Travers Smith LLP |

Travers Smith works with clients operating in complex, high-stakes environments. We deliver bespoke, high-impact legal advice through deep expertise, genuine independence, and a culture that brings out the best in our people. Our approach ensures exceptional service and tailored solutions for each unique challenge in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

At the heart of Travers Smith is our room-sharing structure: Trainees and Solicitor Apprentices share rooms directly with Associates and Partners, meaning close contact with senior lawyers, learning by osmosis, and real exposure to quality work.

From day one, you will be given real responsibility, with a structure designed to support your development every step of the way. We prioritise sustainable workloads for our lawyers, with no chargeable hours' targets, resulting in motivated, fresh, and engaged teams.

Our international model leverages trusted partnerships with over 150 top local firms across jurisdictions, ensuring high standards, consistency, and seamless service delivery. Our lawyers remain actively involved throughout every international matter, giving you genuine cross-border exposure and the opportunity to build global relationships from the very start of your career.

Our culture of allyship, visible role models, and genuine respect is supported by six professional networks, empowering everyone to bring their authentic selves to work. Supporting your wellbeing and ambitions is central to how we think about working life here, and our commitment to CSR and pro bono means the work you do can extend well beyond client matters, delivering meaningful impact in the wider world. If you want to start your legal career in a place where quality, culture, and personal growth truly matter, Travers Smith is where you belong.

At Travers Smith, you’ll be trusted with real responsibility from day one—speaking to clients, joining meetings, and managing your own work, all with plenty of support and guidance. That’s why we look for people who match academic strength with clear-headed judgement and practical sense.

The Early Careers team at Travers Smith is dedicated to finding the very best future lawyers whether you’re applying as a school leaver, university student, or graduate - who not only meet our high standards of excellence but also share our people-focused values. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who have the ambition, drive, and curiosity to build a successful legal career, and we’re committed to giving you the support and opportunities you need to grow. If you’re keen to challenge yourself intellectually and want to contribute to a collaborative, inclusive firm where you’ll be celebrated for who you are, we’d love to hear from you.

We take law and non-law students, with genuinely no preference for one over the other - over 45% of our trainees have non-law backgrounds.

Our training sets the standard in the City - and it's built around developing well-rounded, confident lawyers, not just technical specialists.

From Partner-led sessions at the start of every seat to ongoing seminars drawing on real, live matters, you'll learn from people who are genuinely at the top of their field. Our room-sharing model puts you alongside Partners and Associates from day one and is the type of learning that you only pick up from spending considerable time together to help build the soft skills and commercial instincts that will help you thrive as a lawyer. Sitting alongside Associates and Partners, ensures close contact with senior lawyers, learning by osmosis, and genuine exposure to quality work through real client matters.

You will rotate through four different departments over two years, with all our Trainees spending at least six months in Corporate, and another six months within a transactional seat across the Training Contract. This gives you exposure to a variety of legal work across the firm. Collaboration and respect are at the heart of how we work - you are always encouraged to be yourself, take ownership of your development, and build the skills and relationships that will shape your career long-term.

International work is central to what we do, meaning you'll get hands-on exposure to complex, cross-border matters and global clients - not just a front-row seat, but real responsibility, with support always close by.

You'll be part of a non-hierarchical, genuinely collaborative culture where your growth is taken seriously. At Travers Smith, we give you everything you need to build the insight, confidence, and judgement for a career that stands out.

Apply online via our website for a training contract commencing from September 2029, although earlier start dates are available.  

This year we will largely recruit for from our Summer Vacation Schemes, however we are also running two Direct Training Contract processes. Candidates will be asked to apply directly via our website. Any updates will be available on our website and social media channels.

Winter Direct Training Contract Process

Applications Open 18 September 2026 – 16 October 2026 (at midday) for Training Contracts beginning in September 2027. To be eligible to apply, candidates will need to have completed or currently be undertaking the SQE/LPC.

Spring Direct Training Contract Process

Applications Open 16 October 2026 – 15 January 2027 (at midday) for Training Contracts beginning in September 2028 and onwards.

Summer Vacation Scheme Process

Applications Open 16 October 2026 – 15 January 2027 (at midday) for Training Contracts beginning in September 2028 and onwards.

Our Vacation Schemes take place twice in the year in the form of three 2-week schemes in the Summer.

The schemes follow our internal programme, which includes a number of talks, workshops, a case study and a negotiating exercise. There will be department insights and close contact with Trainees, with the two weeks designed specifically to give students an authentic taste of a City lawyer's work. There are also working lunches and informal evening events.

Vacation Scheme students are paid £750 for completing each week. However, you must complete all three assessments on the scheme to be eligible for payment.

The exact dates of each scheme are: 14 June to 25 June 2027, 28 June to 9 July 2027, 12 July to 23 July 2027.

Applications will be opened on 16 October 2026 (Midday) and will close on 15 January 2027 (Midday). Interviews will only be allocated once all applications have been processed.

Please note our interview process will be held virtually and run by a senior member of our Early Careers Panel. For more information on the panel please visit our recruitment team webpage.

At Travers Smith, we believe in nurturing future talent through a challenging and rewarding journey. Our Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship is a six-year programme designed to launch outstanding legal careers - offering real responsibility, tailored support, and unrivalled learning every step of the way. You will be a valued member of our collaborative and inclusive environment, benefiting from one-to-one mentorship, meaningful guidance, and continuous professional growth.

In years 1 – 4, you will rotate every 12 months into a new department. For four days each week, you’ll work within one of our core fee-earning teams, sitting alongside and learning from our experienced lawyers and then be granted protected study time one day a week to undertake your LLB with BPP university. 

Then, in years 5-6, you will sit rotate department every 6 months. At this time, you will be studying towards your SQE so will have protected time off from work.

On completion of the six years, you’ll qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales and be eligible to apply for a newly qualified Associate role here at Travers Smith, all while earning a salary and building a future to be proud of.

We will be hiring from September 2027 for a September 2028 start.

At Travers Smith, supporting your wellbeing and ambitions is central to our culture – and that's reflected in our benefits package. We offer a flexible, market-leading benefits platform, giving you choice over a wide range of high-quality perks, many fully funded by the firm or offered at discounted rates.

Our dedicated wellness suite of rooms can be used throughout the week to provide supportive content across four pillars of wellbeing: financial, mental and physical health and social cohesion.  Within our Wellness Suite on Level 8, you can access a part-time GP service, weekly counselling support, massage and physiotherapy sessions. There is a multi-faith room, a first aid room, and a carer and parent room. The activities in our wellness studio (including classes in functional strength, yoga, Pilates, move & stretch, as well as nutrition, and wellbeing consultations) are designed to support your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Our onsite Wellness Coach, Darcey Barrett, is a health and movement professional, with a Masters in Nutrition, and over six years' experience in the holistic health space.

We recognise that everyone's needs are different, so you can tailor your benefits package to suit your priorities – whether that's travel cover to support the 27 days' annual leave everyone receives, environmentally conscious pensions, charitable giving options, electric cars, or generous family-focused benefits like comprehensive parental leave. Our ongoing investment in these benefits is just one of the ways we help out people thrive both in and out of work, ensuring there's something for everyone.

At the heart of Travers Smith’s culture is Braithwaite's, our award-winning, sustainable, fully subsidised café. More than just a place to eat, Braithwaite's brings colleagues together—offering delicious, sustainably sourced food in a welcoming space that reflects our commitment to wellbeing and shared values. Whether grabbing a morning coffee, enjoying a healthy lunch, or catching up with the team, it's a hub for connection, collaboration and community across the firm.

We believe that culture drives quality. The richness of our people's perspectives, experiences and identities is what helps us to deliver our best work - diverse thinking, stronger collaboration and a deeper understanding of our clients and communities.

Diversity and inclusion is not just a set of initiatives to us, it's integral to how we grow, lead and deliver excellence. We know that the best advice, the most innovative ideas and the strongest relationships come from teams that reflect a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.

By creating an environment where people can be themselves, we ensure that every person has the opportunity, support and confidence to contribute meaningfully to the quality of our work, the best outcomes for our clients and define the future of our firm. Our culture of allyship, visible role models, and genuine respect empowers everyone to bring their authentic selves to work and fulfil their potential.

We back up this commitment with action. Our six professional networks, each led by a partner, provide support, connection, and strategic input across the firm. These networks - REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage), LGBTQ+, Faith Resources, Gender Balance, Enable (focusing on accessibility needs), and the Social Mobility Group - reflect our belief in fostering community, encouraging dialogue, and ensuring everyone’s voice is heard at Travers Smith.

At Travers Smith, our commitment to responsible business is woven into the fabric of our culture. Our award-winning CSR Programme is vibrant and continually evolving, driven by the passion and involvement of our people. It’s much more than giving back - it’s about sharing knowledge, building skills, and connecting meaningfully with diverse communities and audiences. By engaging in our four key focus areas - community engagement, charitable partnerships, support for emerging artists, and pro bono legal work - we help shape not only our industry, but society at large. Through these collective efforts, everyone at Travers Smith has the chance to make a real impact, grow as individuals, and recognise our broader role beyond the world of business.

At Travers Smith, we use our legal expertise to drive positive change: addressing environmental risks, promoting sustainability, supporting vulnerable people, and championing an open, inclusive global society grounded in the rule of law. Our award-winning pro bono programme focuses on impactful partnerships and legal work across four priority areas:

1. Climate, environment, and sustainability
2. Diversity, inclusion and social mobility
3. Vulnerable groups (refugees, survivors of domestic violence and survivors of human trafficking)
4. Rule of Law

Through these efforts, we aim to make a meaningful difference both within our profession and in the wider world.