats will help you to decide which area of law you are most interested in and to start developing the versatility and vision essential to becoming a trusted legal adviser to your clients. 

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 specialist groups include:

• Competition
• Disputes and Investigations
• Financial Regulation
• Intellectual Property / Technology
• Pensions, Employment and Incentives
• Real Estate
• Tax

We will ask you for your first seat preferences during the CCP. To help you to choose, we provide you with a detailed brochure and insightful videos, and host a live event at the firm, to give you further information on the seats available. We allocate your first seat ahead of you joining us, and then once you join the firm, we meet with you again to discuss your preferences before allocating your remaining seats. We aim to give everyone their first choices. If you wish to change your seats at a later time, you can submit a request and we will do our best to accommodate this.

As a trainee, you will also have the chance to apply for an international secondment. It is an excellent opportunity to develop, enjoy another culture and gain experience in a different working environment in a new jurisdiction. In addition to our international offering, we also offer a small number of client secondment opportunities which provide a unique opportunity to develop our client relationship whilst also experiencing a new legal environment. Not all trainees choose to apply, and a secondment is not compulsory. Trainees who are in the UK on a working visa may not be eligible to apply for client secondments due to visa restrictions.

During 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. A partner in your group will regularly meet with you to discuss your progress and your supervisor will give you a full review at the end of each seat. You will also receive regular informal feedback. These opportunities provide a forum for you to discuss your progress and how to develop your legal knowledge, skills and experience.