Summer Vacation Scheme 2027

Travers Smith works with clients operating in complex, high-stakes environments. We deliver bespoke, high-impact legal advice through deep expertise, genuine independence, and a culture that brings out the best in our people. Our approach ensures exceptional service and tailored solutions for each unique challenge in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

At the heart of Travers Smith is our room-sharing structure: Trainees and Solicitor Apprentices share rooms directly with Associates and Partners, meaning close contact with senior lawyers, learning by osmosis, and real exposure to quality work. 

From day one, you will be given real responsibility, with a structure designed to support your development every step of the way. We prioritise sustainable workloads for our lawyers, with no chargeable hours' targets, resulting in motivated, fresh, and engaged teams.

Follow us on our Instagram and TikTok accounts for regular information about the firm from our early careers team, trainees and apprentices.

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D&I

We believe that culture drives quality. The richness of our people's perspectives, experiences and identities is what helps us to deliver our best work - diverse thinking, stronger collaboration and a deeper understanding of our clients and communities.

Diversity and inclusion is not just a set of initiatives to us, it's integral to how we grow, lead and deliver excellence. We know that the best advice, the most innovative ideas and the strongest relationships come from teams that reflect a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.

By creating an environment where people can be themselves, we ensure that every person has the opportunity, support and confidence to contribute meaningfully to the quality of our work, the best outcomes for our clients and define the future of our firm. Our culture of allyship, visible role models, and genuine respect empowers everyone to bring their authentic selves to work and fulfil their potential.

We back up this commitment with action. Our six professional networks, each led by a partner, provide support, connection, and strategic input across the firm. These networks - REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage), LGBTQ+, Faith Resources, Gender Balance, Enable (focusing on accessibility needs), and the Social Mobility Group - reflect our belief in fostering community, encouraging dialogue, and ensuring everyone’s voice is heard at Travers Smith.

Summer Vacation Scheme 2027

Our Vacation Schemes take place twice in the year in the form of three 2-week schemes in the Summer.

The schemes follow our internal programme, which includes a number of talks, workshops, a case study and a negotiating exercise. There will be department insights and close contact with Trainees, with the two weeks designed specifically to give students an authentic taste of a City lawyer's work. There are also working lunches and informal evening events.

Vacation Scheme students are paid £750 for completing each week. However, you must complete all three assessments on the scheme to be eligible for payment.

The exact dates of each scheme are: 14 June to 25 June 2027, 28 June to 9 July 2027, 12 July to 23 July 2027.

What we look for

At Travers Smith, you’ll be trusted with real responsibility from day one—speaking to clients, joining meetings, and managing your own work, all with plenty of support and guidance. That’s why we look for people who match academic strength with clear-headed judgement and practical sense. 

The Early Careers team at Travers Smith is dedicated to finding the very best future lawyers whether you’re applying as a school leaver, university student, or graduate - who not only meet our high standards of excellence but also share our people-focused values. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds who have the ambition, drive, and curiosity to build a successful legal career, and we’re committed to giving you the support and opportunities you need to grow. If you’re keen to challenge yourself intellectually and want to contribute to a collaborative, inclusive firm where you’ll be celebrated for who you are, we’d love to hear from you.

We take law and non-law students, with genuinely no preference for one over the other - over 45% of our trainees have non-law backgrounds.