Penningtons Manches Cooper

Next deadline

Birmingham Open Day 2026 · 30 Oct 2026

(3 days)

Apply now

In their own words

Start your legal career somewhere you'll be supported, valued and inspired to grow.

Snapshot

Firm type

International

UK offices

London, Basingstoke, Birmingham, Cambridge, Guildford, Oxford, Reading

International offices

Antibes (France), Madrid (Spain), Paris (France), Piraeus (Greece), Singapore

Training contract places

Vacation scheme places

First-year salary

London: £48,000, Regional: £40,000

Second-year salary

London: £50,000, Regional: £42,000

Newly qualified salary

Variable - NQ rates range from £60,000-£83,000 depending on team and UK location.

Trainee retention

77%

SQE support

Full SQE1 and SQE2 funding and maintenance grant

Visa sponsorship

Yes

International secondment

Client secondment

Yes

Guaranteed secondment

Not disclosed

Recruitment route

Direct training contract and vacation scheme

Rolling recruitment?

Yes

Seat structure

4 six-month long seats

Can trainees repeat a seat?

Sometimes, depending on circumstances

Can trainees express seat preferences?

Yes, but they are not guaranteed

Minimum academic requirements

2:1 at University

Non-law applicants

Actively encouraged

Career-changer applicants

Actively encouraged

Remote working

Team dependent

Minimum holiday

25 days

Additional leave

A discretionary day, an additional day per year of service (up to 27 days)

Typical start time

09:00-09:30am

Typical finish time

17:30-18:30pm

Billable hours target

1,260

% female trainees

72%

% female partners

39%

% BAME trainees

% BAME partners

% LGBTQ+ trainees

% LGBTQ+ partners

% state school trainees

25%

% first-gen trainees

17%

SQE1 and SQE2 funding

Yes, full funding

SQE1 and SQE2 maintenance grant

Yes

PGDL funding

Yes, full funding

Retrospective funding

Formal pro bono programme

Yes

Before you apply

Before you apply, ask yourself:

You apply to one specific office out of seven, not the firm as a whole, do you know where you want to be based?

Are you excited by the opportunity to work in an international firm, with offices from Singapore to Antibes, even if international secondments aren't offered?

With an intake of 12 trainees a year, are you comfortable working within a smaller cohort??

The firm's strongest practices are in shipping, international private wealth, family and private client. Do you have a confident understanding of what these practices involve?

Next deadline

Birmingham Open Day 2026

30 Oct 2026

(3 days)

View job

Deep dive

Explore this firm in detail

What makes it different

“Challenged with meaningful work from day one”

What this could mean for you

You're put on real client matters immediately from your first seat. You'll be trusted with genuine responsibility earlier than you might expect, which will benefit candidates who prefer to learn by doing.

“Supported by experienced lawyers and dedicated mentors”

What this could mean for you

You're paired with senior lawyers who guide your work directly, not left to figure it out alone or learn purely by trial and error. That support is there for the day-to-day questions, not just at scheduled reviews. You'll always have someone to turn to when you're stuck and who is looking to help you as you integrate into the firm.

“Inspired by a collaborative culture that values fresh thinking”

What this could mean for you

People work together rather than in isolation, and new ideas are genuinely welcomed. If you've got a good idea or a different way of looking at something, there's room to actually say so.

All practice areas

Dispute resolutionProfessional practicesReal estatePrivate clientBanking and financeCommercialCommercial litigationConstructionCorporateData protectionEmploymentImmigrationIntellectual propertyInternational tradePensionsRegulatory and complianceRestructuring and insolvencyFamilyTaxTrusts, estates and inheritancePersonal injuryReputation managementCharitiesMedical negligenceShipping

Who it may suit

Before you apply, ask yourself:

You apply to one specific office out of seven, not the firm as a whole, do you know where you want to be based?
Are you excited by the opportunity to work in an international firm, with offices from Singapore to Antibes, even if international secondments aren't offered?
With an intake of 12 trainees a year, are you comfortable working within a smaller cohort??
The firm's strongest practices are in shipping, international private wealth, family and private client. Do you have a confident understanding of what these practices involve?

This firm may suit candidates who…

Want a small, close-knit cohort rather than being one of many, as only 12 training contract places are offered each year.
Are applying from outside London and want to train and stay regional, recruitment runs across seven different offices, each with its own local practice strength.
Want to try varied areas of law, such as corporate and family, within the same training contract.

Things to consider

Seat preferences are taken into account but not guaranteed, and second-years get priority, so first-years may not get their first choice.
Office attendance isn't standardised across the firm, it's decided team by team. However, the firm operates a hybrid agile working policy allowing employees to work from home (or another UK location) up to 50% of their time. Office presence is encouraged for trainees.
International secondments aren't offered despite the firm's international offices, only UK client secondments are available.

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.

Holiday allowance

25 days minimum plus a partner discretionary day and one additional day per complete year of service, up to a maximum of 27 days.

Office attendance

Hybrid agile working policy allowing employees to work from home (or another UK location) up to 50% of their time.

Application process

Online application form

(1-2 hours)

Video interview

(20-25 minutes)

What happens

We’ve introduced a video interview stage to help bring your application to life. Through an AI-powered platform, Bright Apply, you’ll have the opportunity to share your reasons for applying to Penningtons Manches Cooper and demonstrate the skills, strengths and potential that make you a great fit for the firm.

Assessment centre

(Half day - virtual)

What happens

Successful candidates will be invited to attend an online assessment centre where we’ll explore your strengths, motivations and potential through a range of activities including a; one to one interview, written exercise and a fictitious client interview. Assessment centres run between January-March.

Direct Training Contract applications

Penningtons Manches Cooper

122 days leftCloses 11:59pm, 26 Feb 2027

View job