Firm Profiles
Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance
A Magic Circle Firm
A Magic Circle Firm
Year 1 Trainee
£56,000
Year 2 Trainee
£61,000
Newly Qualified
£150,000
Clifford Chance is one of the world’s pre-eminent law firms and a member of the Magic Circle. The firm operates across five continents with 30+ offices and over 3,000 lawyers. Known for its global strength in finance, corporate, and litigation, Clifford Chance is also a leader in ESG, innovation, and diversity. The firm is committed to fairness, inclusion, and making the legal profession more accessible — it was the first to implement contextual recruitment and among the first to remove academic minimum requirements.
TC Number
110
Seats
4
Secondments
Yes
Offices
34
Clifford Chance offers around 110 training contracts annually, with trainees completing four six-month seats across a wide range of practice areas. The firm operates a points-based seat allocation system, allowing trainees to tailor their experience. There are strong opportunities for both international secondments—with over a quarter of trainees abroad at any time—and client secondments, giving trainees valuable exposure to commercial environments and global legal work.
Rankings in Chambers
56
Category
Magic Circle
Clifford Chance has garnered significant recognition for its excellence and innovation in the legal sector. In 2024, the firm was honoured as ‘International Law Firm of the Year’ at the IFLR Europe Awards, reflecting its outstanding performance across multiple practice areas, including private equity, financial services regulation, and debt and equity-linked transactions.
Further demonstrating its commitment to innovation, Clifford Chance received the ‘Law Firm of the Year for Dispute Resolution’ accolade at the JUVE Awards 2024. This award highlighted the firm’s strategic expansion and leadership in handling complex disputes related to climate change, energy, and geopolitical issues.
The Application Process
Vacation Scheme Deadline
TBD
A-Levels Requirements
N/A
Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
2:1+
Application Writing
Includes a 500-word answer covering extracurriculars, positions of responsibility, and a key achievement. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate attention to detail, include full academic history (including module grades), and explain any mitigating circumstances.
Assessment Centre
The Clifford Chance Assessment Day is held in-person at the firm’s London office, with virtual participation available in some cases. The day typically includes a written exercise, a case study and competency interview with a Partner and a Senior Associate, and a group task.
The exercises are designed to assess candidates’ legal reasoning, commercial awareness, communication skills, and ability to work effectively with others — all key qualities for future trainees at the firm.
Interview Stage
Conducted on Hireflix. Applicants answer three questions: one motivation, one competency, and one situational. Each question is timed (1 minute prep, 2 minutes to answer).
Application Writing
Psychometric Testing
Includes a 500-word answer covering extracurriculars, positions of responsibility, and a key achievement. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate attention to detail, include full academic history (including module grades), and explain any mitigating circumstances.
Applicants have five days to complete the Watson Glaser critical thinking test (40 questions, 30 minutes). Skills tested include deduction, inference, and evaluation of arguments. Practice is strongly encouraged.
Psychometric Testing
Applicants have five days to complete the Watson Glaser critical thinking test (40 questions, 30 minutes). Skills tested include deduction, inference, and evaluation of arguments. Practice is strongly encouraged.
Interview Stage
Conducted on Hireflix. Applicants answer three questions: one motivation, one competency, and one situational. Each question is timed (1 minute prep, 2 minutes to answer).
Assessment Centre
The Clifford Chance Assessment Day is held in-person at the firm’s London office, with virtual participation available in some cases. The day typically includes a written exercise, a case study and competency interview with a Partner and a Senior Associate, and a group task.
The exercises are designed to assess candidates’ legal reasoning, commercial awareness, communication skills, and ability to work effectively with others — all key qualities for future trainees at the firm.
Firm Profiles
Clifford Chance
A Magic Circle Firm
Year 1
Trainee
£56,000
Year 2
Trainee
£61,000
Newly
Qualified
£150,000
Clifford Chance is one of the world’s pre-eminent law firms and a member of the Magic Circle. The firm operates across five continents with 30+ offices and over 3,000 lawyers. Known for its global strength in finance, corporate, and litigation, Clifford Chance is also a leader in ESG, innovation, and diversity. The firm is committed to fairness, inclusion, and making the legal profession more accessible — it was the first to implement contextual recruitment and among the first to remove academic minimum requirements.
TC Number
110
Seats
4
Secondments
Yes
Offices
34
Clifford Chance offers around 110 training contracts annually, with trainees completing four six-month seats across a wide range of practice areas. The firm operates a points-based seat allocation system, allowing trainees to tailor their experience. There are strong opportunities for both international secondments—with over a quarter of trainees abroad at any time—and client secondments, giving trainees valuable exposure to commercial environments and global legal work.
Rankings in Chambers
56
Awards
Category
Magic Circle
Clifford Chance has garnered significant recognition for its excellence and innovation in the legal sector. In 2024, the firm was honoured as ‘International Law Firm of the Year’ at the IFLR Europe Awards, reflecting its outstanding performance across multiple practice areas, including private equity, financial services regulation, and debt and equity-linked transactions.
Further demonstrating its commitment to innovation, Clifford Chance received the ‘Law Firm of the Year for Dispute Resolution’ accolade at the JUVE Awards 2024. This award highlighted the firm’s strategic expansion and leadership in handling complex disputes related to climate change, energy, and geopolitical issues.
The Vacation Scheme Application Process
Application Writing
Includes a 500-word answer covering extracurriculars, positions of responsibility, and a key achievement. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate attention to detail, include full academic history (including module grades), and explain any mitigating circumstances.
Psychometric Testing
Applicants have five days to complete the Watson Glaser critical thinking test (40 questions, 30 minutes). Skills tested include deduction, inference, and evaluation of arguments. Practice is strongly encouraged.
Interview Stage
Conducted on Hireflix. Applicants answer three questions: one motivation, one competency, and one situational. Each question is timed (1 minute prep, 2 minutes to answer).
Assessment Centre
The Clifford Chance Assessment Day is held in-person at the firm’s London office, with virtual participation available in some cases. The day typically includes a written exercise, a case study and competency interview with a Partner and a Senior Associate, and a group task.
The exercises are designed to assess candidates’ legal reasoning, commercial awareness, communication skills, and ability to work effectively with others — all key qualities for future trainees at the firm.
Vacation Scheme Deadline
TBD
N/A
A-Levels Requirements
Degree Requirements
2:1+