A London law firm founded in 1889 and based at One Bunhill Row. It offers a six-year solicitor apprenticeship for school leavers, starting in September 2027.
Slaughter and May is a British law firm and a member of the Magic Circle, the nickname for five elite London firms. Its lawyers advise big companies, banks and governments on general commercial law, such as takeovers, raising money and big legal disputes. Chambers Student reports work including advising Schroders on its acquisition by Nuveen, acting for BHP on the UK group claim over the 2015 Brazil dam collapse, and a Supreme Court tax case. Wikipedia adds advice on bank recapitalisation for HM Treasury during the 2008 financial crisis and the 2010 takeover of Liverpool Football Club.
The firm was founded on 1 January 1889 by William Capel Slaughter and William May, who had both worked at Ashurst Morris Crisp. Its head office has been at One Bunhill Row in London since 2002. Wikipedia says it has four offices, in London, Beijing, Brussels and Hong Kong, and about 649 lawyers among about 1,400 staff. Instead of opening many overseas offices, it works with closely associated local firms in other countries, which it calls its 'best friends' network. Chambers Student says it has one national office and three overseas offices.
We did not find a formal mission statement. The training contract page describes the culture as collaborative and inclusive, with no billing or time targets, and says lawyers are encouraged to focus on client outcomes and on supporting each other's development. This is the firm's own description.
Trainees complete four six-month seats. Every trainee does Corporate and M&A and Financing, and the rest is spent in areas such as disputes and investigations, competition, or real estate and projects, with some contentious experience required. Each seat involves sharing an office with a supervisor. In the second year trainees can apply for a client secondment in London or an international one, with destinations including Paris, Madrid, Amsterdam, New York and Hong Kong. Chambers Student reports about 85 trainees join each year, hours around 9:30am to 8 or 9pm with long days in waves around deadlines, trainees in the office four days a week, a trainee buddy, and a newly qualified salary of 150,000 pounds. Its survey found all trainees happy in their role.
The September 2029 or March 2030 training contract starts at 56,000 pounds in London, requires AAB at A-level and a strong 2:1 degree, takes law and non-law students, and uses a contextual system that looks at grades in light of background. Applications close on 13 November 2026 and offers are made on a rolling basis. For school leavers, the six-year solicitor apprenticeship starts in September 2027 with one day a week at BPP University studying for a law degree and the SQE exams. Applicants must not already have a degree, need seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above including maths and English, AAB at A-level and the right to work in the UK. Pay is 32,000 pounds in year one with a 3,000 pound sign-on bonus, paid study fees and 30 days of holiday. Applications close on 6 January 2027, with interviews from 8 March to 2 April 2027 in London.
Website: www.slaughterandmay.com
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