CMS

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In their own words

Future-facing law

Snapshot

Firm type

International

UK offices

Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Reading, Sheffield

International offices

Angola, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine and the UAE

Training contract places

Vacation scheme places

Not disclosed

First-year salary

London: £50,000; Bristol: £43,000; Scotland: £33,000; Manchester, Sheffield & Liverpool: £33,000

Second-year salary

London: £55,000; Bristol: £45,000; Scotland: £35,000; Manchester, Sheffield & Liverpool: £35,000

Newly qualified salary

London: £110,000; Bristol: £70,000; Manchester, Sheffield & Liverpool: £62,000; Scotland: £60,000

Trainee retention

73%

SQE support

Full SQE 1, SQE2 and PGDL funding, and maintenance grant

Visa sponsorship

Yes

International secondment

Yes

Client secondment

Yes

Guaranteed secondment

Not disclosed

Recruitment route

Insight scheme and direct training contract

Rolling recruitment?

Seat structure

4 six-month seats

Can trainees repeat a seat?

Sometimes, depending on the circumstances

Can trainees express seat preferences?

Yes, preferences are considered

Trainee salary basis

Reviewed annually

Non-law applicants

Actively welcomed

Career-changer applicants

Actively welcomed

Remote working

Standard hybrid working

Holiday allowance

25 days

Minimum academic requirements

No fixed minimum grades disclosed; applications are reviewed holistically using contextual recruitment

Typical start time

9:00am

Typical finish time

5:00pm

Wellbeing support

Mental Health First Aiders; subsidised gym; private health insurance; counselling support; therapy; dental care; HR adviser support throughout the Training Contract

SQE maintenance grant

£15,000 in London and £13,000 outside London

PGDL funding

Fully funded

Retrospective SQE or PGDL funding

None

Diversity networks and partnerships

Includes the CMS Women’s Network, LGBTQ+ Network, Cultural Diversity Network, Disability & Wellbeing Network and Families & Carers Network, alongside partnerships and initiatives including PRIME, Aspiring Solicitors and Rare Recruitment

% female partners

52%

Before you apply

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Would you value starting your journey with a two-week CMS Academy focused on the business of law, clients and live work?

Would you enjoy taking on meaningful responsibility through live matters and client meetings while receiving structured supervision and feedback?

Would you value training in a firm with offices across the UK, where salary and the mix of available work can vary by location?

Would you value the opportunity to apply for an international or client secondment during your Training Contract?

Deep dive

Explore this firm in detail

What makes it different

Future-facing law firm

What this could mean for you

CMS places innovation, changing regulation and sector knowledge at the centre of its proposition. Its priority sectors include financial services, technology, media and communications, energy and life sciences, alongside a broad full-service practice. You could build experience on work shaped by changing technology, regulation and industry trends, while developing a broad commercial understanding of clients’ businesses.

Meaningful client exposure

What this could mean for you

The current training programme says trainees work on live matters and attend client meetings, while CMS Academy introduces future trainees to clients and the commercial context of legal work before the Training Contract begins. You could start building client-facing skills early, rather than learning only through internal tasks, with support to develop judgement and confidence as your responsibility grows.

Industry-leading development

What this could mean for you

Development begins with the two-week CMS Academy and continues through courses, lectures, technical workshops, on-the-job learning, seat supervision and support from the Emerging Talent team. You could combine practical learning in each seat with structured development throughout the programme, rather than relying on informal learning alone.

Practice area strengths

Real estate

CMS has a broad Real Estate practice covering investment, development, occupiers, planning, property disputes, real estate finance and real estate funds. The team works with institutional investors, developers, property owners and occupiers, and also brings sector expertise from areas such as hotels, energy and infrastructure. The breadth of the practice means matters can involve the full lifecycle of major assets, from acquisition and financing through development, occupation and disputes. CMS also has substantial real estate capability across several UK offices, giving the practice a strong national dimension.

Technology, media and telecommunications

CMS advises across technology transactions, IT projects and outsourcing, data and privacy, fintech, digital media, telecoms and emerging technologies. The practice works with both technology businesses and organisations using technology to transform their operations. The firm's international network supports cross-border technology and regulatory work, while its wider sector expertise connects technology matters with areas such as financial services, media, life sciences and consumer businesses.

Energy and climate change

CMS advises across power, renewables, oil and gas, energy regulation, financing, transactions, disputes and major projects. Its work spans established energy markets and the transition to lower-carbon infrastructure, including areas such as offshore wind and carbon capture and storage. The practice combines transactional, regulatory, projects and contentious expertise, allowing teams to support energy businesses, investors and other stakeholders across different stages of major projects and investments.

All practice areas

Full serviceAntitrustCompetitionInternational tradeBanking and financeCommercialConstructionCorporateDispute resolutionESGEmploymentPensionsEnergyFinancial services and regulationFundsInvestment managementInfrastructureProjectsInsuranceIntellectual propertyLife sciencesPublic procurement and educationReal estateTechnology, media and telecommunicationsTax

Who it may suit

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Would you value starting your journey with a two-week CMS Academy focused on the business of law, clients and live work?
Would you enjoy taking on meaningful responsibility through live matters and client meetings while receiving structured supervision and feedback?
Would you value training in a firm with offices across the UK, where salary and the mix of available work can vary by location?
Would you value the opportunity to apply for an international or client secondment during your Training Contract?

This firm may suit candidates who…

Want broad exposure across different practice groups and sectors before deciding where to specialise.
Value structured development alongside hands-on work and client exposure.
Want the option to build a career outside London as well as in the capital.
Are interested in sectors undergoing significant change, including technology, energy, financial services and life sciences.
Would value international or in-house experience during the Training Contract.

Things to consider

The four-seat structure requires experience across at least three areas, but individual seat preferences cannot be guaranteed.
CMS Academy takes place before the Training Contract begins, so candidates should be comfortable committing to a two-week pre-joining programme.
Salary levels and the mix of opportunities vary by office location.
The firm expects trainees to take ownership of their development and contribute in a high-performing environment.
Secondments are subject to business need and availability rather than being guaranteed for every trainee.

Work-life reality

Work-life balance varies by team, seat and transaction cycle. This section is designed to help you understand the pattern, not reduce the experience to a score.

Seat variation

Four six-month seats, with experience across at least three distinct areas of law. Trainees can express preferences, although these cannot be guaranteed.

Support

General support includes a seat supervisor, Emerging Talent team, trainee representative committee and wellbeing resources.

Flexibility

Standard hybrid working is available with no additional remote-working option beyond this.

Holiday allowance

25 days, excluding bank holidays.

Office attendance

This depends on the trainees' practice groups.

Culture & support

Supervision style

Each seat includes a supervisor, with additional support from the Emerging Talent team and trainee representative committee. The website says guidance and feedback are built into the programme.

Relationship with partners

CMS Academy gives future trainees opportunities to build relationships with partners before starting, and trainees work alongside lawyers at all levels once the Training Contract begins.

Application process

Online application form

Critical thinking test

What happens

This is the Watson Glaser, a short online analytical and problem-solving test, where no legal knowledge is required.

Pre-recorded video interview

(15 minutes)

Assessment day

(Half day)

What happens

This is in-person, including exercises to assess motivation, judgement, collaboration and potential.

Events

Commercial awareness workshop with CMS

Discover what commercial awareness really means, why law firms value it and how developing this essential skill can help you stand out throughout the recruitment process.

Tuesday 3 November15:00 - 16:00

Secure your place