Latham & Watkins |

Latham & Watkins advises the businesses and institutions that power the global economy.

A career at Latham & Watkins will give you the opportunity to do some of the best work of your life. With more than 3,500 lawyers across our offices in Europe, the US, the Middle East and Asia, the opportunities are boundless. Over 70% of the firm’s transactions involve five or more offices; our diversity fuels our understanding and innovation.

We are proud to be a world leading pro bono law firm. The firm gives billable hour credit for pro bono work, and doesn’t cap the number of pro bono hours that can be applied toward the billable hour target. Here, you are encouraged to bring your own unique perspective, and supported to take on pro bono matters of personal interest.

Real Responsibility

Our trainees will tell you just how much responsibility you are supported to take on from your first day, particularly in comparison to their friends at other firms.

With the right energy and mind set, you will quickly be treated like a junior associate; actively involved in client calls and meetings, and work of a higher level.

We actively invest in all our trainees ― as lawyers and individuals. Whichever path you choose, we will equip you with all the resources to move your career forward.

What you take away from your experience with us matters as crucially as the work you contribute. During your time as a Trainee at Latham, we’ll provide a strong foundation for your progress through our open feedback culture and transparent review process.

It is our unique collegiate and non-hierarchical culture that sets us apart. Our Associates Committee – boasting equal numbers of associates and partners – manages associate reviews, bonuses, and promotion to partnership and counsel, which leads to a remarkably transparent environment.

You’ll quickly get to know the people at Latham. On accepting a Training Contract with us, we’ll pair you up with a trainee mentor and provide opportunities to connect with our Affinity Groups; you’ll also be invited to a number of social events prior to joining – which we hope will support your transition into the firm.

Your trainee mentor will provide guidance and support, offering advice from their own recent experience.

Upon joining, you will also have an associate mentor to help you navigate your career and journey into a successful lawyer.

A supervisor for each seat, at associate or partner level will be part of your day-to-day team, providing regular feedback and guidance.

Our Trainee Development team are also here to support you every step of the way.

Latham’s London office — nearly 500 lawyers strong — consistently ranks among the City’s elite law firms across practices and industries.

We offer sophisticated counsel and representation to emerging and global companies, financial institutions, and private investors on ground-breaking transactions, disputes, and regulatory matters. Mirroring the City’s status as a nexus for global finance and trade, our London lawyers combine our culture of collaboration and creativity with a pragmatic drive to deliver results and to connect clients with opportunities across the Atlantic, throughout Europe, across Asia, and beyond.

Giving Back

Latham is committed to giving back in each of the communities where we live and work. In London, our pro bono causes include anti-human trafficking and human rights matters, asylum, refugee, and immigration cases, improving policies that affect stateless persons in the UK, social enterprise support, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s rights.

Our Spring and Summer vacation schemes are the perfect way for you to get your foot in the door at Latham, and for us to get to know each other.

These schemes are a great opportunity to get involved with real, client-facing work alongside your peers, giving you a taste of life as a trainee lawyer.

You’ll be exposed to many opportunities to work closely with our experienced lawyers, and you will be best-placed to start thinking about what kind of lawyer you want to be.

When you finish your vacation scheme, you’ll have the opportunity to interview for a training contract.

This is your opportunity to learn more about life as a lawyer at a global elite law firm, to help you determine if a training contract at Latham would be right for you. Over the course of three days, you will gain valuable insights into:

• Our complex, high-profile, and cross-border work
• How our global teams collaborate
• How a law firm operates as a business

You will leave with a real picture of the roles, responsibilities, and experiences of Latham trainees growing and thriving in a supportive, inclusive, and ambitious environment.

You will also have the chance to network with Latham lawyers across different areas of the firm.

Open to first-year students.

Key Dates

First-Year Spring Scheme: 14 – 16 April 2025. Application deadline 26 January 2025.

Spring Vacation Scheme: 31 March – 11 April 2025. Application deadline 8 December 2024.

Summer Vacation Scheme: 23 June – 4 July 2025. Application deadline 8 December 2024.

Applications for the 2025 schemes will open 9 September 2024.

The training contract you choose will help shape your career as a lawyer.

Over the course of two years, you’ll rotate across different ‘seats’, or practice areas, which will include gaining experience in corporate and finance. Completing a training contract at a full-service firm as big as Latham means having the opportunity to experience a breadth of interesting practice areas from litigation to fintech.

During each seat you will receive in-practice group training, as well as socials and practice-wide training to ensure you are fully integrated into the practice group and team. You will also be invited to attend practice retreats.

Beyond the skills training, on-the-job training, and practice-specific training, a lot of importance is placed on building your own network. You will be encouraged to build relationships with partners and associates, to put yourself out there and seek work, and ensure you have a broad workload.

International Secondments

You’ll have the opportunity to go on secondment, depending on business demand. In the past, we have placed trainees on secondment to a number of different Latham offices including our offices in Dubai, Hong Kong, Paris, Singapore, and various across the US.

Your application is your opportunity to make a great first impression so be sure to take the time to prepare.

The first step is an online application, where you can share with us information on your work experience, extra-curricular activities, and academic achievements. We’ll also want to know why you’re interested in a career in law.

Once you have submitted your application, you will be invited to complete an online assessment, which will require you to apply your skills and judgment to a simulated pro bono case, based on a real-life matter. The behavioural assessment, which includes preference-type questions, is designed to help us understand your natural approach to work.

If you are successful, you’ll be invited for an assessment day.

Through our “LiveWell Latham” program, we offer a range of benefits and resources designed to support you and your loved ones through all life’s moments. From building a family and taking care of loved ones, to managing your health and saving for the future, LiveWell Latham supports you with comprehensive resources and best-in-class benefits. Investing in the well-being of our lawyers and staff is among the firm’s highest priorities.

We hold open days over the course of the year for students across all year groups. Our open days are the perfect way to get a feel for the Latham culture and the way we work.

During the course of the day, you’ll have the opportunity to meet our partners, associates, and trainees, as well as our Graduate Recruitment team.

You’ll take part in panels, speed networking, and negotiation activities, and you’ll meet our trainees in a more informal, social setting.

We’ll cover travelling costs for those of you coming from outside London.

Key Dates

Penultimate and final year law and non-law students, and graduates:

Graduate Recruitment Open Day — 24 October 2024 (deadline to apply 6 October)

Black Lawyers Group Open Day — 4 November 2024 (deadline to apply 20 October)

Graduate Recruitment Open Day — 13 November 2024 (deadline to apply 20 October)

LGBTQ+ Open Day — 25 November 2024 (deadline to apply 20 October)

Applications for all 2024–2025 Open Days will open 9 September 2024.

We visit campuses across the UK and have Brand Ambassadors at a number of universities. Look out for us at law fairs, virtual events, in your careers services, and working with your law societies.

This year we will be attending events for the following universities: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Exeter, Kent, King’s, Lancaster, Leeds, LSE, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary, UCL, Warwick and York.