Skadden is one of the leading law firms in the world with approximately 1,700 lawyers in 21 offices across the globe. Our clients include corporate, industrial, financial institutions and government entities.

London is the largest of our European offices where we have 200+ lawyers dedicated to top-end, cross-border corporate transactions and international arbitration. We have handled matters in nearly every country in the greater European region, and in Africa and the Middle East.

Types of work undertaken and clients

Lawyers across the European network focus primarily on corporate transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, banking, tax, corporate restructuring and, energy and projects. We also advise in international arbitration, litigation and regulatory matters.

The firm offers two-week vacation placements over either the spring or summer break to allow you a closer insight of our working culture and environment, as well as to provide first-hand experience of working on live transactions. There is a distinct emphasis on having our placement students involved in as much 'real' and relevant work as possible. 

The vacation schemes are a crucial part of our graduate recruitment process. 

The firm offers you the chance to develop your career in a uniquely rewarding and professional environment. You will join a close-knit but diverse team in which you will be given ample opportunity to work on complex matters, almost all with an international aspect, while benefiting from highly personalised training and supervision in an informal and friendly environment.

You training contract will be divided into four six-month seats where you will be able to gain experience in areas such as M&A, private equity, capital markets, insurance, international litigation and arbitration, white collar crime, banking, restructuring, tax and employment.

In the second year of the training contract at Skadden, you will have the opportunity to do an international secondment in New York, Hong Kong or Brussels.

Who should apply

The firm seeks to recruit a small number of high-calibre graduates from any discipline to join our highly successful London office as trainee solicitors. We are looking for candidates with a genuine interest in commercial law who combine intellectual ability with enthusiasm, creativity and a demonstrable ability to rise to a challenge and to work with others towards a common goal.

Trainees starting with the firm in 2027 will complete the SQE+LLM preparation course at BPP in London.

At Skadden, we’ve always embraced the idea that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) only make us stronger. Our DEI strategy therefore prioritises career development within our attorney talent pipeline while seeking to foster a deep sense of inclusion and belonging.

From our in-house DEI management team to our best-in-class approaches to recruiting and development, training and programming, and global and local diversity committees, our internal support structures position us to cultivate diversity and foster an equitable and inclusive workplace. Our initiatives and outreach seek to ensure that we continue to maintain a diverse team of high-performing attorneys throughout our ranks and uphold a culture of inclusion that is tightly woven into the fabric of our firm. Our firm-sponsored affinity networks play an integral part in our efforts, helping to facilitate relationship-building among attorneys and inform and enrich the broader Skadden community. Prospective candidates will have opportunities to meet with our affinity groups during a range of webinars throughout the graduate recruitment process.

We have the following affinity networks in the London office:

•  AMENA: Asian, Middle Eastern and North African

•  BLD: Black Lawyers for Diversity

• Disability and Neurodiversity

•  FAM: Parents

•  LGBTQ+

•  SWAN: Skadden Women Attorney Network

•  Social Mobility

The firm pays for the PGDL/SQE course and exam fees and provides a £20,000 maintenance grant for the PGDL and a £20,000 maintenance grant for the SQE.

• Antitrust
• Banking
• Capital market
• Employment
• Financial institutions group
• Financial regulations
• Incentives
• International litigation & arbitration
• Investment management group
• IT
• IP
• Tech & cybersecurity
• M&A
• Private equity
• Restructuring
• Tax

• Corporate & Commercial

• London
• Beijing
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• Paris
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• Wilmington

• Afghan Pro Bono Initiative
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
• Legal Advice Centres
• Social Finance Hot Desk

• Aspiring Solicitors
• PRIME