Ashurst is a leading global law firm with world class capability and a prestigious international client base spanning corporates, financial institutions and governments.

With 31 offices in 18 countries, and a best-friend referral relationship with an Indian law firm, we offer the reach and insight of a global network, combined with the knowledge and understanding of local markets. Our global reach allows our people to develop fulfilling careers and provides numerous opportunities for our people to transfer between jurisdictions for both short and long term periods, as well as overseas client secondments.

We are relentlessly focused on anticipating the needs of our clients, and pushing boundaries for the benefit of our clients, people and communities. As a global team, we have the ability to work on market-leading matters, and have a strong track record of successfully managing large and complex multi-jurisdictional transactions, disputes and projects and delivering outstanding outcomes for clients.

The firm's people are its greatest asset and bring together global integrated teams of consulting, legal and NewLaw professionals to deliver a seamless service and provide the incisive advice clients need. Our focus is on getting to the heart of clients' commercial goals and going beyond matters of the law to deliver practical, holistic solutions.

We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive working environment which genuinely values the breadth of different perspectives and new, innovative ideas that we gain from having a diverse workforce. It’s a strong, shared culture that will enable you to apply your intellect, develop yourself and thrive as an international commercial lawyer.

What better way to experience working life in a global law firm than by attending one of our vacation schemes. You will have the opportunity to step into the shoes of a trainee at Ashurst while spending time getting to know our practice groups over the course of one or three weeks. 

We hold two vacation schemes per year, our winter scheme is a single one-week scheme for finalists and graduates of all degree disciplines and our summer scheme is a three-week scheme for finalists and graduates of all degree disciplines as well as penultimate-year law students. 

We work hard to make sure our schemes add value to you and are as stimulating as possible; in fact, we organise the schemes along with a committee of trainees who've been where you've been and know the best way to introduce you to the firm.

You'll see either one or two different departments and will be supervised by a qualified solicitor who'll get you involved in real work. You will also be involved on team-building events to experience the way we work together, and social events to get to know our partners, associates and current trainees away from the bustle of daily life.

Winter vacation scheme: 2 – 6 December 2024

Summer vacation scheme: 23 June – 11 July 2025 

Our training contract has been designed to provide you with the opportunities and skills needed to become a confident and competent legal professional. Ultimately, we want to help you become a thought leader with a reputation for clear, perceptive and influential advice – a professional in whom governments and leading businesses the world over can place their trust.

This isn’t an easy route to take. You’ll need to become a shrewd negotiator, have an ability to read both balance sheets and behaviours, and become a commercial strategist with a deep understanding of specific industries.

Our training contract will start you on that road. You will rotate around four different seats, each lasting six months, gaining invaluable experience in multiple areas of commercial law. You will spend one seat in our global loans or global markets practice, and one seat in one of our transactional practices. The additional two seats will be spent gaining experience across our broad-range of practice areas, or on a client or international secondment.

All our future trainees attend The University of Law to complete post graduate study. If you haven't yet completed a law degree you will undertake the Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), which is a replacement of the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), before moving on to complete an LLM Legal Practice Course (SQE1 and 2) which is unique to Ashurst and is a replacement of the previously known Legal Practice Course (LPC). We offer the following benefits to future joiners who have not yet completed post graduate study: 

• For SQE we offer £17,000 maintance grant
• Optional £2,000 interest-free loan, repayable in instalments once you start your training contract.

We offer a Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship, which takes 5 and a half to 6 years and includes completing your LLB (hons) degree and solicitor qualifying exams (SQE1 and 2), all which are paid in full. You will spend 4 days per week in the London office undertaking the role of a junior solicitor, and 1 day per week at the University of Law working towards your academic qualification.

You will be allocated a supervisor to provide you with quality training and opportunities to develop, as well as feedback and guidance, along with a buddy to help you settle into your first few months with the firm. We will invest time and resources into ensuring you are fully equipped with the tools to succeed in your legal career.

Our programme gives you the unique opportunity to learn the role of a junior solicitor through osmosis, collaborating with, and learning from some of the most talented people in the industry.

At Ashurst, we know the power of combining unique perspectives and talent to drive extraordinary solutions and services for our clients.

Fostering an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and respectful of all backgrounds and perspectives is the cornerstone of our values and the foundation of our success. At Ashurst, Inclusion, Diversity, and Belonging are at the heart of everything we do.

At the start of 2024, we have launched our new IDB Strategy which provides us with the foundations to continue to innovate and lead the industry.

Our strategy is guided by two principles, intersectionality and accessibility, which provide a pathway to create the extraordinary for everyone.

Accessibility as a minimum requirement 

Ensuring everyone can participate in the strategy will be an essential component of its success.

Intersectionality by design 

Our IDB strands have been a core part of how we have put IDB at the heart of everything we do. However, we know the focus on our strands has left some people feeling like IDB doesn’t apply to them, while others have a higher burden of participation and effort if they fit in to more than one strand.

This strategy focuses on systemic intersectional change, rather than prioritising progress for individual strands. Project teams and initiatives will consider intersectionality in their design as well as delivery. 

Our strategy pillars

Our people

Increasing representation of diverse communities across our global workforce

Capability

Building capability through learning, experience and the capacity to thrive

Collaboration

Encouraging inclusive collaboration in a psychologically safe environment centred on respect

Our clients

Partnering with our clients to solve complex people challenges for the betterment of the legal industry

As a firm, we have also set ourselves ambitious global diversity targets to be reached by 2026, including:

• To have representation at senior leadership levels of 40% women, 40% men and 20% flexible (women, men and non-binary persons).
• To have 4% of LGBTI+ representation at the partner and senior leadership level.
• Within the UK to have 15% of partners and senior business leaders to be ethnically diverse, of whom 6% will be black; 30% of staff to be ethnically diverse, of whom 13% will be black; and 35% of our trainees each year will be ethnically diverse, of whom 13% will be black.

For more information on how we bring IDB to life, please visit our website.

Non-law students completing PGDL will receive a bursary to study at The University of Law along with a £10,000 maintenance grant (£9,000 if you study the PGDL at a The University of Law campus outside London).

All students yet to complete LLM Legal Practice Course (SQE1 and 2) will receive a bursary to study at The University of Law, Moorgate branch, along with a £17,000 maintenance grant.

Interest-free loans of £2,000, repayable in instalments once you start your training contract.

• Financial regulatory
• Investment funds
• Global loans
• Global markets
• RSSG
• Projects
• Energy Transitions
• Real estate
• Competition
• Employment
• Disputes
• Tax
• Corporate transactions
• Digital economy

• Corporate & Commercial

• Abu Dhabi
• Austin
• Beijing
• Brisbane
• Brussels
• Canberra
• Dubai
• Dublin
• Frankfurt
• Glasgow
• Hong Kong
• Jakarta*
• Jeddah*
• Krakow
• London
• Los Angelos
• Luxembourg
• Madrid
• Melbourne
• Milan
• Munich
• New York
• Paris
• Perth
• Port Moresby
• Riyadh
• Seoul
• Shanghai
• Singapore
• Sydney
• Tokyo
• *Associated office

• A4ID
• African Prisons Project
• AIRE Centre
• Amicus
• Asylum Aid UK
• Center for Reproductive Rights
• Competition Law Pro Bono Scheme
• Fair Trials International
• Free Representation Unit
• IPSEA
• Legal Response International
• PILnet (Public Interest Law)
• Reprieve
• The Bingham Centre
• The Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau
• Tower Hamlets Law Centre
• Toynbee Hall Legal Advice Centre
• TrustLaw Connect
• UnLtd

• Access Ashurst
• Black Lawyers’ Directory
• Bright Network
• City Solicitors Horizons
• Future First
• Legal Apprenticeships
• Mindful Business Charter
• PRIME
• Rare Recruitment
• SEO London
• Social Mobility Business Partnership
• Social Mobility Foundation
• Stonewall
• Sutton Trust
• The Access Project