Latham & Watkins |

Latham & Watkins, one of the world’s leading global law firms, advises the businesses and institutions that drive the global economy. We are the market leaders in major financial and business centres around the world. With top-tier teams and a track record of advising on landmark deals and litigating high-profile trials, we help clients seize opportunities, navigate challenges, and stay ahead of market shifts. 

Our integrated global platform offers unmatched expertise and resources to build an incredible career. Our investment in people, commitment to innovation, and focus on our clients and the future underpin our success — and ensure we remain at the forefront of the practice of law. We empower our lawyers to pursue their vision, become market leaders, and engage in community-serving pro bono work. 

Our approach supports your growth — we prioritize excellence over ego to encourage input from all levels and foster early responsibility. Success through collaboration and the pursuit of excellence will shape your career here. 

Our commitment to excellence means you’ll work on clients’ most complex and challenging matters. We invest in your future through comprehensive training and career development — including mentoring, coaching, and our signature academies — to help you grow from an intellectually curious self-starter into an exceptional lawyer. If you aspire to be the best, this is where you belong.

Real Responsibility

Our trainees are exposed to challenging and cutting-edge work from day one. 

Our teams’ structures encourage initiative and input from every level, promoting early responsibility and open discussion.

We actively invest in growing our people. Whether you’re choosing a practice area to specialize in, or aiming for partnership, we will prepare you for the next stage of your career. What you gain 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-door policy and transparent review process. 

Our unique collegiate and non-hierarchical culture sets us apart. Our Associates Committee — boasting equal numbers of associates and partners — manages associate reviews, bonuses, and promotion to partnership and counsel, offering 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 receive invitations to a number of social events prior to joining to 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 comprise 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.

Our award-winning London office is home to nearly 500 lawyers, and recognised for its work advising some of the world’s leading corporates, financial institutions, and private equity firms on market-shaping transactions, disputes, and regulatory matters.

Our leading finance practice has earned an exceptional reputation in the market, regularly advising on all types of leveraged, acquisition, and project finance work. We bring market-leading experience in M&A, debt and equity financing, high yield, restructurings, recapitalisations, divestitures, data privacy and cyber security, and outsourcing. We also offer comprehensive tax and environmental advice for complex multi-jurisdictional transactions and disputes.

We are one of the few firms capable of providing clients with immediate, high-quality legal expertise anywhere in the world, whether our clients’ needs are local or international.

Giving Back

Every day, Latham colleagues around the world take on an array of pro bono matters in nearly every area of public interest law, providing free legal services and volunteer time to low-income individuals and families, underserved communities, nonprofit and charitable organizations, emerging entrepreneurs, and veterans. Giving back is emblematic of who we are and reflects the values of our firm. 

We offer two vacation schemes throughout the academic year, providing an exciting opportunity for both you and us to get acquainted, and for you to immerse yourself in our unique culture. During your vacation scheme, you will gain insight into two practice areas by participating in client calls, court visits, Q&A sessions, and training sessions, as well as engaging in group work and social events. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to interview for our training contract, taking the first step towards a career at Latham & Watkins. 

Our first-year spring scheme marks your opportunity to learn more about life as a lawyer at a global elite law firm. 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 full picture of the roles, responsibilities, and experiences of Latham trainees growing and thriving in a supportive environment.

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

Open to first-year students.

Key Dates

First-Year Spring Scheme: 7 – 9 April 2026. Application deadline 25 January 2026.

Applications will open on 6 October 2026.

Spring Vacation Scheme: 13  – 24 April 2026. Application deadline 7 December 2024.

Summer Vacation Scheme: 22 – 3 July 2026. Application deadline 7 December 2024.

Applications will open 1 September 2025.

A Latham training contract combines real responsibility on global matters with supervision from world-class lawyers who foster professional development. In addition to a sophisticated training programme, our trainees benefit from a core three-week foundational course designed to bridge the gap between law schools and practice, as well as training in each seat. After induction, trainees complete four six-month seats — two of which will be in corporate and finance. Trainees have the opportunity to apply for an international secondment on either their third or fourth seat.

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 locations 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, extracurricular 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’d love to get to know you, and have designed our open days to give you an insight into life at a commercial law firm and the unique culture at Latham. 

We hold open days over the course of the year for all students across all year groups. 

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 and negotiation activities, and you’ll meet our trainees in a more informal, social setting. 

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

Key Dates

All interested students who are in their penultimate and final year of law school, non-law students, and graduates:

Graduate Recruitment Open Day — 22 October 2025 (deadline to apply 5 October)

Black Lawyers Group Open Day — 6 November 2025 (deadline to apply 19 October)

Graduate Recruitment Open Day — 13 November 2025 (deadline to apply 19 October)

LGBTQ+ Open Day — 27 November 2025 (deadline to apply 19 October)

Applications for all 2025 Open Days will open 1 September 2025.

We visit campuses across the UK and have brand ambassadors at several universities. Look for us at law fairs, virtual events, and in your careers services. This year, we will attend events at: 

• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Bath
• Cambridge
• Cardiff
• Durham
• Exeter
• KCL
• Leeds
• Liverpool
• LSE
• Manchester
• Nottingham
• Oxford
• UCL
• Warwick and York