Hogan Lovells are defined by the exceptional work we do; the inclusive and collaborative teams we build and the successful careers we enable.

Our global reach, breadth of practices and sector focus will enable you to gain a wide range of experience in different areas of the law, working on cutting edge matters that shape careers and sectors.  You will also have the opportunity to contribute to our world leading pro bono practice right from the start.

You’ll be joining us alongside other talented people, with diverse perspectives; the opportunity for collaboration and connection is often the beginning of lifelong friendships.

Vacation schemes

With the firm’s opportunities always highly regarded, it goes without saying that our vacation schemes – designed for penultimate and final-year students, as well as graduates – will be packed with insight and experience. What’s more, with around three quarters of trainee solicitors having taken part in a vacation scheme with us, it’s fair to say you’ll get a lot from it. You’ll delve into key practice groups, get to grips with legal research, meet the team – and imagine your future at Hogan Lovells.

But what will that future look like? Each year, we take on up to 50 graduates (from law and non-law degree subjects) as trainee solicitors. Here’s how it works: on a two-year training contract, you’ll do four six-month seats across our different practice areas. Plus, for one of those seats, you’ll have the chance to apply for an international or client secondment. You’ll also have hands-on support and the expert guidance you need.

Salary: £500 per week

When and how to apply

To apply for our winter vacation scheme, click here. Closing date 31 October 2024.

Applications closed

To apply for our summer vacation scheme, click here. Closing date 3 January 2025.

Our commercial awareness programmes

When we’re advising clients, it’s crucial that we’re able to see the bigger picture and identify exactly what’s needed. That’s why commercial awareness is a huge part of being a successful lawyer. With our commercial awareness programmes, you’ll grow your commercial awareness by gaining a greater insight into what we do, how we operate as a business and how we constantly innovate to go beyond the expectations of our clients. What’s more, you’ll explore our world as a global elite law firm and learn about how we respond to unpredictable global events that impact business.

The benefits don’t stop there. You’ll also find out about our award-winning HL BaSE programme and the work we do with social enterprises. Plus, you’ll get a well-rounded introduction to the strategy of the firm, our practice groups and how to secure a vacation scheme and training contract. By the end of your programme, you’ll have discovered so much more about life at Hogan Lovells, including learning and development, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing and our pro bono and citizenship work.

HL Launch Pad

•  For first-year students looking to gain an insight into a career in commercial law
• Gain insights into the firm’s strategy and our response to current market trends
• Experience skills-based workshops and receive guidance from our trainee solicitors
• Gain an understanding of client work at trainee level
• Start to build your commercial awareness through our bespoke workshops
• Secure an automatic place on our first-year insight programme

HL Lift Off

• For those in their penultimate year and onwards looking to secure either a vacation scheme or training contract
• Gain in-depth knowledge about our key practice groups
• Gather insights into how we develop relationships with our clients and how we win work
• Build an understanding of a law firm’s economics
• Gain insight into how we innovate for our clients through legal case studies
• Secure an automatic place on a vacation scheme or training contract assessment day

When and how to apply

Application open dates 

Opening date – 16 September 2024

Closing date – 31 October 2024

Campus ambassadors

Become an extension of our firm. Develop a deep understanding of our graduate offering. And build your CV as well as your network. You have a lot to gain when you help us plan, promote and run our 2025/26 events at your university.

Our campus ambassadors make an impact in lots of ways: hosting drop-in sessions, giving lecture shout-outs, promoting us on social media through your university networks. You’ll essentially represent us at your university – be that virtually or face to face. 

As you shed light on our opportunities for fellow students, you’ll also be creating opportunities for yourself. You’ll have constant communication with our graduate recruitment team, giving you the chance to show us your personality and skills.

We hold interviews during the spring of your first year so you're ready to start promoting us in your second year.

What it offers:

£600 plus all the training and support you need

Get fast tracked to a vacation scheme assessment day

The chance to gain a better understanding of how a global law firm works

Great networking opportunities with our teams

Boost your skills in communication, leadership and problem solving – all things we look for in our future lawyers.

What we look for

First-year students of any degree discipline with a strong academic record aiming for a good 2.1 or equivalent (your offer will be conditional upon achieving a 2.1 in your first year).

People who know how to communicate clearly and have shown they can organise themselves and others.

A keen interest in global law firms and working in the City, plus aspirations to qualify as a solicitor at a commercial law firm like Hogan Lovells.

Plenty of initiative and a proactive approach.

When and how to apply

The application window for campus ambassadors opens on 6 January 2025, and closes on 30 April 2025.

To apply to become a campus ambassador, click here. 

Find out more and apply at ukearlycareers.hoganlovells.com

First-year insight scheme

For first-year students, our insight schemes are packed with tailored workshops, presentations and interactive opportunities to help you find out more about life and work at Hogan Lovells. We’ll also give you top tips and advice on how to make your application for a vacation scheme or training contract stand out and how to navigate the world of interviews and assessment days.

Who we look for

Our insight events are open to first-year students (or second-year students from four-year degrees) from all degree disciplines. We’re looking for intellectually curious, collaborative, determined individuals who have an open mind and a genuine desire to learn more about our world.

When and how to apply

Applications for our insight schemes open on 6 January 2025 and close on 28 February 2025.

Applications closed

The events themselves take place on 8-9 April 2025 and 13-14 August 2025 in our London office.

Ask your best questions. Learn to find better answers.

Find out more and apply at ukearlycareers.hoganlovells.com

Your training contract is where your journey to becoming an exceptional lawyer really begins. Over two years, you’ll be work at the forefront of the global legal sector.

Every trainee’s journey is different but you can be confident you’ll be playing a meaningful role on some of the most exciting cases in world as you learn from the top legal minds in every sector. After your training contract, you’ll have the technical skills, industry-recognised qualifications and the experience, to become an exceptional lawyer.

During your two-year training contract, you’ll rotate through four seats across six different practice groups. You’ll move around our business to experience different areas of law and work alongside new colleagues every six months as you find the area you want to pursue. Our training contract is structured so you can be immersed in our work almost immediately and develop your skills in the only way that really matters: on live projects for real clients taking real responsibility.

Birmingham training contract salary:

Year one £37,500, year two £41,000, newly qualified £85,000

London training contract salary:

Year one £56,000, year two £61,000, newly qualified £135,000

When and how to apply

The application window for March 2027 and September 2027 places in London opens on 16 September 2024, and closes on 31 January 2025. The application window for September 2027 places in Birmingham opens on 16 September 2025 and closes on 31 March 2025.

To apply for our London training contract, click here.

To apply for our Birmingham training contract, click here.

Please note: we recruit on a rolling basis so we encourage you to apply as early as possible.

We’ve partnered with BPP University Law School and other leading law firms to create the market-leading City Consortium solicitor training programme. Our training programme will prepare you to pass all the examinations and there are few places that offer the experience you’ll get here that will directly aid your approach to assessment.

Your development is crucial to us so we’ve made sure the training is thorough, engaging and will help you succeed in your work as you progress through the training contract. The programme includes: 

• A law conversion course for any non-law graduates – Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL)
• SQE1 preparation programme
• SQE2 test preparation
• City Consortium plus programme

During your solicitor apprenticeship with Hogan Lovells, you’ll start your journey to becoming an exceptional lawyer by joining our six year programme of work and study. You will spend one day per week at university, studying for your degree and then legal qualification (SQE) and four days putting the theory into practice in the office. 

Your time in the office will give you the opportunity to experience work across a broad range of legal practice. You will rotate around the firm every 12 months for the first four years of your training, supported by experienced supervisors, your mentor and a buddy. During years five and six you will join the trainee solicitor cohort where you will be completing six monthly rotations across the firm.

The starting salary for the solicitor apprenticeship is £28,000 with a £1,500 sign on bonus. 

When and how to apply

The application window for 2025 places opens on 1 November 2024, and closes on 28 February 2025. 

To apply for our solicior apprenticeship, click here.

Our intention is to make a meaningful, positive impact on everyone at our firm by fostering an inclusive culture that celebrates and values difference and empowers our people to thrive as their authentic selves.

As a strategic priority for the firm, we take a holistic approach to meeting DEI goals and objectives to leverage the strengths of our people.  Whether it is training and team builiding, sponsorship, mentorship, accountability through leadership or working with our clients, our core mission is to cultivate an inclusive workplace, to create more collaborative relationships, and further enhance our supportive and ambitious culture.

Find out more about our focus on DEI here:Embrace Diversity at Hogan Lovells: DEI Commitment & Achievements

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 during the SQE is £20,000 in London and £12,500 outside London. 

• Corporate & finance
• Mergers & acquisitions
• Private equity transactions & investment funds
• Debt capital markets
• Business restructuring & insolvency
• Banking
• Infrastructure
• Energy
• Resources & projects
• Real estate
• Tax
• Pensions
• Competition
• Public & EU law
• International trade
• Private & cyber security
• Financial services
• Intellectual property
• Employment
• Commercial litigation
• Financial services & investigations
• Commercial litigation
• Product & insurance law & regulation
• Corporate litigation
• Fraud & investigations
• International arbitration
• Construction & engineering

• Corporate & Commercial

• Amsterdam
• Baltimore
• Beijing
• Berlin
• Boston
• Brussels
• Denver
• Dubai
• Dublin
• Dusseldorf
• Frankfurt
• Hamburg
• Ho Chi Minh City
• Hong Kong
• Houston
• Jakarta
• Los Angeles
• Luxembourg
• Madrid
• Mexico City
• Miami
• Milan
• Minneapolis
• Munich
• New York
• Paris
• Philadelphia
• Riyadh
• Rome
• San Francisco
• São Paulo
• Shanghai
• Silicon Valley
• Singapore
• Sydney
• Tokyo
• Washington DC

• A4ID
• Apex Charitable Trust
• Aspire Foundation
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• Disability Law Service
• Environmental Law Foundation
• Fair Trials International
• Free Representation Unit
• Lawyers Without Borders
• Liberty
• London Legal Support Trust (LLST)
• PILnet (Public Interest Law)
• Prince’s Trust
• Prisoners’ Advice Service
• ProHelp
• Refugee Council
• Reprieve
• Save the Children
• The National Pro Bono Centre
• The Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau
• Tower Hamlets Law Centre
• TrustLaw Connect
• UnLtd
• Victim Support

• Aspiring Solicitors
• Breaking Barriers
• Diversity Access Scheme - Law Society
• Legal Apprenticeships
• MyPlus Consulting
• Pathways Plus
• Pathways to Law
• PRIME
• Rare Recruitment
• Social Mobility Business Partnership
• Social Mobility Foundation
• Stonewall
• STRIVE
• Sutton Trust
• The Valuable 500
• Working Families