Application and selection criteria
How many trainees does each law firm recruit? How many applications does it get a year? Which firms require a minimum 2:1 degree? Which firms care about A levels? The answer to all these questions, and more, are below.
If you're interested in applying to a firm it's important to know the basics: what are its minimum degree and A level requirements? Does it offer a vac scheme? How about an open day? And how many vacancies and applications does it typically get? All that information is provided here.
The data below was either provided to us directly by firms or taken from their websites. While many set a minimum requirement of a 2:1 degree, extenuating circumstances may be taken into account. Firms' A levels requirements are usually less stringent. Recruiters are on the lookout for good academics overall and one extra B need not dent your chances if you've had other academic successes (e.g. a First).
Overseas applicants need not worry: firms are usually willing to accept applicants with equivalent overseas degrees, provided they are from a reputable institution (though foreign law degrees are not usually recognised as a qualifying law degree). If you have any doubt about the requirements a firm sets, please contact its graduate recruitment team.
Name |
Training contract vacancies |
Number of applicants |
Closing dates for application |
Closing dates for vac scheme |
Grade requirements |
A levels (desired) |
Addleshaw Goddard |
63 | 31 July 2024 | 04 January 2024 | N/A | ||
Akin Gump | 8 | 600 | 07 January 2024 | 07 January 2024 | 2:1 | N/A |
Arnold & Porter | 4 | 370 | 31 May 2024 | 14 January 2023 | 2:1 | |
Ashfords | 12 | 550 | 01 March 2023 | 31 March 2024 | 2:1 | 3x A*-C |
Baker McKenzie | 40 | 2,420 | 01 April 2024 | 01 December 2023 | N/A | N/A |
Bates Wells | 6 | 600 | 13 May 2024 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | ABB |
Bevan Brittan | TBC | 27 February 2024 | 2:1 | ABB | ||
Boodle Hatfield | 5 | 341 | 19 June 2023 | 31 January 2023 | 2:1 | |
Bristows | 10 | 500 | 02 January 2024 | 2:1 | ||
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | 30 | 1,500 | 31 May 2024 | 14 January 2024 | ||
Burges Salmon | 24 | 24 June 2023 | 31 October 2023; 12 January 2024 | 2:1 | AAB | |
Charles Russell Speechlys | 25 | 1,639 | 15 January 2024 | 15 January 2024 | 2:1 | |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton | 16 | 1,500 | 31 July 2024 | Winter - 31 October 2023; Spring & Summer - 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | AAA |
Clifford Chance | 100 | 23 November 2023 | 08 February 2024 | 2:1 | ||
Clyde & Co | 01 April 2023 | 2:1 | ||||
Collyer Bristow | 4 | 228 | 2:1 | |||
Cooley | ||||||
Covington & Burling | 9 | 20 October 2023; 12 January 2024 | 2:1 | ABB | ||
Cripps | 10 | 200 | TBC but likely no later than February 2024 | End of January 2024 | N/A | No requirement |
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle | 2 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | AAB | ||
Davis Polk & Wardwell | 01 January 2024 | |||||
Debevoise & Plimpton | 9 | 500 | 02 January 2024 | 02 January 2022 | 2:1 | 144 UCAS Points |
Dentons | 30 | 17 June 2023 | 02 January 2024 | |||
Devonshires | 7 | 30 June 2024 | 2:1 | ABB | ||
Dorsey & Whitney | 2 | 150 | 31 July 2024 | |||
Druces | 4 | 55 | Mid-July | AAB | ||
DWF | 40 | 1,800 | 12 January 2024 | 12 January 2024 | 2:1 | |
Farrer & Co | 10 | 700 | 01 January 2023 | 01 July 2023 | 2:1 | ABB |
Foot Anstey | 12 | 350 | 31 January 2024 | 02 January 2024 | 2:1 | ABB |
Fox Williams | 4 | 223 | 28 January 2024 | 2:1 | ABB | |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer | 100 | 18 January 2023; 1 August 2024 | 04 January 2024 | 2:1 | ||
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher | 8 | 800 | 16 January 2024 | 16 January 2023 | 2:1 | |
Goodwin | 14 | 600 | 15 December 2023 | 15 December 2023 | 2:1 | |
HFW | 15 | 843 | 21 July 2024 | 14 January 2024 | ||
Hill Dickinson | 25 | 1,000 | 31 January 2024 | 31 January 2024 | ||
Howes Percival | 10 | 31 March 2023 | 20 June 2024 | |||
K&L Gates | 8 | 31 July 2024 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | 320 UCAS Points | |
Kennedys | TBC December 2023 | 2:1 | BBB | |||
Kingsley Napley | 8 | 500 | ||||
Kirkland & Ellis | 1,000 | 31 December 2023 | 31 December 2023 | 2:1 | AAB | |
Latham & Watkins | 12 March 2023 | 2:1 | AAB | |||
Leigh Day | 2:1 | ABB | ||||
Lewis Silkin | 450 | 6 | 31 January 2023 | N/A | N/A | |
Maples Teesdale | 3 | 200 | 18 August 2023 | 2:1 | ||
Marriott Harrison | 4 | 434 | 10 March 2024 | |||
Mayer Brown | 15 | 2,300 | 31 March 2024 | 31 March 2024 | 2:1 | N/A |
Michelmores | 12 | 350 | January & May | Mid-Feb | ||
Mishcon de Reya | 30 | 1,600 | 19 January 2024 | 19 January 2024 | ||
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius | 7 | 270 | 05 July 2024 | 26 January 2024 | 2:1 | AAB |
Muckle | 4 | 116 | 27 January 2024 | 27 January 2024 | 2:1 | 3x A-B |
Norton Rose Fulbright | 50 | 07 July 2024 | Please visit website | 2:1 | AAB | |
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe | 5 | 30 April 2024 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | ||
Osborne Clarke | 35 | 1,200 | 15 January 2023 | 15 January 2023 | ||
Pinsent Masons | 69 | 2,000 | 13 December 2023 | 13 December 2023 | ||
Ropes & Gray | 12 | 31 January 2024 | ||||
RPC | 19 | 1,425 | Bristol: 25 March 2024 London: 24 June 2024 | 15 January 2024 | 2:1 | |
RWK Goodman | 01 March 2023 | 01 December 2023 | 2:2 | |||
Sidley Austin | 15 | 1,400 | 15 October 2023 | 2:1 | AAA | |
Simmons & Simmons | 1 | 119 | 31 December 2023 | 25 October 2023; 15 Feburary 2024; 31 December 2024 | Complete and pass all 8 FEI exams | |
Skadden, Arps, Meagher, & Flom | 15 | 10 December 2023 | 10 September 2023 | 2:1 | N/A | |
Slaughter and May | 95 | Please visit website | 13 October 2023 - for Winter Workshop | 2:1 | Good A levels | |
Squire Patton Boggs | 20 | 1,400 | 03 January 2024 | 03 January 2024 | 2:1 | |
Stephens Scown | 9 | 150 | March | |||
Stevens & Bolton | 10 | 150 | 31 January 2024 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | ABB |
Sullivan & Cromwell | 8 | 12 July 2024 | 12 Janaury 2024 | 2:1 | ||
Taylor Wessing | 25 | 1,200 | 01 December 2023 | 01 December 2023 | 2:1 | AAB |
Travers Smith | 35 | 14 January 2024 | 2:1 | |||
Vinson & Elkins | 6 | 564 | 12 January 2024 | 2:1 | AAB | |
VWV | 15 | 239 | Mid January | Mid January | 2:2 | BBB |
Ward Hadaway | 350 | 31 May 2024 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | AAB | |
Wedlake Bell | 8 | 01 May 2024 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | ||
Wilkin Chapman | 10 | 83 | 31 January 2024 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | |
Willkie Farr & Gallagher | 6 | 1,048 | 20 December 2023 | 20 December 2023 | 2:1 | |
Wilsons | 4 | 31 May 2024 | 31 March 2024 | 2:1 | ||
Winckworth Sherwood | 8 | 269 | 29 February 2024 | 2:1 | N/A | |
Withers | 12 | 816 | 31 May 2024 | 31 January 2024 | 2:1 | AAB |
Womble Bond Dickinson | 20 | 1,600 | In line with Application | 11 January 2024 | N/A | N/A |
* Where a box is blank, the firm did not provide information.