We are one of the world's pre-eminent law firms, known for our broad spectrum of world-class work and collegial team. 

Who we are

Our firm, work, and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. we offer clients a truly international perspective, and we offer our people a rewarding and stimulating career. 

Our work has meaningful impact, often requiring the kind of knowledge that only international, cross-practice teams can provide. With a strong reputation in our field, our clients turn to us not just for legal expertise, but also for advice on their most critical business issues.

What is it like to work here?

It’s collaborative, rigorous and inspiring. Our people are highly professional and resilient, with an entrepreneurial streak. And they are more than happy to share their expertise and knowledge. A common thread that runs through all of our five practice areas is a high-performance, can-do culture. Partners are hands-on with the work, and newly qualified lawyers are empowered to develop leadership skills from a very early stage. Every colleague is critical to the success of the team. 

Our commitment to equality and diversity

We see inclusion as an intrinsic value of our firm. Our history as a firm has been anchored in innovative and diverse cultures and approaches which have both disrupted traditional attitudes and set global standards. Our goal is to deliver equality of opportunity, equality of aspiration, and equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm.

Enhancing your wellbeing

We acknowledge that everyone can experience personal and professional trials, and this is why we care about offering support to our people. For example, as part of our commitment to the health and well-being of our employees, we have developed a unique and award-winning resilience programme for our Clifford Chance trainees.

Never stop growing

We commit to investing in you from the very start to build the best foundation for your future. There are a variety of development opportunities that you have access to from even before your first day. One of the ways we invest in our future lawyers is through our award-winning LIFT programme, the first internship programme of its kind. We have partnered with multiple organisations and core Clifford Chance business teams, to offer paid summer internships to our future trainees, with the sole aim of supporting your professional development – all before you join. From there, you can take advantage of our award-winning trainee induction, regular feedback sessions, and have access to a sponsor at partner level.

We embrace a learning culture, and the Clifford Chance Global Academy provides classroom and online training for all staff. However, we acknowledge that some things can only be learned by experience, and over a quarter of our trainees are on secondment at any one time, gaining unique international seat experiences.

Sustainability

We have a comprehensive, Responsible Business Strategy in place. For instance, we align our operations to contribute towards a number of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on those areas where we can make the greatest contribution, and we intend to continue to do so through to 2030.

SPARK scheme

SPARK has developed from a simple one-week internship into a nine-month programme of events and opportunities that offer a window into our world and help to develop your legal knowledge, commercial awareness, and core business skills.

With both in-person and virtual content, the programme follows key pillars. It's designed to be fast-paced, dynamic and full of opportunities to meet representatives from the firm and to learn about our business. You can find out more about the various pillars here.

You'll benefit from an unparalleled introduction to the high-performance world of commercial law, with a blend of classroom-based learning, dedicated skills development, time spent shadowing our lawyers and more. And best of all, it can lead straight to a training contract with the firm.

What the programme involves

Your journey with the firm will start in May with a reception event at our London office to celebrate your place on the programme and provide you with information and advice that will set you up for success. At this point, you'll also be introduced to a newly qualified lawyer buddy, and offered guidance on how to make the most of your relationship with them.

During the summer, you'll then spend two weeks with us. The first of these, is our insights week, and revolves around an intensive schedule of classroom-based learning that deep-dives into our business and the work we do. The second involves time spent shadowing a lawyer, and offers the chance to get a feel for what a training contract with us could be like as you work alongside your dedicated supervisor in one of our practice areas.

Throughout the programme, we are committed to providing you with dedicated skills training to aid your professional development. There will also be plenty of opportunities to get to know the community and culture at Clifford Chance, build bonds with your SPARK cohort, and gain insights into our global community outreach and pro bono work.

Unbeatable support and development

The early talent acquisition team will support you as you prepare for the scheme and throughout the time you spend with us.

Over the course of the programme, you will build your network and enjoy many learning and development opportunities with your newly qualified lawyer buddy, lawyers across the firm, our affinity networks, and your dedicated supervisor during the week of work shadowing.

Am I eligible?

SPARK is open to first-year law students, second-year law students on a four-year course and penultimate-year non-law students. And you need to be available for the following dates:

Launch: 1 May 2025

Insights week: 30 June – 4 July 2025

Job shadowing: 7–11 or 14–18 July 2025

Skills/action:  9–10 September 2025

Required experience and skills

Outside of our academic requirements, you do not need any specific experience or legal knowledge to apply for this scheme. What you will need, however, are:

• Astute business awareness and excellent problem-solving skills
• The ability to distinguish between legal and business issues
• An inquisitive mind and the ability to articulate and share knowledge and ideas
• The desire to provide exceptional service, and put clients at the heart of everything you do
• Outstanding leadership and collaboration skills and a natural enthusiasm for being part of a team
• The ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, high-pressure, high-performance environment
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• An eagerness to learn from those around you; to gain exposure within the firm and beyond
• Pride in your work and a willingness to take responsibility for your own career.
• A genuine interest in the role, the firm and its clients, and an understanding of how they align with your own skills and ambitions.

About the firm

Clifford Chance is one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our one firm global strategy is focused on targeted growth led by the needs of our core clients, those who we can best support with the breadth and depth of Clifford Chance expertise, across the sectors and geographies, which matter most to them.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating – full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

Equal opportunities

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm, and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally, regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment, including pay, promotion, training, transfer, and every other aspect of employment.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration, and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. Find out more here.

Apply now

Please remember, you may only make one application to a scheme or role (either London training contract, Middle East training contract, or SPARK). Multiple applications will not be considered.

Please also be aware that we only review your application form. If you upload your CV, this will pre-populate some of your application; however, your CV will not be reviewed. Please do NOT upload a covering letter, as this will not be reviewed.

ACCESS scheme

Clifford Chance is proud to be a founding member of PRIME. Through PRIME, we are committed to ensuring that anyone who wants to enter the world of law has an equal chance to do so, regardless of their background.

For many years, obtaining work experience in the legal sector depended largely on who knew rather than what you knew. PRIME members have made a commitment to change this by providing fair access to work experience. Our response is our bespoke two-year development programme – Clifford Chance ACCESS.

This pioneering programme consists of ten different components, each focused on specific core areas of your personal and professional development, culminating in the opportunity to apply for our SPARK programme, which may lead to a training contract with us.

More information about the 10 different components of the programme can be found on our website here.

What the programme involves

Your journey with the firm will start in July with a reception event at our London office to celebrate your place on the programme and provide you with information and advice that will set you up for success. At this point, you'll also be introduced to a newly qualified lawyer buddy, and offered guidance on how to make the most of your relationship with them.

In August, you'll then spend four days with us virtually and in person, during which time you'll gain insights into our work, clients, and the legal sector as a whole. You'll also begin to develop core business skills that are critical to professional success.

The following July, you'll spend five days with five different companies, in sectors ranging from retail to media and sport, where you will take part in workshops and continue to develop your career insights and skills.

As part of the programme, we are committed to providing you with networking and skill development opportunities. To that end, you will receive executive coaching delivered by Rare Recruitment, group sessions from various experts and university admission teams to guide you through the UCAS process, one-to-one sessions with a member of the early talent acquisition team, an opportunity to become a youth ambassador for Tender, and various networking opportunities.

Unbeatable support and development

The early talent acquisition team will support you as you prepare for the programme and throughout the time you spend with us.

During your time here, you will get to build your network and enjoy many learning and development opportunities with your dedicated ACCESS mentor, Peppo Tutor and lawyers you meet across the firm.

Am I eligible?

To apply to Clifford Chance ACCESS, you must be in Year 12 (England and Wales), S5 (Scotland) or Lower Sixth (Northern Ireland). You must also meet two or more of the following criteria:

• Attending, and have attended from age 11, a state-funded, non-fee paying school/college
• Grew up in a household where no parent or guardian attended university. You are currently in receipt of, or have previously received, free school meals, Pupil Premium, Education Maintenance Allowance and/or a 16 to 19 Bursary
• Attending a school or college with a below-average A level or Higher point score and/or a low rate of progression to higher education. Please click this link if you need more information on this.
• Have been, or are currently, in local authority care (for a period of three months or longer)
• Are, or have been, a full-time or part-time carer
• Came to the UK as a refugee or asylum seeker
• At age 14, the occupation of your main household earner (parent/guardian) is considered to be in the lower socioeconomic group. A summary of this can be found here.

Note: Those who meet the local authority care criterion do not need to meet any other criterion.

Required experience and skills

Outside of our academic requirements, you do not need any specific experience or legal knowledge to apply for this scheme. What we will be looking for, however, are:

• Astute business awareness and excellent problem-solving skills
• The ability to distinguish between legal and business issues
• An inquisitive mind and the ability to articulate and share knowledge and ideas
• The desire to provide exceptional service, and put clients at the heart of everything you do
• Outstanding leadership and collaboration skills and a natural enthusiasm for being part of a team
• The ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, high-pressure, high-performance environment
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• An eagerness to learn from those around you; to gain exposure within the firm and beyond
• Pride in your work and a willingness to take responsibility for your own career
• A genuine interest in the role, the firm and its clients, and an understanding of how they align with your own skills and ambitions.

About the firm

Clifford Chance is one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the Firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our one firm global strategy is focused on targeted growth led by the needs of our core clients, those who we can best support with the breadth and depth of Clifford Chance expertise, across the sectors and geographies, which matter most to them.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating – full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

Equal opportunities

At Clifford Chance we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm, and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally, regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment, including pay, promotion, training, transfer, and every other aspect of employment.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration, and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. Find out more here.

Apply now 

Please remember, you may only make one application to a scheme or role (either London training contract, Middle East training contract, or SPARK). Multiple applications will not be considered.

Please also be aware that we only review your application form. If you upload your CV, this will pre-populate some of your application; however, your CV will not be reviewed. Please do NOT upload a covering letter, as this will not be reviewed.

A training contract with Clifford Chance will give you the full breadth of experience you need to emerge as a confident solicitor. The contract comprises four six-month rotations, giving you the opportunity to explore our practice areas, client and international secondments, and our split-seat opportunities.

Clifford Chance is one of the world's leading law firms, offering local and global clients expert advice on all aspects of commercial law. The firm has unrivalled scale and depth of legal resources across five continents and five core practice areas.

Give yourself the best start

As a trainee at Clifford Chance, you will experience the challenging high-performance world of commercial law and gain the breadth of experience you need to emerge as a confident solicitor in England and Wales.

You will have four six-month rotations, the first being spent in our London office and the remaining three in our Middle East offices, giving you the opportunity to explore the firm’s practice areas. Seat choices will be within our core areas of corporate; global financial markets; real estate and construction; projects; and litigation and dispute resolution.

Whilst your experience in each seat will be very different, in all of them, you will develop your legal and business skills, gain insight into our high-profile clients, and enhance your commercial awareness.

The tasks you undertake could include drafting and proofing documents, conducting due diligence on a client's acquisition target, attending client meetings, preparing documents for a court hearing, researching titles and leases on a real estate portfolio, or creating a data room ahead of a major transaction. You may even run some smaller transactions for our clients.

Unbeatable support and development

Before you've even started your training contract, you will have the opportunity to apply for our LIFT programme (learning internships for future trainees). We have partnered with a select number of organisations and core Clifford Chance business teams to offer paid summer internships to our future trainees, with the sole aim of supporting your professional development.

We're committed to best-in-class learning and development opportunities for our future trainees, and this includes both PGDL and SQE prep sessions that enable you to maximise your career development, build your networks, and leave feeling equipped with the skills and confidence necessary for PGDL and SQE success. During the SQE, we host a number of practice area presentations to help you make informed seat choices.

To set you up for success, each practice area also delivers a skills session to explain key trainee tasks and ensure Trainees are best placed to add value from the day they start. In week one at the firm, you will also take part in our five-day trainee induction programme.

At the start of each seat, you will receive specialised training in that sector and a dedicated supervisor. Throughout your training contract, you will be closely supported by the early talent development team, your supervisor, your resource manager, and your monitoring partner. They will all be available to act as mentors and advisors on a full range of subjects, but it will be up to you to make the most of this support network.

You will also have access to learning and development support from the Clifford Chance Academy, arguably the legal sector's leading in-house learning and development facility.

Am I eligible?

Our training contract is open to penultimate-year law students, final-year law and non-law students, and graduates. You must have achieved or be on track to achieve a 2.1 or above, and be eligible to start in August 2027 or February 2028. Your intake may be decided by the recruitment team. For further information on eligibility, please refer to our FAQs on our website.

Required experience and skills

Outside of our academic requirements, you do not need any specific experience or legal knowledge to apply for this role. What you will need, however, are:

• Astute business awareness and excellent problem-solving skills
• The ability to distinguish between legal and business issues
• An inquisitive mind and the ability to articulate and share knowledge and ideas
• The desire to provide exceptional service, and put clients at the heart of everything you do
• Outstanding leadership and collaboration skills and a natural enthusiasm for being part of a team
• The ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, high-pressure, high-performance environment
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• An eagerness to learn from those around you; to gain exposure within the firm and beyond
• Pride in your work and a willingness to take responsibility for your own career
• A genuine interest in the role, the firm and its clients, and an understanding of how they align with your own skills and ambitions.

Our training contract is open to law and non-law students.

If you have not studied a law degree then you will need to complete the PGDL prior to joining us as a trainee. Please note that if you are a Scots or Irish law student or graduate, you may be required to do elements of the PGDL.

You will also need to complete the SQE prior to joining us as a trainee, irrespective of whether you have already completed the LPC. If you have already completed the SQE, you will still need to complete the Clifford Chance Plus Programme, which is a bespoke course designed by our lawyers in collaboration with The University of Law.

Both the PGDL and SQE are funded by Clifford Chance and we will provide a maintenance grant to use during your studies. More details can be found on our website. If you have already completed the PGDL and/or SQE, you need to have passed on first attempt.

About the firm

Clifford Chance is one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our one firm global strategy is focused on targeted growth led by the needs of our core clients, those who we can best support with the breadth and depth of Clifford Chance’s expertise, across the sectors and geographies, which matter most to them.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating – full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part of an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

Equal opportunities

At Clifford Chance we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm, and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally, regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment, including pay, promotion, training, transfer, and every other aspect of employment.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration, and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. Find out more here.

Apply now 

Please remember, you may only make one application to a scheme or role (either London training contract, Middle East training contract, or SPARK). Multiple applications will not be considered.

Please also be aware that we only review your application form. If you upload your CV, this will pre-populate some of your application; however, your CV will not be reviewed. Please do NOT upload a covering letter, as this will not be reviewed.

We are proud of our partnership with The University of Law to deliver our PGDL conversion course for non-law graduates, and our bespoke, innovative, and dynamic SQE programme, for all our future trainees.

The SQE course content has been designed not only to prepare you rigorously for the academic aspects of the SQE, but you can also be confident that you will emerge with the fundamental skills and technical excellence required to meet the challenges of working as a lawyer at Clifford Chance.

We require all our future trainees to complete the SQE, even if they have previously passed the LPC.

Hear more from Cherell, early talent acquisition specialist, as she shares five frequently asked questions about how to ace the SQE here.

Our commitment to equality and diversity

We see inclusion as an intrinsic value of our firm. Our history as a firm has been anchored in innovative and diverse cultures and approaches which have both disrupted traditional attitudes and set global standards. Our goal is to deliver equality of opportunity, equality of aspiration, and equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm.

Partner sponsorship

We know the value of building strong professional networks and having mentors who are invested in your development. Our associates and partners are committed to ensuring you receive the very best learning opportunities and are exposed to the highest quality work. Not only will you be guided by a supervisor each seat, but you'll also be allocated a partner sponsor for the duration of your training contract. Your partner sponsor will be a sounding board, mentor and advisor who will be a key contact as you navigate the opportunities a career at Clifford Chance will offer.

• Asset finance
• Corporate antitrust
• Tax
• Private equity

• Corporate & Commercial
• General Commercial

• London

• Asylum Support Appeals Project
• Fair Trials International
• Liberty
• London Legal Support Trust (LLST)
• Mary Ward Legal Advice Centre
• Reprieve
• Save the Children
• The Howard League for Penal Reform

• Aspiring Solicitors
• Bright Network
• DiversCity
• Pathways to Law
• PRIME
• Rare Recruitment
• Social Mobility Foundation
• Stonewall