Taylor Wessing

A global law firm with a London office that runs a paid spring vacation scheme leading into training contract consideration.

About Taylor Wessing

Taylor Wessing is an international law firm. Businesses go to it when they need legal advice on things like buying and selling companies, protecting inventions and brands, raising money, property, employment and disputes. Lawyers there often specialise in a sector, so a team might spend its days helping a technology start-up, a life sciences company, a bank or a property developer. Its careers page lists practice areas such as artificial intelligence, banking and finance, intellectual property, data and cyber, employment, environment, private equity and venture capital. Think of it as a team of specialists that companies call on when a deal, a dispute or a new rule gets complicated.

The firm's own history page says its roots go back to 1788 in London, when a sole practitioner, Thomas Smith, was joined by the first member of the Taylor family. A separate German side began in Hamburg in 1873. The two lines came together in 2002 when Taylor Joynson Garrett merged with Wessing & Berenberg-Gossler to form Taylor Wessing. Later it added offices through mergers in Dubai (2007), Central and Eastern Europe (2012) and the Netherlands (2015). In the UK it has offices in London (in the legal district between Fleet Street and Chancery Lane, plus a technology-focused office in Shoreditch), Cambridge and Liverpool, which opened in October 2018. The firm's own claim is 28 offices in 17 jurisdictions and over 1,200 lawyers. One thing to check: the history page says that from 1 June 2026 its former international members in the UK (including Dubai) and the Netherlands began trading under a new name, Winston Taylor, while still cooperating closely. The pages we read for careers still use the Taylor Wessing name, so check the firm's website for the name used on current application forms.

We did not find a formal mission statement. The firm describes itself as a 'truly international law firm' and a 'future-focused firm', and its careers messaging uses the lines 'Break new ground, together' and 'Flourish, together'. The core values it lists are creativity, excellence, integrity, responsibility, respect and teamwork. These are the firm's own words, so it is worth asking trainees what they feel like day to day.

The firm's work is organised around practice areas and sectors. Its sector list includes technology, media and communications; life sciences and healthcare; private wealth; real estate, infrastructure and energy; aerospace and defence; consumer and retail; financial institutions; and manufacturing. It opened a dedicated London Tech City office in 2011 and says it was the first law firm to do so, and its Cambridge office has close ties with academics in life sciences, healthcare technology and legal technology research.

On the people side, the careers page says staff get at least 25 days' holiday, a group pension, life assurance, income protection and private medical insurance, plus time off for volunteering and moving house and a bonus day off in December. London has an in-house GP surgery. For young people there are several routes. The 2026 London spring vacation scheme ran for one week (13 to 17 April 2026) and paid £484 a week (as at 2026); it asks for at least AAB at A Level (or equivalent) and a 2:1 degree, achieved or on track, in any subject, and scheme joiners are considered for a training contract starting in 2028. There is also a six-year Solicitor Apprenticeship in London and Liverpool, combining an LLB (Hons) Law degree with a Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship. Apprentices work four days a week on client matters and study one day at the University of Law; tuition is paid and, on the page we read (dated to the 2024 intake), pay was £25,000 a year in London and £22,000 in Liverpool. It asked for AAB (or equivalent) at A Level and at least seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above, including Maths and English. Check the careers site for current dates and pay.

What they do

• {'desc': 'One-week paid placement in a practice group at the London office, with automatic consideration for a training contract.', 'title': 'Vacation scheme'}
• {'desc': 'Route to qualify as a solicitor; scheme joiners are considered for 2028 starts.', 'title': 'Training contract'}
• {'desc': 'Six-year route in London or Liverpool combining a law degree and the Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship, with tuition paid.', 'title': 'Solicitor apprenticeship'}
• {'desc': 'Deals, intellectual property, disputes, employment and more, for clients in technology, life sciences, property, finance and other sectors.', 'title': 'Legal advice for businesses'}

Key facts

• Roots in London from 1788; Taylor Wessing formed by a 2002 merger (own history page)
• UK offices: London (including a Shoreditch tech office), Cambridge and Liverpool (opened October 2018)
• 1,200+ lawyers, 300+ partners and 28 offices in 17 jurisdictions (own claim)
• Spring 2026 London vacation scheme paid £484 a week; AAB at A Level and a 2:1 degree, any subject
• Six-year solicitor apprenticeship in London and Liverpool; £25,000 / £22,000 a year on the 2024-intake page

Website: www.taylorwessing.com