FAQs
Apply nowPlease find below FAQs on:
Applications
Eligibility
Work Experience Opportunities
Interviews
If you have a question which has not been answered here, please contact the Trainee Recruitment Team via email or on 020 7090 4454. (Enquiries only - we do not accept applications by email).
Applications
We recommend that your CV is no more than two sides of A4. The information included should be factual – tell us what you have done, where and when.
You must demonstrate evidence of an interest in, and commitment to, a career in commercial law through, for example, open days, virtual internships, virtual or in-person law firm events/university events such as law fairs or firm presentations, or legal work experience.
You should include details of everything you have been involved with, whether or not these activities are related to a career in law. We want to understand your journey and how you spend your time outside of your studies.
You can find more tips on preparing your CV in this video.
Your cover letter should tell us about you, why you are interested in a career in law and why you are applying to Slaughter and May. You may like to reference virtual internships you have completed or law firm events/university events you have attended to support this.
You should also include any other information which you think may be relevant to your application.
Please ensure that your cover letter is no longer than one side of A4 and address it to Janine Arnold, Head of Recruitment. You do not need to include your address or the address of the firm on the cover letter.
You can find more tips on preparing your cover letter in this video.
You will be asked to provide some personal details and the following educational information on the relevant section of the application form:
- A full breakdown of your GCSE and A-level (or equivalent) results
- A full breakdown of completed module results for all undergraduate and postgraduate study you have completed to date (including first year results, even if they do not count towards your final degree classification)
- An end of year average result (percentage) for each year of undergraduate and postgraduate study you have completed to date
- If you have attended school and/or university outside of the UK and/or if your university doesn’t use a percentage grading system - an explanation of the grading system for the school and/or university you have attended.
If you are applying for our spring open days or spring work experience scheme, we appreciate that you may not have any completed module results yet. If that is the case, please mention this in your application and include any predicted grades, essay or coursework results you have received to date if you have them, or just put N/A for this section of the application form.
There is also space on each section of the application form for you to provide details of any extenuating circumstances you have experienced, including a disability or long-term health condition, which have materially affected your results.
Yes - please include all your academic results on your CV, as well as on your application form.
On your CV, you should list these in chronological order, starting with the most recent. This doesn’t need to take up too much space- you can list them horizontally.
You will also need to include all these results on the online application form that you’ll complete to submit your CV and cover letter. Please make sure that you include all completed module results for undergraduate and postgraduate study – even if they don’t count towards your degree.
We appreciate that many students will be in this position. Please mention this in your application and include any predicated grades, essay or coursework results you received during those years instead.
Please provide details of all equivalent exams taken. You may choose to provide this information in your CV instead. Please also provide an explanation of the grading system either as an additional attachment or in the relevant section of the application form.
No, you should input your marks as they appear on your academic transcript. Please also provide an explanation of the grading system either as an additional attachment or in the relevant section of the application form.
We appreciate that you may not have any results yet. Please mention this in your application and include any predicted grades, essay or coursework results you have received to date if you have them, or just put N/A for this section of the application form.
Strong applications will be authentic and personal to you. The use of generative AI to help you prepare your application may result in inaccuracies and a lack of originality and creativity.
Please provide at least one academic referee. If you are currently in employment you can provide your employer as a second referee.
Please note that we do not require a referee for our work experience opportunities as we do not take up references for these.
We encourage applications as early as possible for all of our opportunities.
Training contract offers are made on a rolling basis, and the interview period will begin before the application deadline. We are therefore unable to guarantee the availability of places as we progress with interviews. If you are made a training contract offer following your interview, there is a possibility that this may be for a later intake.
Offers for all of our work experience opportunities are made after the application deadline.
Those who have had an unsuccessful training contract application are unlikely to be successful in a subsequent application unless there has been a significant development which alters their application. We do not tend to re-interview candidates for training contracts.
Candidates who have had an unsuccessful summer work experience application can still apply for a training contract.
Candidates who have had an unsuccessful application for either of our spring opportunities can also apply for a summer work experience scheme (and/or a training contract).
Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are only able to provide feedback following an interview.
Eligibility
Good A-Level grades are not a strict requirement. All applications are welcome and will be reviewed by our recruitment partners based on their own merits. If you have any mitigating circumstances that affected any of your academic results, we recommend that you include them in your application.
No. Although completing work experience with us will give you a greater insight into the firm, it is not necessary to have completed work experience with us, or indeed with any other firm, to have a successful training contract application. However, if you do not have any legal work experience on your CV, you should demonstrate your interest in and commitment to a career in commercial law through, for example, open days, virtual internships, virtual or in-person law firm events/university events such as law fairs or firm presentations.
No. For the purposes of our application process, candidates who have already completed, or who are required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to complete, some or all of the modules of the law conversion course should apply for the non-law intake.
Yes, all applications are welcome. If you are part-way through a law conversion course, you may continue your studies at that institution. However, if you have not yet begun a law conversion course, we will ask you to study the Law Conversion Course (PGDL) at BPP Law School. If you are part-way through an LPC or SQE prep course at another institution, we will need to discuss this with you should you receive an offer.
Please provide details of all equivalent exams taken. You may choose to provide this information in your CV instead. Please also provide an explanation of the grading system either as an additional attachment or in the relevant section of the application form.
For our purposes, if you have at least 2 years’ experience in a common law jurisdiction, you can usually apply for a qualified lawyer position with us. For any queries regarding qualified lawyer positions, please visit the qualified lawyers page or contact the Lateral Recruitment team via email.
If you do not have 2 years’ experience in a common law jurisdiction, you will need to apply for a training contract. For our purposes, if you accept a training contract with us, you will still be required to complete the City Consortium Solicitor Training Programme (‘CCP’) (and usually the Law Conversion Course (PGDL) if you studied your undergraduate law degree outside of England and Wales). Please visit the route to qualification page for further information.
No, we will not interview anyone who has accepted a training contract with another firm.
Yes, you can. We will review all applications for our spring work experience scheme, although priority will be given to successful applications from candidates from an ethnic minority and/or lower socio-economic/social mobility background.
If you are a second-year student on a four-year degree, you are eligible to apply for the spring open days.
If you are a second-year law student on a four-year degree, you are also eligible to apply for the spring scheme.
If you are in your first year of a two-year accelerated degree, you are eligible to apply for the summer work experience schemes.
No, the summer work experience scheme is restricted to those in the penultimate year of their undergraduate degree. You should consider the virtual insight afternoons which are aimed at finalists and graduates. Alternatively, if you already have legal work experience and/or you feel ready to apply directly for a training contract, we would encourage you to do so.
You would be considered a first-year student and would therefore be eligible for the spring open days and spring scheme (if you are studying for a law degree).
If you are a law student, you can apply for the spring scheme and spring open days in your first or second year.
If you are a non-law student, you can apply for the spring scheme and spring open days in your first or second year.
You can apply for summer work experience schemes in your penultimate year.
You can register for the virtual insight afternoons in your final year.
Yes, all applications are welcome. If you require an employment visa to commence work in the UK and you accept a training contract with us, we will provide sponsorship and will assist in co-ordinating the necessary immigration and visa assistance in collaboration with our immigration service providers. We cannot guarantee that a visa will be granted by the Home Office, however the eligibility requirements must be met in advance of a visa application.
We do not sponsor nor provide visas for the purpose of our work experience schemes. If you do not have a British passport or settled status (such as permanent residence or indefinite leave to remain), the offer to attend our work experience scheme is conditional on your having permission to enter or remain in the UK. You must have an immigration status that permits employment. This could be one of the following:
- Student Visa (Tier 4) - For more information, please see the following link: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa. If we offer you a place on our work experience scheme, this is conditional on you providing a letter from your university confirming that the work experience scheme lies outside your term dates.
- Youth Mobility Visa (Tier 5) - For more information, please see the following link: https://www.gov.uk/tier-5-youth-mobility
- UK Ancestry Visa - For more information, please see the following link: https://www.gov.uk/ancestry-visa
Please note that the above list is not exhaustive. Please ensure you state your eligibility to work in the UK on your application form. Please also note that we will not reimburse work experience scheme applicants for the cost of any immigration related application submitted in order to partake in the scheme, nor any costs relating to attending the scheme itself (such as overseas travel or transportation).
Work experience opportunities
If you are a first-year law student or a second year law student on a 4-year degree, you can apply for both the spring scheme and a spring open day. If you can attend more than one spring open day, please apply for your preferred date and mention in your application which dates you can attend.
No, our work experience schemes are not formally assessed by the Early Careers Recruitment Team. For those who complete a summer scheme, your supervisor will provide us with some written feedback on your time with us.
Our spring and summer work experience scheme students are paid £500 per week. This is intended to cover your expenses during the scheme.
This payment will be classified as income by HMRC and therefore if you are earning over your tax-free Personal Allowance, this payment will be subject to income tax. The firm will cover your national insurance contributions as part of the scheme.
The firm is committed to ensuring that the scheme is accessible to everyone and no-one is prevented from joining us due to financial constraints. We can offer additional financial support for those who require it to cover expenses while attending the scheme. We will also provide funds in advance if needed to book accommodation and or/travel for the scheme.
Yes, we offer training contract interviews at the end of our summer schemes.
If you are in Year 12 at school and looking for work placements and insight opportunities, we have two schemes available: Lead in to Law and Excellerators. You can find out more about both schemes here.
It is not necessary to have completed work experience with us to have a successful training contract application. You should consider the virtual insight afternoons which are aimed at finalists and graduates. Alternatively, if you already have legal work experience and/or you feel ready to apply directly for a training contract, we would encourage you to do so.
No, the virtual insight afternoon is not linked to a training contract application. However, we hope that you will decide to apply for a training contract after attending this.
Yes, we have a prayer and contemplation room in our London office which is open for all to use. There are prayer mats and a small variety of prayer clothing available in the drawers of the room. Ablution (wudu) facilities are also available nearby. Please speak to the Early Careers Recruitment team on the day if you would like to use the prayer and contemplation room.
Interviews
Our training contract interviews take place in person at our London office. If you are overseas, we can arrange for your interview to take place virtually instead.
We conduct our summer work experience scheme interviews virtually, through Microsoft Teams.
There are no interviews for our spring open days, spring work experience scheme or virtual insight afternoons.
Yes, we have a prayer and contemplation room in our London office which is open for all to use. There are prayer mats and a small variety of prayer clothing available in the drawers of the room. Ablution (wudu) facilities are also available nearby. Please speak to the Early Careers Recruitment team on the day if you would like to use the prayer and contemplation room.