Training contracts
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Apply for a training contract
Let's invest in your future
At Gowling WLG, we believe that everyone brings something different, and that in working together we can create positive experiences and opportunities for both our people and our clients. If you’re looking for a supportive and dynamic space to flourish, our training contract is the perfect gateway.
What is a training contract?
A training contract is a route to qualify as a Solicitor in England and Wales where you undertake a two-year placement as a trainee solicitor. Under the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route, this two-year period counts as Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). Training contracts are a great way to start your legal career and begin to make a real impact with our clients with opportunities to go on client and international secondments. In return, we need people with a sharp mind and entrepreneurial spirit, who generate fresh ideas, make new connections and challenge how things are done.
What's involved in a Gowling WLG training contract?
Once you're on board, you'll spend two years developing practical legal skills and soaking in invaluable knowledge from colleagues across our firm, all whilst earning a competitive salary and getting to enjoy a range of exciting opportunities along the way. To break it down, you'll complete four six-month rotations, or 'seats', in our key practice areas, experiencing a blend of contentious and non-contentious work. We'll be here every step of the way, offering personalised support to help you grow and make an impact worth bragging about. You'll be well rewarded for your efforts. First-year salaries for trainees are £48,500 in London and £33,000 in Birmingham, rising to £53,500 and £36,000 in the second year. Plus, we offer a comprehensive benefits package.
What's in it for you?
What's in it for you?
Take your pick
We understand that everyone's journey is different. That's why we're here to make your training contract as unique and fulfilling as possible. As an international, sector-focused law firm, we have four vibrant practice groups to kickstart your career: Real Estate Group (REG), Corporate, Finance & Tax (CFT), Dispute Resolution Group (DRG) and Commercial, Employment & Pensions (CEP).
Seats
Some of our available seats include:
- Housing Development and Regeneration
- Commercial Development and Investment
- Planning
- Banking
- Corporate
- Financial Services and Funds
- Public Companies and Capital Markets
- Commercial Litigation
- Intellectual Property
- Non-contentious and Contentious Construction
- Energy Transition
- Infrastructure and Projects
- Pensions
- And many more!
Sectors
More than just a training contract
There are a number of opportunities available for professional development through pro-bono work, volunteering, firm-wide projects, and active participation in our inclusion networks.
Depending on the postgraduate route of study you are eligible for (LPC or SQE), the Solicitors Regulation Authority may require evidence of contentious work to qualify as a solicitor. If this applies to you, don’t worry – we'll provide you with the necessary experience.
Regardless of the route, we aim to ensure that all future trainees complete at least one contentious seat as part of their training contract. It's also good to note that completing a Real Estate seat is mandatory, reflecting our firm's expertise in this sector and practice.
We know it's a lot to take in, but our Early Talent team is here to support you every step of the way. We will partner with you during each seat rotation, discuss your preferences, career ambitions, and help you align with teams and practice areas to ensure you gain the most relevant experience possible.
Who can apply?
We recruit for training contract positions two years in advance, allowing you time to complete any necessary post-graduate study before joining us.
Our training contract roles are open to graduates from any degree discipline, penultimate year law students, and final-year non-law students, with no minimum A-Level or degree classification requirements, because we know that talent comes in all shapes and sizes.
How can we support you?
If you're offered a training contract, rest assured that we've got your back. We'll sponsor any academic study required before your employment begins and provide maintenance grants to help out with your living costs.
For non-law students, this means completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Law followed by the Solicitors Qualifying Exams. If you began your undergraduate study after September 2021, you'll need to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Exam before starting the training contract. Law students who graduated or started their LLB/conversion course before September 2021 may be eligible to complete the Legal Practice Course during the SRA's transitional arrangements. We'll discuss with you at the point of offer the routes available and what works best for you.
Let's get started
We work at our best when we work together. At the end of a training contract with Gowling WLG you will have everything you need to be a qualified solicitor, but you will also have built relationships that will have a lasting impact on your career and the way you practice law.
The important stuff
We recruit for our training contract positions annually, with applications opening every September and closing in November. Our application process consists of four stages:
- Application form
- Online task-based assessment
- Video interview
- Immersive assessment centre
Our assessment centres are held annually in January and February, with training contracts starting two years after the offer, typically in August of that respective year.
While we'd love to welcome you right away, your onboarding will be dependent on successfully passing all stages of the recruitment process, meeting eligibility requirements, and completing post-graduate studies, including the Postgraduate Diploma in Law, and either the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE).
You’ve made it this far – now let's get your application in.
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