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Slaughter and May’s early careers routes support students and graduates in building the skills and experience needed for a career in commercial law at the firm. Here are the Slaughter and May early career opportunities you can apply to:
Let’s find out what each of these opportunities offers, starting with the training contract.
The Slaughter and May training contract is designed to train you as a versatile solicitor, equipped to advise on a range of legal matters across several practice areas.
In this scheme, you’ll be given responsibility from an early stage, working alongside experienced professionals who also provide mentoring and individual support.
Good to Know: The Slaughter and May training contract application process opens yearly. However, recruitment is 2 to 3 years in advance of your start date.
The Slaughter and May training contract runs for 2 years, across four 6-month seats. Two mandatory seats are in Corporate & M&A and Financing, while the remaining seats can be chosen from Competition, Disputes and Investigations, Financial Regulation, Pensions, Employment and Incentives, Real Estate and Projects, Technology, Digital, Data and IP, Tax, and Sustainability.
The Slaughter and May training contract is based in London, with the firm’s other eligible offices in Brussels, Beijing and Hong Kong.
Good to Know: Applications for the September 2029/March 2030 Slaughter and May training contract (for law and non-law finalists and graduates) are open now, and close in November 2026.
Now, let’s take a look at the Slaughter and May Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme.
The Slaughter and May Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme is a route into the firm for those who have not completed an undergraduate degree, combining paid work with study towards qualification as a solicitor.
Good to Know: The Slaughter and May Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme offers a starting salary of £32,000 with annual increases, a £3,000 sign-on bonus, and all study fees covered.
The Slaughter and May Solicitor Apprenticeship programme runs for 6 years. The first four years involve annual rotations through practice areas, before moving to trainee-style rotations of 3 to 6 months each.
Good to Know: Alongside your work, you’ll study one day per week at BPP University, combining in-person workshops with online self-study, to earn an LLB Law and Legal Practice degree and complete your SQE assessments.
The Slaughter and May Solicitor Apprenticeship programme is based at Slaughter and May’s London office, with potential UK and international secondments in its later years.
Good to Know: Applications for the Slaughter and May Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme open in October 2026, and close in January 2027.
Finally, let’s look at Slaughter and May‘s shorter work experience opportunities.
Beyond the training contract and solicitor apprenticeship, Slaughter and May offers several ways to gain early insight into life at the firm:
Spring Open Days:
ondon insight day, open to first-year students and second-years on four-year degrees, introducing you to life at the firm.
Spring Forward Programme:
For first-year law students, prioritising candidates from lower socio-economic and/or ethnic minority backgrounds, though all applications are considered.
Summer Work Experience Scheme:
A three-week London placement for penultimate-year students, involving legal research, training sessions and case studies. Also known as the vacation scheme.
Virtual Insight Afternoons:
A virtual session for final-year students and graduates, offering insight into life at Slaughter and May.
Commercial Law Virtual Insight Programme:
A self-paced virtual programme on Forage, open to all, exploring practice areas including Financing, Corporate, Competition, and Disputes and Investigations.
Explore Law Virtual Insight Programme:
A self-paced virtual programme on Forage for those aged 16 to 18 exploring commercial law, with no prior legal knowledge required.
School Students Programme:
Lead in to Law, a two-year programme for Year 12 to 13 students, and Excellerators, a virtual programme for Year 12 students, both for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Good to Know: Applications for the Spring Forward Programme and Spring Open Days open in October 2026 and close in January 2027. Summer Work Experience Scheme applications are open now and close in December 2026.
With that, we’ve covered the main Slaughter and May early career opportunities you could apply to.
The application process varies depending on the opportunity you’re applying for. However, the Slaughter and May application process may typically involve the following stages:
Good to Know:
The Slaughter and May written exercise is typically only used during the training contract application process. If you applied for other roles, you will likely not be required to complete this test.
Discover all stages of the Slaughter and May recruitment process here!
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Before you start your Slaughter and May application, check out the FAQs below for more on the firm’s early career programmes.
The seats are the various practice areas you rotate through during your two-year training contract, including two mandatory seats in Corporate & M&A and Financing.
It’s a six-year route into the firm for school leavers, combining paid work and rotations with part-time study towards a law degree and qualification as a solicitor.
Priority is given to candidates from an ethnic minority and/or lower socio-economic background, but all applications to the Spring Forward Programme receive consideration.
Yes, training contract interview opportunities are offered to candidates at the conclusion of the Summer Work Experience Scheme.
Yes, the Summer Work Experience Scheme pays £550 per week to cover expenses, and relocation accommodation and a professional clothing grant may also be provided.
Your cover letter should explain your interest in a career in law and why you’ve applied to Slaughter and May, in no more than one side of A4.
Start preparing for the Slaughter and May recruitment process with GF today, the only aptitude practice test experts providing practice test solutions to over 150 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe. Practice with peace of mind; no subscription required, and a full 100% money-back guarantee if you do not pass your job tests.
Start preparing for the Slaughter and May recruitment process with GF today, the only aptitude practice test experts providing practice test solutions to over 150 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe.
Practice with peace of mind; no subscription required, and a full 100% money-back guarantee if you do not pass your job tests.
Click the links below to uncover more about the Slaughter and May recruitment process:
This article was last updated on 25 September 2026. All information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at publication, based on publicly available sources. For the latest details, please verify directly with Slaughter and May.
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