Winning a training contract
30 St Mary Axe and 110 Bishopsgate from Bishops Square, Spitalfields. Photograph: Acabashi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
At the large London firms, a training contract is usually won on a vacation scheme, applied for in the autumn. Then come SQE1, SQE2 and qualifying work experience.
At a large City firm, you apply in autumn for a placement the next spring or summer; at several firms, the training contract offer follows from it.
This guide sits with the other sector guides in Careers.
Most trainees arrive through a vacation scheme
A vacation scheme is a placement at the firm, and at several large firms the main door to a training contract.
We recruit the majority of our London trainees (on average 80 percent) from our vacation schemes
Linklaters calls its spring and summer schemes its main route to a training contract, and ends each with a training contract interview.
So treat the scheme application as the training contract application. The assessment centre guide covers the group and written exercises you may meet on assessment days, and most of its advice carries over to a scheme’s final interview.
More on who can applyLess on who can apply
White & Case takes spring scheme applications from penultimate-year and final-year law students, final-year non-law students and graduates of any discipline. Eligibility lines differ from firm to firm, so read each firm’s own line before you write.
At Linklaters, the interview at the end of the scheme is with a partner and a managing associate.
More on doing well on the schemeLess on doing well on the scheme
The firm reads your application with a trainee place in mind, and the placement works as a long interview: the work you are given is the test, and so are your questions.
Ask whoever sets a task what a good result looks like, and when they need it. Hand it back on time, and say when you are unsure rather than guessing.
Use lunches and coffees to ask partners and trainees about their work; those conversations are part of how a firm gets to know you.
Apply in autumn for spring and summer schemes
Applications open in late September and close in early December, for schemes the following April and summer.
| When | What happens | Firm |
|---|---|---|
| 24 September to 6 December 2026 | Vacation scheme applications open | White & Case |
| 30 November 2026 | Direct applications close for 2029 training contracts | Greenberg Traurig |
| 3 December 2026 | Vacation scheme applications close | Linklaters |
| 5 to 16 April 2027 | Spring vacation scheme | White & Case |
| 28 June to 9 July 2027 | Summer vacation scheme | White & Case |
| End of each scheme | Training contract interview with a partner | Linklaters |
Read together, the three firms show one window in the autumn, a short scheme in spring or summer, then the interview and the offer.
Law's application windows
- Law vacation scheme applications September 2026 to December 2026 Some firms recruit most trainees from these schemes; schemes run in April and from late June 2027.
- Training contract applications (direct) September 2026 to November 2026 Direct applications for 2029 starts; at some firms the vacation scheme is the main route.
- Graduate visa lengths A Graduate visa applied for on or before 31 December 2026 usually lasts 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it is scheduled to last 18 months.
Miss the window and the next one is a year away. Put every closing date in your calendar the day you read it.
More on the window on a master'sLess on the window on a master's
That is why the autumn of your penultimate year matters more than it looks. On a one-year master’s, the window opens weeks after you arrive.
Apply in that first term, or plan for the following cycle as a graduate, which the White & Case eligibility line allows. Both are real routes; the second simply moves the start date later.
These are the dates three firms publish for 2026 to 2027. Dates move from year to year and from firm to firm, so use the table as the shape and each firm’s own page as the date.
More on missing the autumn windowLess on missing the autumn window
If December passes without an application in, you have two honest options. Look for firms that recruit trainees directly, whose windows may run on other dates, or use the year to build the case for next autumn.
A summer internship in another sector still gives you a strong story; the internship calendar lists them.
Some firms skip schemes and hire directly
Not every firm runs vacation schemes. Greenberg Traurig’s London office takes training contract applications directly, and for 2029 contracts closed on 30 November 2026.
We do not run vacation schemes. Applications for our training contracts are direct only.
A direct application is the training contract application in one step, so the written form carries the whole decision to interview.
More on mixing the two routesLess on mixing the two routes
With no placement in the office to make your case, give a direct application the time you would have spent on a scheme. Greenberg Traurig’s applications for 2029 ran from September to November 2026.
Read each firm’s careers page for which route it uses before you plan your autumn. A sensible list mixes the two: three or four scheme applications, and one or two direct applications at firms that hire that way.
More on writing a firm-specific answerLess on writing a firm-specific answer
Every firm asks some version of “why us”. Answer it with the firm’s own material: a practice area it names, a client sector it describes, the office you would join. A paragraph that would work for any firm reads as one.
One autumn of applications, planned
Here is how one autumn might run, using the dates above, for a fictional penultimate-year law student at a UK university in the 2026 to 2027 round.
| Week | The fictional student’s step |
|---|---|
| Late September 2026 | Shortlists five firms; reads each scheme page and eligibility line |
| October 2026 | Writes and sends the first two scheme applications |
| November 2026 | Sends the direct application before Greenberg Traurig’s 30 November close |
| Early December 2026 | Sends the last scheme applications before Linklaters’ 3 December close |
| April 2027 | Spring scheme, if offered one, with the interview at its end |
| Summer 2027 | Summer scheme, or a second try at another firm |
Spreading the work is about quality: five applications written across ten weeks read better than five written in the last weekend of November.
More on keeping your answersLess on keeping your answers
Keep a single document of your answers to each firm’s questions. Firms ask different things, but the material underneath (a piece of work you led, a deal you followed, a reason for the City) repeats, and you will reuse it at interview.
The early applications also go in while each window is wide open.
More on the months before the schemeLess on the months before the scheme
Between January and the spring scheme, the fictional student prepares rather than waits: reading each firm’s recent news on its own site, practising a short written exercise against the clock, and rehearsing an answer to why law, and why this firm, aloud.
The SQE route: two exams and qualifying work
To qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination, you pass two exams and complete qualifying work experience.
| The SQE route | In the SRA’s words |
|---|---|
| The exams | You will need to pass both parts, SQE1 and SQE2 |
| Qualifying work experience | two years' full-time (or equivalent) |
| Where it can be gained | In up to four organisations, paid or volunteer |
More on questions to ask about the SQELess on questions to ask about the SQE
The training contract is where City trainees do the qualifying work. Ask each firm how and when its trainees sit SQE1 and SQE2 before you accept an offer. The answer shapes the next few years as much as the salary does.
- When do trainees sit SQE1, and when SQE2?
- Who pays for preparation and exam fees?
- Is study time given in working hours?
- Who signs off qualifying work experience?
- What happens after a failed attempt?
The SRA’s own pages settle any detail: start with its SQE route overview (opens sra.org.uk) and its page on qualifying work experience for candidates (opens sra.org.uk).
Count the years between offer and start
A training contract offer can come years before the start date.
£56,000 median starting salary in law at leading graduate employers, 2026
If the contract starts after a Graduate visa would end, ask the firm’s graduate recruitment team how it handles visas for trainees, once you hold an offer.
More on the dates side by sideLess on the dates side by side
Greenberg Traurig’s autumn 2026 round recruits for contracts starting in 2029. For an international student, the gap between offer and start is the part to plan. Set the start date against the end of whatever visa you will hold.
Write the dates down side by side: your course end, your visa end, the scheme, the offer and the contract start. Seeing them on one line turns a vague worry into a specific question for a specific firm. The question is ordinary at that stage.
On the form itself, answer the right-to-work question plainly; your visa status on a UK CV shows the wording.
City law firms that train graduates
-
Clifford Chance Trainee solicitors from law and other degrees Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked - A&O Shearman Trainee solicitors from any degree subject Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
-
Freshfields Trainee associates in commercial law Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked -
Linklaters Trainee solicitors rotating through four seats Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked -
Slaughter and May Trainee solicitors and solicitor apprentices Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked -
Latham & Watkins Trainee solicitors and vacation scheme students Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked -
Kirkland & Ellis A small yearly intake of trainee solicitors Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
Logos identify each employer. A listing here is a fact about the employer, not an endorsement, and implies no affiliation.
The salary above is a sector median, not a firm’s offer, and the graduate pay table sets it beside other sectors.
The Singapore and Malaysia edition covers law for readers from those systems, and the Big 4 guide sets out a professional route with its own calendar, if you are weighing law against accountancy.
This week
- List five firms and put each vacation scheme closing date in your calendar
- Read one firm's scheme page in full, including who can apply
- Draft a firm-specific answer to "why this firm" before December
- Check the internship calendar for summer options beside law
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Sources
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or before 31 December 2026) 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 Checked
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or after 1 January 2027) 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027 Checked
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length after a PhD or other doctorate If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years. Checked
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route You will need to pass both parts, SQE1 and SQE2 Read
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Qualifying work experience (updated 26 January 2024) All candidates looking to qualify through the SQE route will need to complete two years' full-time (or equivalent) qualifying work experience (QWE).It can be gained in up to four organisations, in paid or volunteer work, and could include time spent: Read
- High Fliers Research: The Graduate Market in 2026 Chart 9 Graduate Salaries at the UK's Top Employers in 2026, by Sector or Industry. Median starting salaries. Law: £56,000. Source, The Graduate Market in 2026 Read
- White & Case: Vacation schemes (UK) We recruit the majority of our London trainees (on average 80 percent) from our vacation schemes, with up to 25 participants in each intake. ... Spring vacation scheme 5 to 16 April 2027 Who can apply? penultimate-year and final-year law students, final-year non-law students, and graduates from any discipline. When can I apply 24 September 2026 to 6 December 2026 Summer vacation scheme 28 June to 9 July 2027 Read
- Linklaters: Vacation Schemes Our Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes are the best route to securing a Training Contract with us. ... Final Training Contract interview: At the end of the scheme, you’ll have a guaranteed interview for a Training Contract with a Partner and Managing Associate. ... Closing Date 03/12/2026 Read
- Greenberg Traurig: London Trainee Recruiting Apply: September to November 2026 ... Applications for our 2029 training contract are now open. To apply, please click here. Applications will close on Monday 30th November 2026 at 23:59. ... We do not run vacation schemes. Applications for our training contracts are direct only. Read
- LSE Careers: Graduate scheme applications Recruitment Timeframes August to January Graduate schemes open, some fixed date, some rolling Formal internship schemes open including parliamentary internships October to April Assessments & offers Traineeship applications June to September Internships, grad schemes begin Smaller organisations in public and private sector hire throughout the year Read
- LSE Department of Finance: Graduate scheme applications Prepare early: most schemes open as early as August and close in October or November (your course begins in early September). Read
- targetjobs: Graduate scheme applications Most employers offering formal graduate programmes open for applications in September/October, with a view to graduates starting work the following September/October. ... Applications for graduate schemes in investment banking often open in August and close as early as October.Many employers set application deadlines in November and December. ... Some employers do not set a deadline and keep their graduate programmes ‘open’ all year or have ‘ongoing recruitment’, but they still expect to receive most of their applications by Christmas. Read
- Lancaster University Management School Careers: Spring weeks and insight programmes They generally take place during the Easter break in your first spring term. They, therefore, require applications in September and October in your first year at university! Note: Only first-year students can apply unless you are on a four-year course, where second-year students can also apply. ... Some schemes will open in July and August! Read
- Piper Sandler: Spring weeks and insight programmes For those that are successful on the Spring Week programme, you may receive an offer to be fast-tracked for a 2028 summer internship. Applicants should be either in the first year of a three-year degree or the second year of a four-year degree, graduating in 2029. ... Applications open from midday on Tuesday 1 December 2026. ... The confirmed dates for Spring Week are April 2027. Read
- LSE Department of Finance: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) They are paid positions, and in many cases can lead to an offer of a full-time position by the employer. These are offered by most investment banks, strategy consulting firms, and other financial and tech institutions. The application process is similar to that for full time positions, although deadlines are usually later in the autumn or January Read
- Goldman Sachs: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) The Summer Analyst role is for candidates currently pursuing a Bachelors or Masters university degree and in their penultimate or final year of study. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply as soon as you are ready. Read
- Barclays: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) The closing date for applications is 31 October 2026. Please note that this vacancy may close ahead of the advertised date due to application volumes, and we therefore recommend submitting your application as early as possible. ... To be considered for this opportunity, you must be in your penultimate year of university. You must be graduating in 2028. ... Please also note that, during your summer internship, you will be considered for a place on our 2028 graduate programme. Read
- targetjobs: Assessment centre season Those recruiters who set deadlines in November and December typically hold first-round interviews and assessments in January and February. Assessment centres are usually held in March and April and job offers made in April, May and June. Read
- KPMG UK: Assessment centre season The dates of our Launch Pad events can be found below: Tuesday 17th November 2026: London Oval ... Wednesday 5th May 2027: Leeds New Dock Hall ... If successful you will have your job offer within 2 working days! Read
- University of Warwick: Degree results Postgraduate Taught Students (awards only), Friday 26th June 2026 ... Undergraduate Finalist students, Thursday 9th July 2026 Read
- University of Kent: Degree results Exam results for finalists and Year In students will be published throughout the day on KentVision, Monday 20 July. Read
This page is about the UK job hunt and is not immigration advice. For your own situation, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or an immigration solicitor, and check the current rules on gov.uk.
Change log
- First published.
Read next
- Summer internships for international studentsSummer internships for international students Summer places that often lead to graduate offers, with their dates
- Singaporean and Malaysian graduates in the UK Law, Big 4 and banking, with scholarship terms first
- InterviewsInside a UK assessment centre A day of exercises, scored one by one: the timetable annotated
Pictures on this page
- The Lloyd's building, City of London Photograph: Choinowski, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
- Tower Bridge from the river on a summer evening Photograph: Volodymyr Vlasenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped
