Frequently Asked Questions

Each year we aim to recruit up to 50 trainee solicitors, including two trainees in our Birmingham office.

In London trainees join us in the spring and the autumn each year (just over 20 trainee in each intake). In Birmingham our trainees join in the autumn each year.

We ask you to submit just one training contract application per year, so we recommend that you apply to either Birmingham or London.

We’ll pick up the bill for all your course fees and SQE exams.  We also provide maintenance grants to our future joiners whilst completing the pre-requisite courses prior to commencing their training contract. The current maintenance grant for full-time study during the PGDL is £10,000 outside London and £12,500 within London. The current maintenance grant for SQE studies is £12,500 in Birmingham and £20,000 in London.

If you need to do the PGDL you would normally start this around 2 years before your training contract start date. So, for example, if you are joining us as a trainee in September 2028 you would start your PGDL course in September 2026.

You would normally start your SQE course 12 months before starting your training contract. So, if you are joining us in March 2028, you would start your SQE course in March 2027. 

We accept applications from candidates who have already started or completed the PGDL, LPC and/or SQE exams.  If you receive a training contract offer from us, we will discuss with you about any further study required.

We would encourage you to apply for a direct training contract if you already have a good amount of experience in either a commercial law firm (e.g., through vacation schemes or paralegal work), a professional services firm or in a professional setting relevant to the industry sectors that we serve.  If you haven’t yet had the opportunity for this type of work experience, we recommend applying for one of our vacation schemes instead.

Around the second month of the final seat, trainees will be informed about all the newly qualified (NQ) vacancies available in the various London practice areas and international offices. Trainees will also be invited to attend a qualification briefing held by the Training Principal and Early Careers Development team to explain the process and give you an opportunity to brush up on your interviewing skills.

Trainees will then be invited to submit preferences to the Trainee Development.

The partners in the practice groups will interview all trainees who express an interest and will confirm to Trainee Development which people they wish to offer roles to. 

There will however be competition for some roles in smaller niche groups. Therefore, it is important to keep an open mind so our trainees have a range of options available to them. 

If trainees are not awarded a role following the first round, they may be able to apply for roles in the second round of the qualification process. Further roles sometimes become available at this stage also.

We would encourage you to apply for a direct training contract if you already have a good amount of experience in either a commercial law firm (e.g., through vacation schemes or paralegal work), professional services organisation or in a professional setting relevant to the industry sectors that we serve.  If you haven’t yet had the opportunity for this type of work experience, we recommend applying for one of our vacation schemes instead.

If you are successful in securing a space on a vacation scheme, you will complete a training contract application interview before the end of the scheme.

If your vacation scheme application is unsuccessful, you will need to wait until the following year (from September 2026) to complete a training contract or another vacation scheme application.

We ask law students to complete summer vacation scheme applications in their penultimate year of study. If you are spending time abroad in your third year, you’ll have the option to interview with us virtually, through our online assessment day platform TopScore.

No, unfortunately we don’t offer this. However, we do offer virtual work experience that is accessible to all.

We allocate 50 places to each scheme, and you’ll be able to pick the scheme you wish to attend. We allocate all places on a first come, first served basis.

You won’t have to complete the first stage of online assessments as part of your vacation scheme application.  However, we will require you to complete all other assessments.

Yes, there are no restrictions to reapply to the firm.

If you apply for HL Lift Off we will automatically consider you for a summer vacation scheme at the same time so there is no need to submit a separate vacation scheme application.   

If you are offered a place on HL Lift Off we will automatically offer you an assessment centre place for the summer vacation scheme.  If you aren’t offered a place on HL Lift Off, we will consider your application for a vacation scheme and a decision about whether we will be inviting you to an assessment centre will be communicated to you by email.

As HL Lift Off take place after the winter vacation scheme we ask candidates to apply for either a winter vacation scheme or HL Lift Off. 

You may make one application per *recruitment cycle for HL Lift Off, a vacation scheme or a direct training contract (in any location). If you applied for Lift Off and were unsuccessful, you may reapply for a vacation scheme or training contract in the next recruitment cycle. 

*Our recruitment cycle runs between 1st September and 31st August each year.

Yes, this is a 2-day programme so all participants will need to be available for both dates.

If you have completed an undergraduate degree in another country and are completing or have completed a two-year LLB in the UK, you would be eligible to apply for any of our programmes that are open to penultimate year students.

For solicitor apprenticeships we look for a minimum of AAB at A’ level (or equivalent).

For all other programmes we look for a minimum of AAB at A’ level (or equivalent) and a 2.1 (predicted or achieved) at degree level. 

Please complete an application and explain how your grades were impacted so we can take this into account when reviewing your application. There is a section for this on our application form. 

Yes, we accept applications from candidates who have completed the LPC.  If you receive a training contract offer from us we will discuss with you about any further study required.

Please visit our Candidate Preparation zone to find out more and to access practice tests.

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are fully inclusive and as barrier-free as possible. This includes making adjustments for candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions. We do ask you about adjustments on your application form.  However, if you wish to discuss adjustments or issues at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact our Early Careers Recruitment team who will be happy to help you.

Some adjustments we have made in the past include (but are not limited to) providing extra time for reading and writing, different interview formats, extra time at interviews, and additional guidance and support, where appropriate, at each stage.

Yes. We often invite candidates to take the online assessments before the application deadline. We, therefore, encourage applicants to apply to us as early as possible, but only after you have had enough time to thoroughly research the firm.

For technical queries, please visit the candidate support centre.

If your query is about the content of the form, please contact the Early Careers Recruitment team.

You may make one application per *recruitment cycle for HL Lift Off, a vacation scheme or a direct training contract (in any location). 

*Our recruitment cycle runs between 1st September and 31st August each year.

We only consider one application per recruitment cycle (either HL Lift Off,  a vacation scheme or a direct training contract application). However, you are welcome to reapply to the firm in future recruitment cycles (which start in September each year). 

Yes, we accept applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship.