What we offer

Each year we ask up to ten graduates to join our team. We're extremely selective because we're looking for the people who will be our future partners. As part of such a select and high-calibre intake we'll give you real responsibility earlier than you might expect.

During the two years' training, you'll spend time in each of our main departments, developing your skills and knowledge. You'll also work closely with our partners, which is guaranteed to speed up the learning process.

We offer a mixture of 3 and 6 month seats, so trainees will typically undertake 5 or 6 seats during their training contract and one of these seats is guaranteed to be within our IP Litigation department. Other departments trainees may sit in are corporate, real estate, commercial disputes, EU and competition, commercial IP/IT and regulatory.

Part of this training may also involve a secondment to the UK in-house legal department of one of our leading multinational clients. With the international spread of our clients, the probability of overseas travel is high, especially on qualification.

We don't just look for super-bright graduates - personality is important too. This is a friendly firm and we want people who will be able to contribute to the atmosphere and will enjoy being part of a supportive culture.

All of our future trainees receive sponsorship through the PGDL if needed and the SQE 1 and SQE 2. We generally require our cohorts to attend the University of Law in London so they can get to know other trainees in the intake. Students will not have to pay course or exam fees (as we will fund them) and will receive maintenance grants throughout law school. The maintenance grant is currently £10,000 for the PGDL and £11,000 for the SQE1&2.. If you have already completed PGDL and LPC, you will not be required to sit the SQE exams.

Our annual salaries as of September 2025 are:

  • 1st year trainee - £48,000
  • 2nd year trainee - £52,000

Trainees who remain with the firm on qualification currently receive an annual starting salary of £95,000.

Bristows employees also receive a large suite of benefits, including private medical insurance, an employee assistance programme (for all areas of wellbeing), a cycle to work scheme, dental plan and season ticket loans.

Our current recruitment season will be for the 2028 training contract intake. Successful candidates will join the firm in August 2028.

The deadline to be considered is 2 January 2026. Applications open on the 5th September 2025 and are open to penultimate year law students and all final year students and graduates.

We do have some spaces remaining in our 2027 cohort. Graduates of law and those who will have completed the PGDL by 1st September 2026 who are interested in these slots should apply for the 2028 cohort as normal and tick the box to indicate they would be interested in being considered to start sooner.

Apply now...

speech bubble
Apply here

Hints and tips

Read more

FAQs

circle outline
Read more