Last updated:
Morgan Lewis
A US law firm offering a broad London training programme across corporate transactions, investment management, finance, employment and disputes.
About Morgan Lewis
Morgan Lewis was founded in 1873 and opened its London office in 1981. The office advises on English law transactions, disputes and regulation, working with colleagues across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Its London practice spans corporate transactions, banking and finance, investment management, competition, employment, intellectual property, structured transactions and tax. Clients operate across sectors including financial services, technology, energy and life sciences. This breadth gives trainees opportunities to develop transactional, advisory and contentious experience within a relatively small annual intake. London teams regularly handle cross-border matters, while international secondment opportunities provide another way to experience the firm’s global practice
Morgan Lewis recruits up to seven trainees annually for a two-year training contract comprising four six-month seats. Trainees complete a transactional seat, usually corporate, and a contentious seat in litigation or antitrust. Further options include finance, investment management, employment, structured transactions, intellectual property and tax. Training includes induction, departmental seminars, practical experience and regular feedback, with midway reviews and formal end-of-seat evaluations. Secondments may be available in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Singapore, alongside occasional client secondments in London, depending on business needs.
The firm pays PGDL and SQE fees in full and provides maintenance grants. Current published figures are £12,500 for the PGDL and £17,000 for the SQE. Retrospective funding is not available. Benefits include private medical and dental insurance, pension contributions, life assurance and income protection.
Practice areas & rankings
Morgan Lewis has nine ranked departments in Chambers UK 2026. Its highest department ranking is Band 2 for Investment Funds: Investor Representation, UK-wide. Other recognised practices include private equity secondaries, business immigration, employment, aviation finance, securitisation, insurance, corporate M&A and intellectual property.
Ranked departmentsChambers UK
Explore the practice areas
Ranked Band 2 for Investment Funds: Investor Representation, UK-wide, in Chambers UK 2026, the team advises institutional investors and venture capital fund managers. Its international network supports cross-border investment matters, with tax expertise complementing the funds practice. The firm also holds a Band 3 UK-wide ranking for Investment Funds: Private Equity: Secondaries.
Ranked Band 4 for Employment: Employer, London, in Chambers UK 2026, the practice combines workplace advice with employment litigation and independent investigations. Its work includes sensitive whistleblowing and equality matters, with particular experience advising life sciences businesses.
Ranked Band 4 for Capital Markets: Securitisation, UK-wide, in Chambers UK 2026, the team advises on transactions involving residential mortgages, trade receivables and commercial loans. Clients include financial institutions and private investment firms, with cross-border deals drawing on the firm’s US and international capabilities.
The firm holds a Band 5 ranking for Corporate/M&A: £100–800 million, London, in Chambers UK 2026. Corporate is also a central part of the training programme, providing most trainees with their compulsory transactional seat and experience working alongside specialists from other departments.
Awards
Public M&A Team of the YearBritish Legal Awards 2025
Awarded for advising Nebius Group on the sale of its Russian and certain international businesses, at the time the largest Western exit from Russia.
The application process
Click on each stage to find out more.
Morgan Lewis recruits through both a summer vacation scheme and a direct training contract route. Applications opened on 8 October 2026. Vacation scheme applications close on 15 January 2027, while direct applications for August 2029 training contracts close on 16 June 2027. Both routes begin with an online application.
Applicants need AAB at A level or equivalent and a predicted or achieved 2:1 degree. Applications are open to penultimate-year law students, final-year students and graduates. The firm looks for commercial awareness, team spirit, resilience and motivation for a legal career, demonstrated through work experience, volunteering and extracurricular activities.
When preparing the application, use specific examples to explain your contribution, the challenges involved and what you learned. Connect your reasons for applying to the London practice and training programme. Current application questions and word limits are not publicly confirmed.
Morgan Lewis: quick answers
How much does Morgan Lewis pay trainees?
Morgan Lewis pays first-year trainees £57,500, rising to £62,500 in the second year. Newly qualified solicitors at Morgan Lewis earn £173,000.
When are the Morgan Lewis application deadlines?
Morgan Lewis has more than one deadline in the 2026/27 cycle: the summer scheme closes on 15 Jan and the training contract closes on 16 Jun. Deadlines can change and popular schemes may close early, so check the live application deadlines tracker.
How many trainees does Morgan Lewis take on?
Morgan Lewis takes on around 7 trainees in each intake, so places are competitive and strong applications matter.
What grades do you need to apply to Morgan Lewis?
To apply to Morgan Lewis you will generally need a 2:1 degree. At A-level, Morgan Lewis asks for AAB. Requirements can flex where there are mitigating circumstances, so always check the firm's own criteria if your grades differ.
Get the tools and support you need to succeed.