Gowling WLG

Next deadline

Discover Gowling WLG: Sector Series · 10 Nov 2026

(15 days)

In their own words

Gowling WLG is an international law firm where ambitious people can do high-quality work, build deep sector expertise and develop successful careers in a supportive, collaborative environment.

Snapshot

Firm type

International

UK offices

Birmingham, London and Leeds

International offices

21 offices including Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Brussels, Calgary, Dubai, Frankfurt, Guangzhou, Hamilton, Montreal, Munich, Ottawa, Paris, Riyadh, Shanghai, Stuttgart, Toronto, Vancouver and Waterloo Region

Training contract places

Vacation scheme places

First-year salary

London: £52,000; Birmingham: £35,000

Second-year salary

London: £56,000; Birmingham: £38,000

Newly qualified salary

London: £108,000; Birmingham: £72,000

Trainee retention

61%

SQE support

Full SQE and PGDL funding, and a maintenance grant

Visa sponsorship

Yes

International secondment

Yes

Client secondment

Yes

Guaranteed secondment

Recruitment route

Both Vacation Scheme and direct Training Contract

Seat structure

4 six-month seats

Can trainees repeat a seat?

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 only (minimum 60% office attendance)

Minimum academic requirements

No minimum academic entry requirements

Typical start time

9:30am

Typical finish time

5:30pm

Holiday allowance

25 days

Retrospective funding

None

PGDL maintenance grant

£7,000 London; £5,500 Birmingham

SQE maintenance grant

£7,000 London; £5,500 Birmingham

Before you apply

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Would you value a training contract that includes mandatory Real Estate experience alongside opportunities to explore other commercial practice areas?

Would you value a broad commercial training contract where you can explore areas such as corporate, finance, disputes, IP, construction, energy and infrastructure before deciding where to specialise?

Would you enjoy developing sector knowledge alongside your seat work, including contributing to research, business development and client events?

Would you value the opportunity to apply for international or client secondments during your training?

Would you enjoy training at an international firm with opportunities across areas including real estate, IP, life sciences, funds and capital markets?

Next deadline

Discover Gowling WLG: Sector Series

10 Nov 2026

(15 days)

View job

Deep dive

Explore this firm in detail

What makes it different

Real estate at the core

What this could mean for you

You’ll complete a Real Estate seat as part of the standard training contract, giving you experience in one of the firm’s key areas while seeing how property connects with corporate, construction, finance and disputes.

Sector insight alongside legal training

What this could mean for you

Alongside your four seat rotations, you’ll be assigned to a sector each year, giving you opportunities to develop commercial knowledge through research, business development and client events as well as your day-to-day legal work.

International and client experience

What this could mean for you

You could apply for international and client secondments, giving you the opportunity to experience another Gowling WLG office or work directly within a client’s organisation and understand their business from the inside.

All practice areas

Real estateCorporate / M&AESGBanking and financeConstructionAntitrustCompetitionCommercial litigationDispute resolutionCorporateCommercialData protectionData, privacy and cybersecurityEmploymentIntellectual propertyInternational arbitrationInternational tradePensionsProjectsInfrastructurePublic lawTaxTechnology

Who it may suit

Before you apply, ask yourself

Would you value a training contract that includes mandatory Real Estate experience alongside opportunities to explore other commercial practice areas?
Would you value a broad commercial training contract where you can explore areas such as corporate, finance, disputes, IP, construction, energy and infrastructure before deciding where to specialise?
Would you enjoy developing sector knowledge alongside your seat work, including contributing to research, business development and client events?
Would you value the opportunity to apply for international or client secondments during your training?
Would you enjoy training at an international firm with opportunities across areas including real estate, IP, life sciences, funds and capital markets?

This firm may suit candidates who…

Want a broader commercial training contract but are particularly interested in real estate and the built environment.
Want to explore different types of work before specialising, with potential seats spanning Corporate, Finance, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, Construction and Pensions.
Are interested in understanding clients’ industries alongside developing their legal skills.
Would value the possibility of gaining client-side or international experience during their training.
Want the breadth of an international firm with particularly strong UK practices across areas including real estate, IP, life sciences, funds and capital markets.

Things to consider

The standard Training Contract includes a mandatory Real Estate seat, providing exposure to property-related matters regardless of a trainee's intended qualification area.
You complete four six-month seats, so you will not experience every available practice area, although you can discuss your preferences and career ambitions with the Early Talent team.
Trainees are assigned to a sector each year and can contribute to activities such as research, business development and events alongside their seat work.
Client and international secondments are competitive rather than guaranteed, so you should not apply assuming that you will secure one.
Gowling WLG's standard training contract aims to include both Real Estate and contentious experience, so the structure provides some guidance over the mix of work you experience rather than completely unrestricted seat choice.

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.

Busy periods

Workloads may vary depending on the practice area and the demands of individual matters, particularly during transactions or major projects.

Seat variation

Trainees complete four six-month seats. On the standard Training Contract, Real Estate is mandatory and the firm aims for trainees to complete at least one contentious seat, so working patterns can vary by team, seat and transaction cycle.

Support

Includes Employee Assistance Programme, 23 Wellbeing Champions, of whom 12 are trained Mental Health First Aiders, 12 Domestic Abuse Champions, Private Medical Insurance, Financial Wellbeing Support and Agile+ flexible working.

Flexibility

Gowling WLG operates a hybrid working model, with trainees expected to spend at least 60% of their working time in the office.

Holiday allowance

25 days

Office attendance

Trainees are expected to spend at least three days per week in the office, based on a standard five-day working week.

Culture & support

Supervision style

Trainees are given meaningful responsibility from day one, alongside supervision and support from experienced colleagues. The firm encourages continuous learning, collaboration and professional development.

Relationship with partners

The firm emphasises open leadership and a collaborative culture, encouraging trainees to build relationships, contribute ideas and learn from colleagues across different practice areas.

Named affinity networks and partnerships

Includes EmbRACE (Ethnicity and Race Network), Enable (Disability Network), EVOLVE (Junior Talent Network), Family Matters (Family and Carers Network), OpenHouse (LGBT+ and Allies Network), Thrive (Gender Network) and Black Talent in Law Bursary Scheme (Partnership with University of Birmingham).

Application process

Online Application Form

(1-2 hours)

Skills-Based Assessment

(40-50 minutes)

Video Interview

Gowling WLG

Gowling WLG

In their own words

Snapshot

Before you apply

Deep dive

What makes it different

Who it may suit

Work-life reality

Culture & support

Application process

Opportunities

Discover Gowling WLG: Sector Series

Birmingham Direct Training Contract 2029

London Direct Training Contract 2029

London Real Estate Training Contract 2029

Birmingham Real Estate Training Contract 2029

Birmingham Vacation Scheme 2027

London Vacation Scheme 2027

Insights

Applications announcement

How to ace the Gowling WLG application form

Let's talk trainee life - Training and Support

Let's talk trainee life - Work and Responsibility