Norton Rose Fulbright

We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. We have more than 3,700 lawyers and other legal staff based in Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa.

Recognised for our industry focus, we are strong across all the key industry sectors: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare. Through our global risk advisory group, we leverage our industry experience with our knowledge of legal, regulatory, compliance and governance issues to provide our clients with practical solutions to the legal and regulatory risks facing their businesses.

Wherever we are, we operate in accordance with our global business principles of quality, unity and integrity. We aim to provide the highest possible standard of legal service in each of our offices and to maintain that level of quality at every point of contact.

Main areas of work

Our London office delivers domestic and multi-jurisdictional legal services to corporates, financial institutions, governments and other public sector organisations. We excel across a range of legal practices, including corporate, M&A and securities; banking and finance; dispute resolution and litigation; real estate; antitrust and competition; tax; employment and labour; intellectual property; regulation and investigations; and risk advisory. We also advise on US law, and we have a world leading Islamic finance practice. We are particularly well-known for our focus on industry sectors and are strong in financial institutions, including insurance; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare.

Who should apply

There’s no progress more vital than what you’ll experience on our training contracts. Over two years – broken into four six-month seats – you’ll hit all kinds of new firsts with us, big and small. You’ll explore new areas, for instance. Each seat will take you through different sectors and practice areas, with compulsory seats in both banking and corporate. One of your seats will almost certainly be on secondment too – your first encounter with working in a new country, or maybe six months spent working in a client office. As you move from one milestone to the next, you’ll have a sizeable team at your back. A partner mentor to turn to and to learn from. A trainee buddy to teach you the ropes. And the whole trainee development team, to keep you on track from day to day.

An impeccable academic record and intellectual rigour are prerequisites. We expect successful candidates to have at least AAB at A level (or equivalent) and be on track for a 2:1 (or equivalent).

You’ll have an enquiring mind, strong interpersonal skills, and the motivation to make constant progress. You’ll never stop pushing yourself forward, grasping every opportunity – both at home and abroad – that our firm has to offer. You’ll be interested in business too, and keen to build relationships within a firm that’ll help you make progress with purpose.

Training Programme

We offer up to 50 training contracts each year across two intakes.

For both our March 2026 and September 2026 intakes, all finalists and graduates of any subject should apply from the 27th May to 7th July, once they have received their final year grades.

At Norton Rose Fulbright we look for intelligent, ambitious, internationally focused and commercially-minded individuals to drive our business. We will expect you to think creatively and find new ways to solve problems. We expect our trainees to deliver work that meets the highest professional, ethical and business standards for our clients. All applicants must have achieved at least AAB in their A levels or equivalent and be on course to achieve (or to have achieved already) a 2.1 degree or above.

Mentoring

Our mentoring scheme will help you make the most of the incredible depth of knowledge and experience across the organisation. Your mentor will offer you everything from career insights to resolving any concerns you may have.

Working together

We pride ourselves on our supportive culture that thrives on collaboration and encourages networking with your trainee colleagues, lawyers and partners. You will also help to choose - or become - one of two trainee representatives. These meet once a quarter to provide feedback, raise concerns and generate ideas to ensure your training contract is a rewarding experience.

Your development

When we hire you, we are making an investment. We ensure we all get the maximum return on this by providing the highest standards of training. Becoming an outstanding lawyer is about continuous development - we will make sure you are challenged and rewarded in equal measure.

Work placements

Finding the place you want to start your career is a moment you’ll always remember, and that’s exactly the kind of insight we offer on our vacation schemes. Whether you’re with us virtually or in person, we pack a lot into these four schemes. You’ll network with colleagues, attend talks with some of our leading lawyers, join exciting workshops, and even present group projects on legal issues. It’s a lot of new ground to cover, but if you want to understand what it’s really like to work here, nothing else comes close.

First-year opportunities

Everyone remembers the first day they walked through the doors of their future firm. For many of our lawyers, that happens on our First Year Open Day, a day designed to give all first year undergraduates of all degree subjects (and second years of a 4 year course) a taste of life at a global law firm. This is a great opportunity to make a first impression, talk to our trainees and partners, and learn about the culture of Norton Rose Fulbright, determining if law is the career for you.

Vacation Schemes

Finding the place you want to start your career is a moment you’ll always remember, and that’s exactly the kind of insight we offer on our vacation schemes. The scheme will involve interactive sessions with senior stakeholders, group and individual assessments, engaging workshops, as well as a Partner Supervisor and trainee buddy to support you throughout the week. There will also be a training contract interview on the last day. Our vacation schemes offer you an unparalleled insight into the life, work and culture of who we are, giving you the chance to see if we are the firm for you.

Business & Legal Operations Graduate Scheme

The delivery of legal services is changing. This doesn't just involve the emergence of new technology, it involves the increasingly crucial role played by other technical disciplines in providing more complex and sophisticated client solutions, and optimising our performance as a business.

Our Business and Legal Operations Graduate Scheme is a two year programme encompassing every aspect of the rapid changes currently underway in the delivery of high end legal services. This two year programme will mirror our traditional training contract for new lawyers, but with a focus on different disciplines, including innovation, commercial management, and legal product design. This is an exciting opportunity for those who want to progress and be at the forefront of driving our business strategy in the years to come.

Apprentice Programmes

Have you thought about law? Are you worried about the costs of university or put off by how competitive it is to obtain a job once you graduate? Perhaps you are simply keen to get into the world of work and start building a career. If so, our Apprenticeship Programme might be for you.

We have two Apprentice Programmes; a Solicitor Apprentice Programme in London, after which you will obtain an LLB degree and become a qualified solicitor, and a Paralegal Apprentice Programme based in our Newcastle office, which upon completion you will achieve a Level 3 Apprenticeship Certificate of Higher Education.

Our Apprentices will work alongside and learn from some of the brightest minds in their field, helping to solve some of our clients' most complex legal and business problems while learning the academic and practical skills needed to excel as a lawyer. Both programmes start in September 2022, and we are looking for lawyers of the future - enterprising, digitally minded individuals with the intellectual curiosity and aptitude needed to thrive in our legal business.

Application details

Training contract

If you are a finalist or graduate (of any subject) you should apply from 27th May – 7th July 2024.

Vacation schemes

Our Winter Vacation Scheme is for penultimate year students, finalists and graduates from law and non-law subjects. Applications will open from 11th September –13th October 2023 and virtual assessment days will be held in November.

Our Summer Vacation Schemes are for penultimate year students, finalists and graduates from law and non-law subjects. Applications will open from 1st January – 18th February 2024 and assessment days will be held in March / April.

First Year Open Days

First-year undergraduates and those in the 2nd year of a four year course may apply for our First Year Open Days, which will take place in March and April. For more information of how and when to apply please visit our website.

Business & Legal Operations Graduate Scheme

If you are a finalist or graduate (of any subject) you can apply from 6th November to 2nd January 2024. Assessment centres will be held in February 2024.

Apprentice Programmes

We run two Apprentice programmes; one in London for aspiring Solicitors and one in Newcastle for Paralegals. Both programmes are open for all final year A Level students or school leavers to apply, with applications opening from 6th November – 18th February 2024. Assessment centres will be held in April 2024.

These programmes are not open to candidates who are already studying at university.