Spring Forward programme 2027

Gordons; Greater London; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 20,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work experience week in London office

Job summary

Slaughter and May is inviting first-year law students from underrepresented backgrounds to join its Spring Forward programme in London. You will gain first-hand insight into life as a lawyer, the firm’s culture, and how to prepare for summer work experience schemes and training contracts.

The week-long in-office experience is designed to boost confidence, provide exposure to a leading international law firm, and help you understand the path to a legal career.

Qualifications

• First-year law student from a lower socio-economic and/or ethnic minority background
• Interest in exploring life as a lawyer and pursuing a career in law

Responsibilities

• Participate in Slaughter and May's Spring Forward programme, including a week in the London office
• Gain first-hand insight into the firm, its work, its people and culture, and build confidence for future applications

Job description

Enjoy free members-only features like our Application Checklist, and access your event reservations from My Agenda.

• Supercharge your prep to achieve legal career success
• Structured support to boost your employability

An inclusive and diverse workforce is critical to our firm’s success and we seek the brightest minds to join us. Our clients work with us because they know that they can access exceptional talent.

Data from the Law Society shows that lawyers from ethnic minority or lower socio-economic backgrounds are underrepresented in law firms compared to the undergraduate population at UK universities. In our search for the best talent, we want to improve access to the profession for undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds.

If you are a first-year law student from a lower socio-economic and/or ethnic minority background, our Spring Forward programme is designed to help you explore life as a lawyer at Slaughter and May. Through a week in our London office, you’ll gain first-hand insight into our work, our people and our culture, helping you build your confidence and understanding as you start thinking about future applications for summer work experience schemes and training contracts.

About Slaughter and May

Slaughter and May is a leading international law firm, recognised for our exceptional legal service, commercial awareness and commitment to clients. We are trusted advisers to some of the world’s largest companies, advising on complex, high-profile and often ground-breaking transactions, and our forward thinking and innovative approach complements the best-in-class advice on which our reputation is built.

Our practice areas

We are a full-service law firm and have leading practitioners across a wide range of areas including Mergers and Acquisitions; Corporate and Commercial; Financing; Tax; Competition; Disputes and Investigations; Real Estate and Projects; Pensions, Employment and Incentives; Financial Regulation; and Technology, Digital, Data and Intellectual Property.

A world of difference

There are clear differences between Slaughter and May and other global law firms:

• We train our lawyers to advise across the full range of work within their practice area, giving them exposure to a broader range of matters than they might experience at another firm. This is hard work, but our lawyers say it makes for a far more fulfilling career. Working on complex, varied and high-profile matters from the start provides challenge and interest, and allows them to develop deeper relationships with clients, because they get to know their businesses better.
• Through longstanding relationships with leading law firms around the world and our overseas offices, we provide seamless legal advice to our clients wherever they operate. On average, we work with more than 200 law firms across 100 countries annually, giving our lawyers exposure to international work from an early stage. Through this experience, they gain valuable insights into different markets, cultures and legal systems, developing the judgement and adaptability our clients value.
• Our culture is built on collaboration, trust and diversity of thought, creating an inclusive environment in which our people achieve excellence through collective effort and shared expertise. Without billing or time targets, our lawyers are encouraged to focus on delivering the best outcomes for clients and supporting each other's development, fostering a strong sense of belonging and teamwork

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion is an integral part of how we do things as a firm. We believe that a supportive and inclusive workplace drives collaboration and helps people perform at their best. We are looking to employ the brightest minds regardless of what or where they studied, and we strive to ensure that people feel comfortable being themselves at work through fostering an inclusive culture which values diversity of experience and perspective.

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