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Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
International commercial law firm with leading real estate, planning and construction practices, offering training contracts in London and Manchester.
About Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner combines the US heritage of Bryan Cave with the UK roots of Berwin Leighton Paisner, following their merger in 2018. Its international practice spans corporate transactions, finance, disputes, regulatory work and real estate.
Real estate is a particular strength. The firm advises on major investments, development projects and regeneration schemes, bringing together property, planning, construction, finance and tax expertise. Its work for The Crown Estate on a £24 billion conditional partnership with Lendlease illustrates the scale and multidisciplinary nature of this practice.
London provides exposure to major financial institutions, multinational businesses and property investors. Manchester offers a smaller office environment within the same international firm, with opportunities for responsibility on client matters and access to secondments.
The training contract combines seat rotations with departmental teaching and wider professional development. Trainees receive technical training at the beginning of each seat and throughout their time in the department. The programme includes approximately 232 hours of training before qualification.
A partner mentor helps trainees discuss seat choices and career ambitions, while the Talent Development team supports progression towards qualification. Manchester trainees attend an induction in London and receive continuing mentoring during their training contract.
Eligible future trainees receive PGDL and SQE fee funding. Published annual maintenance grants are £20,300 for London study and £18,300 for regional or online study. SQE preparation options include full-time and part-time study, depending on the provider and individual circumstances.
Practice areas & rankings
BCLP secured 38 practice area rankings in Chambers UK 2027. Seven departments achieved Band 1, including London real estate, planning, real estate litigation and non-contentious construction, alongside UK-wide commercial contracts and rail-related practices.
Non-contentious construction moved up to Band 1 in the 2027 guide. The firm also gained new North West rankings for real estate and real estate litigation.
Recent awards include Real Estate Team of the Year at the 2026 Legal Business Awards, shared for work on The Crown Estate and Lendlease partnership. BCLP also won the inaugural Thomson Reuters Legal Tech Excellence Award in 2026 for its research team’s work on its global Research Hub and approach to emerging technology.
Ranked departmentsChambers UK
Explore the practice areas
Band 1, London, Real Estate: £150 million and above, Chambers UK 2027.
BCLP advises investors, developers, asset managers and major landowners on substantial property transactions. Its work includes residential development, infrastructure and regeneration, alongside major lettings and pre-lets. The practice offers exposure to transactions where property issues overlap with corporate structures, funding and tax.
Band 1, London, Chambers UK 2027.
The planning team advises throughout the development process, from early strategy through to High Court challenges. Its work includes large residential schemes and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. Matters involving National Grid demonstrate its role in major electricity network reinforcement and connection projects.
Band 1, London, Chambers UK 2027.
The team handles disputes involving development projects, infrastructure and commercial property portfolios. Its expertise includes lease breaks, dilapidations, rights to light and rating. It also advises on avoiding disputes and managing property risks before litigation becomes necessary.
Band 1, London, Chambers UK 2027.
BCLP advises contractors and developers on the contractual arrangements underpinning major projects. The practice covers procurement strategy and contract negotiation, including energy, infrastructure, leisure and residential developments. Lawyers work alongside planning, real estate, finance and tax colleagues to address the wider requirements of each project.
Awards
Race Equality Initiative of the YearWomen and Diversity in Law Awards 2025
One of two diversity awards BCLP took at the 2025 ceremony.
LGBT+ Initiative of the YearWomen and Diversity in Law Awards 2025
Won at the same ceremony as its Race Equality Initiative award.
Two Management Excellence AwardsProfessional Services Management Excellence Awards 2025
Won for FLARE, its Fast Lease Assisted Reporting tool, which uses AI to generate first drafts of lease reports.
The application process
Click on each stage to find out more.
Candidates complete an online application covering motivation for law, suitability for the solicitor role, interest in BCLP and commercial awareness.
A strong application should connect personal experience with specific features of the firm. Relevant themes include its property-led multidisciplinary work, international client relationships and investment in legal technology. Explain the commercial significance of a matter or practice rather than simply naming it.
The London vacation schemes run from 30 March to 9 April and 12 to 23 April 2027. Applications close on 4 January 2027. Direct training contract applications for London and Manchester close on 31 May 2027.
The online application form asks questions regarding career motivation, why you have the skills to be a good solicitor, why you wish to work at BCLP, and questions that demonstrate commercial awareness and robustness. The application is open to students and graduates from any university and any discipline — BCLP's current trainee population studied at 37 different universities. Each written answer should be structured clearly around two to three specific points, supported by concrete examples. The motivation question requires a genuine answer about why BCLP specifically. Among other things, this could include either the firm's real estate practice, its transatlantic network, or its investment in legal technology (particularly AI tools like FLARE and its Orbital Copilot integration).
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner: quick answers
How much does Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner pay trainees?
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner pays first-year trainees £53,000, rising to £58,000 in the second year. Newly qualified solicitors at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner earn £125,000.
When are the Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner application deadlines?
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has more than one deadline in the 2026/27 cycle: the spring scheme closes on 4 Jan and the training contract closes on 31 May. Deadlines can change and popular schemes may close early, so check the live application deadlines tracker.
How many trainees does Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner take on?
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner takes on around 20 trainees in each intake, so places are competitive and strong applications matter.
What tests does Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner use in its applications?
CLP's online test is bespoke to the firm and based on the key skills and strengths that make a successful trainee solicitor at BCLP. It is a strengths-based assessment containing scenario-based questions testing situational judgment, critical reasoning, and verbal reasoning. The test is not timed but candidates are advised to set aside 45 minutes. BCLP advises there is no need to prepare for it specifically, and suggests reflecting carefully on each question and considering the stakeholders involved in the various scenarios.
What grades do you need to apply to Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner?
To apply to Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner you will generally need a 2:1 degree. Requirements can flex where there are mitigating circumstances, so always check the firm's own criteria if your grades differ.
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