Trowers & Hamlins

Next deadline

Training Contract 2029/2030 · 4 Jan 2027

(69 days)

Apply now

In their own words

International outlook, supportive culture, early responsibility, sector expertise.

Snapshot

Firm type

International

UK offices

London, Birmingham, Exeter, Manchester

International offices

Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Oman, Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia

Training contract places

Vacation scheme places

First-year salary

London: £50,000, Regions: £35,000

Second-year salary

London: £54,000, Regions: £37,500

Newly qualified salary

London: £90,000, Regions: £66,000

Trainee retention

70%

SQE support

Yes – full funding

Visa sponsorship

Yes

International secondment

Yes

Client secondment

Guaranteed secondment

Holiday allowance

25 days

Office attendance policy

3 days in the office per week

Typical secondment locations

Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai

Recruitment route

Direct training contract and vacation scheme

Seat structure

4 six-month long seats

Can trainees repeat a seat?

Sometimes, depending on circumstances

Can trainees express seat preferences?

Yes, preferences are taken into account

Salary review

Reviewed annually

Non-law applicants

Actively encouraged

Career changer applicants

Actively encouraged

Minimum academic requirements

2:1 university degree, ABB at A-level

Remote working

Standard hybrid only

Wellbeing support

Mental health first aiders, Vitality health insurance, including access to counselling, subsidised gym, Employee Assistance Programme, firm-wide wellbeing programme

Typical start time

9:00am

Typical finish time

18:00pm

Average hours per week

40 hours

SQE1 and SQE2 funding

Yes, full funding

SQE maintenance grant

Yes

PGDL funding

Yes, full funding

Retrospective SQE or PGDL funding

% female trainees

62%

% female partners

37%

% BAME trainees

37%

% BAME partners

14%

% LGBTQ+ trainees

14%

% LGBTQ+ partners

State school trainees

60%

First-generation university trainees

35%

Before you apply

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Are you particularly interested in real estate, regeneration and work involving the built environment, given how central these areas are to Trowers & Hamlins' practice?

Would you value working across both private-sector and public-sector matters, including work for developers, investors, housing providers, local authorities and government bodies?

Are you comfortable taking on responsibility early, potentially including running your own files or becoming a direct point of contact for clients?

Would you value an international secondment in the Middle East, while accepting that opportunities in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Dubai depend on business need and are not guaranteed?

Are you comfortable spending at least three days per week in the office, with the firm suggesting that trainees may benefit from attending more often for additional exposure and support?

Next deadline

Training Contract 2029/2030

4 Jan 2027

(69 days)

View job

Deep dive

Explore this firm in detail

What makes it different

Sector specialists with deep market insight

What this could mean for you

Trowers has particularly strong practices in real estate, social housing, construction and public-sector work. Its lawyers often work across connected areas such as development, regeneration, planning, finance and disputes, giving the firm substantial experience in sectors that involve both commercial and public-sector clients. You could develop sector knowledge alongside your legal skills, particularly if you are interested in real estate, regeneration, infrastructure, housing or work involving government and public bodies.

High-quality work and early responsibility

What this could mean for you

Trowers says trainees are given as much responsibility as possible depending on the department. As a trainee, you will be supporting major property transactions, managing completion processes, drafting litigation documents and attending client meetings, negotiations, mediations and court hearings. You could move beyond observation relatively quickly and contribute directly to live transactions or disputes, although the level of responsibility is likely to vary between seats and matters.

Genuine career development with long-term opportunities

What this could mean for you

Trainees complete four six-month seats and can express preferences as they develop their interests. International secondments can add further experience, while the firm's NQ process allows trainees to apply for vacancies in departments they are interested in before qualification. You could use your four seats to explore different areas before deciding where to qualify, with the possibility of adding experience in the Middle East during your training.

Practice area strengths

Real estate

Trowers advises developers, institutional investors, local authorities, housing associations and international investors on the acquisition, development, financing and management of property assets. The practice covers large-scale regeneration schemes, residential developments, student accommodation, healthcare, leisure and mixed-use projects. Trainees may support major acquisitions and disposals, draft reports on title and transaction documents, conduct due diligence, manage completion processes and attend client meetings and negotiations. Real estate is one of Trowers' clearest market strengths, extending beyond conventional property transactions into development, regeneration, social housing, planning, finance and property disputes. Its particularly strong housing practice brings together public and private-sector clients, including housing providers, local authorities, developers, investors and funders on major development and regeneration projects.

Projects and construction

Trowers' projects and construction capability spans major development, regeneration and infrastructure work, covering both contentious and non-contentious construction matters. The practice acts for developers, contractors, investors, funders and public-sector organisations and draws on the firm's wider real estate, finance and public-sector expertise on complex projects.

Litigation

Trowers advises commercial, public-sector and real estate clients on complex disputes, including matters arising from property developments, construction projects, housing, contractual disagreements and public-sector issues. Trainees may conduct legal research, prepare case summaries, draft correspondence, pleadings and witness statements, review disclosure and evidence, attend client meetings, mediations and court hearings, and support senior lawyers on significant disputes. The disputes practice has significant national breadth, with commercial litigation capability across London, Birmingham, Manchester and the South West alongside specialist strength in property and construction disputes. The firm's disputes work reflects its wider sector focus, particularly where commercial disputes intersect with real estate, development and public-sector matters.

All practice areas

Real estateProjectsLitigationBanking and financeCommercialCorporateDispute resolutionEmploymentPensionsInternational arbitrationPrivate wealthGovernment and public sectorRestructuring and insolvencyTaxConstruction

Who it may suit

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Are you particularly interested in real estate, regeneration and work involving the built environment, given how central these areas are to Trowers & Hamlins' practice?
Would you value working across both private-sector and public-sector matters, including work for developers, investors, housing providers, local authorities and government bodies?
Are you comfortable taking on responsibility early, potentially including running your own files or becoming a direct point of contact for clients?
Would you value an international secondment in the Middle East, while accepting that opportunities in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Dubai depend on business need and are not guaranteed?
Are you comfortable spending at least three days per week in the office, with the firm suggesting that trainees may benefit from attending more often for additional exposure and support?

This firm may suit candidates who...

Want to develop particular expertise in real estate, regeneration, social housing, construction or public-sector work.
Want meaningful responsibility early and are comfortable becoming actively involved in live matters rather than mainly observing senior lawyers.
Like the idea of working for both commercial businesses and public-sector organisations.
Would value the possibility of adding Middle East experience to a UK training contract.
Value regular in-person contact with colleagues while retaining some hybrid working.

Things to consider

Trowers has a broad commercial practice, but real estate and public-sector related work are particularly prominent, so consider whether those sectors genuinely interest you.
The firm says responsibility can extend to running files and direct client contact, but the level of responsibility is likely to vary by seat, matter and individual.
Trowers' client base includes developers and investors alongside housing providers, local authorities and government bodies, so some seats may involve a stronger public-sector or social-impact dimension than at more purely corporate firms.
Secondments to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Dubai depend on business need and are not guaranteed, so candidates should not apply assuming they will secure an overseas seat.
Trainees must spend three days per week in the office, and the firm says many attend more frequently for additional support, exposure and responsibility.

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

Trainees complete four six-month seats across a range of commercial practices, with the possibility of an international secondment in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain or Dubai depending on business need.

Flexibility

Hybrid working is available within the three-day office requirement. Trowers says many trainees choose to attend more frequently because of the additional support, exposure and responsibility available in person.

Holiday allowance

25 days

Office attendance

Trainees are required to spend three days per week in the office.

Culture & support

Supervision style

Trainees have access to formal mentoring alongside support within their seat teams. Trowers says responsibility increases according to the department, with a team supporting trainees as they take on their own files or contribute to larger matters.

Relationship with partners

Trowers deliberately recruits a relatively small trainee cohort and says this allows the firm to get to know and professionally mentor trainees.