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Slaughter & May
A Magic Circle firm known for its multi-specialist approach, advising major businesses on corporate transactions, financing and complex commercial matters.
About Slaughter & May
Slaughter and May is an international commercial law firm advising major companies, financial institutions and other organisations on transactions, financing, disputes and regulatory issues. It operates from London, Brussels, Hong Kong and Beijing, working with independent firms around the world on international matters.
Its distinctive feature is its multi-specialist approach. Lawyers develop breadth within their practice rather than concentrating exclusively on a narrow transaction type or industry. A corporate lawyer, for example, may advise on acquisitions, equity fundraising and governance issues for the same client.
For trainees, this approach offers varied experience within individual seats and encourages an understanding of the client’s wider business. Long-term client relationships are central to the model, with lawyers combining technical advice with knowledge of the organisation’s commercial priorities. The international practice also requires close collaboration with lawyers working under different legal systems.
The two-year training contract includes at least two six-month seats in the Corporate and M&A and Financing groups. The remaining time is arranged flexibly, subject to obtaining contentious experience. Trainees can explore specialist groups and apply for international or client secondments.
The HR team works with trainees on their seating programmes. Supervisors provide informal feedback and end-of-seat reviews, while a Continuity Partner remains a mentoring contact throughout the contract. Training includes induction, legal knowledge sessions and professional skills development.
Future trainees complete the City Consortium Solicitor Training Programme through BPP before joining. This includes SQE preparation and a bespoke Plus Programme. Non-law graduates complete the PGDL beforehand.
The firm pays PGDL and programme course fees, providing maintenance grants of £12,000 for the PGDL and £20,000 for the City Consortium programme. Interest-free loans of up to £3,000 are also available before joining, with a separate hardship loan available during law school.
Practice areas & rankings
Slaughter and May secured 33 practice rankings in Chambers UK 2027, including ten Band 1 rankings. These include corporate/M&A, borrower-side corporate finance, competition, corporate crime and investigations, tax, banking litigation and financial services regulation.
The firm won Capital Markets Team of the Year at the Legal Business Awards 2026. It was also named Most Innovative Law Firm in Dealmaking at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe 2026.
Ranked departmentsChambers UK
Explore the practice areas
Slaughter and May is ranked Band 1 for Corporate/M&A: £800 million and above in London in Chambers UK 2027. It advises on major public and private transactions, with particular strength in sophisticated public M&A. Its clients include FTSE 100 companies, financial institutions and private equity sponsors. The practice combines transaction advice with wider corporate and governance support, reflecting the firm’s emphasis on long-term client relationships.
The firm is ranked Band 1 for Corporate Finance: Borrowers: Big Ticket in London in Chambers UK 2027. It advises corporate borrowers on acquisition financing and other substantial lending arrangements. Its experience includes bridge facilities, combined bond and loan structures, and sustainability-linked financing. Clients operate across sectors including energy, life sciences, manufacturing, insurance and retail.
Slaughter and May is ranked Band 1 for Competition Law in London in Chambers UK 2027. The practice handles complex merger reviews, regulatory investigations and competition disputes. It also advises on foreign investment approvals and coordinates international filings. Its work includes behavioural and market investigations, abuse of dominance matters and collective proceedings, combining transactional support with contentious expertise.
The firm is ranked Band 1 for Tax in London in Chambers UK 2027. It advises on the tax aspects of public and private acquisitions, financing transactions and wider business matters. Clients include multinational companies, banks and insurers. The team also advises government and public bodies on tax policy, combining transaction-specific advice with an understanding of broader commercial and regulatory developments.
Awards
Pioneering Business Development InnovationLegal Innovation and Technology Awards 2024
Won for its Client Innovation Network.
5th in the Social Mobility Employer IndexSocial Mobility Foundation 2024
Ranked fifth nationally in the 2024 index.
Firm History
1889 → William Slaughter and William May leave Ashurst to form their firm.
1889 → They open the first office at 18 Austin Friars.
1895 → May remarks in his diary that they have over 300 clients.
1930s → Advises more merchant banks than any other firm.
1974 → First city firm to establish a presence in Hong Kong.
1985 → Firm advises on many of Britain’s privatisations.
2002 → Offices moved to One Bunhill Row in London.
2007 → Firm expands to Brussels, Belgium.
2008 → Firm plays a key role in the financial crisis.
2009 → Opens an office in Beijing, China.
2015 → Represents more FTSE 100 clients than any other firm.
2015 → Partners earn highest PEP in UK.
2021 → Founding member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance.
2022 → Wins Corporate Team of the Year at The Lawyer Awards.
2023 → Becomes first major law firm to set social mobility targets.
2023 → The London office achieves 100% green electricity.
2024 → Named Employer of the Year at the Student Social Mobility Awards.
2024 → Launches solicitor apprenticeship scheme.
(please note these are highlights and the firm's history is far more complex)
The application process
Click on each stage to find out more.
Candidates apply through an online form and upload a CV and cover letter. The CV should be no longer than two pages, while the cover letter should fit on one page and be addressed to Janine Arnold, Head of Early Careers Recruitment.
Summer work experience applications close on 4 December 2026. The current training contract window for law and non-law finalists and graduates closes on 13 November 2026, covering September 2029 and March 2030 starts. A further window for penultimate-year law students opens in June 2027. Recruitment is rolling.
Explain your interest in commercial law and the firm’s approach, supported by specific research and experience. Include interests and responsibilities outside law. Legal work experience is not required, but applicants should demonstrate how they have explored the career.
Slaughter & May: quick answers
How much does Slaughter & May pay trainees?
Slaughter & May pays first-year trainees £56,000, rising to £61,000 in the second year. Newly qualified solicitors at Slaughter & May earn £150,000.
When are the Slaughter & May application deadlines?
Slaughter & May has more than one deadline in the 2026/27 cycle: the training contract closes on 13 Nov and the summer scheme closes on 4 Dec. Deadlines can change and popular schemes may close early, so check the live application deadlines tracker.
How many trainees does Slaughter & May take on?
Slaughter & May takes on around 90 trainees in each intake, so places are competitive and strong applications matter.
What grades do you need to apply to Slaughter & May?
To apply to Slaughter & May you will generally need a 2:1+ degree. At A-level, Slaughter & May asks for AAB. Requirements can flex where there are mitigating circumstances, so always check the firm's own criteria if your grades differ.
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