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Squire Patton Boggs
A global commercial law firm offering a six-seat training contract across four UK offices.
About Squire Patton Boggs
Squire Patton Boggs is an international commercial law firm formed through the 2014 combination of Squire Sanders and Patton Boggs, bringing together a broad legal practice and substantial public policy expertise. Its UK offices are in Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester, supported by a global network spanning more than 40 offices across four continents. Its work covers corporate transactions, finance, disputes, employment, pensions, real estate and regulatory advice. The combination of commercial law and public policy is a distinguishing feature, particularly for businesses whose decisions are affected by government action, international trade and changing regulation.
Squire Patton Boggs offers a two-year training contract comprising six four-month seats, giving trainees exposure to a wider selection of departments before qualification. Rotations may include a client or international secondment, with progress reviewed at the end of each seat. Its Ignite programme provides both a daily supervisor and a partner supervisor, alongside support from graduate partners.
The firm sponsors PGDL and SQE studies. The firm offers maintenance grants of £17,000 in London and £10,000 outside London for each of those study stages. Trainees also receive induction and departmental training, with further development throughout their rotations.
Practice areas & rankings
Squire Patton Boggs reports 47 department rankings in Chambers UK 2026, covering UK-wide practices and regional categories across its four UK offices. Its recognition spans transactional, advisory and contentious work, including corporate/M&A, employment, pensions, real estate, sport and finance. The total counts separate regional department rankings rather than 47 distinct practice areas.
Ranked departmentsChambers UK
Explore the practice areas
Ranked Band 2 for Corporate/M&A: £25 million and above in the North West in Chambers UK 2026, the firm advises on domestic and international acquisitions, private equity transactions, public takeovers and venture capital investments. Its sector experience includes manufacturing, technology and financial services. Chambers highlights its advice to Metals Exploration on the public takeover of Condor Gold.
Ranked Band 3 for Employment: Employer in London in Chambers UK 2026, Squire Patton Boggs handles workforce transformation, cross-border disputes and internal investigations. Its contentious work includes discrimination, equal pay and restrictive covenant disputes, with clients across sectors including retail, distribution and healthcare. The practice combines ongoing employer advice with business-critical litigation.
Ranked Band 3 for Pensions, UK-wide, in Chambers UK 2026, the firm advises trustees and sponsoring employers on defined benefit and defined contribution schemes. Its expertise includes pension investments, local government schemes and arrangements operated by utilities and not-for-profit organisations. Chambers highlights its advice to trustees of two Thames Water pension plans on the potential implications of the company’s restructuring.
Ranked Band 2 for Real Estate: £10–50 million in London in Chambers UK 2026, the firm advises on investment, development and property finance. Its work includes healthcare and retail assets, alongside the property aspects of energy and transport projects. Chambers highlights its advice to Deer Capital on the acquisition of Hartford Care.
Ranked Band 4 for Sport, UK-wide, in Chambers UK 2026, Squire Patton Boggs advises sporting organisations, including leading football clubs, on corporate transactions, regulation and employment. Its practice also covers media rights and disputes concerning commercial and data rights. This brings together several legal disciplines within a specialist industry context.
Awards
ESG Programme of the YearLegal Business Awards 2025
Won jointly with Clyde & Co, Dechert and Eversheds Sutherland for a pro bono project helping at-risk Afghan legal professionals relocate to Germany.
Law Firm of the YearLAPF Investments Awards 2025
Won by the pensions practice for its work in the UK Local Government Pension Scheme arena.
National Legal Team of the YearTheBusinessDesk Yorkshire Rainmaker Awards 2025
Won for the second successive year, alongside Paul Mann being named Rainmaker of the Year.
The application process
Click on each stage to find out more.
Squire Patton Boggs recruits all future trainees through its summer vacation scheme. Applications for September 2029 training contracts close at midnight on 4 January 2027, covering Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester. Recruitment is not rolling. Applicants need a predicted or achieved 2:1 in any discipline and must be at least second-year law students, final-year non-law students or graduates.
For preparation, explain why the chosen office and the firm’s work suit your interests. The six-seat structure provides a useful point to explore: identify the areas you would like to experience and explain how that breadth would help you develop as a commercial solicitor.
Support your motivation with specific research and evidence from your own experience. When discussing a transaction or commercial development, explain the client’s objective, the business pressures involved and why the matter interests you. Check the live form for the exact questions and word limits before drafting.
Squire Patton Boggs: quick answers
How much does Squire Patton Boggs pay trainees?
Squire Patton Boggs pays first-year trainees £50,000, rising to £55,000 in the second year. Newly qualified solicitors at Squire Patton Boggs earn £110,000.
When is the Squire Patton Boggs vacation scheme deadline?
2027 summer vacation schemes open 14 Sep 2026 and close 4 Jan 2027 · schemes run 7-12 June and 14-19 June 2027 · the scheme is the ONLY route to a training contract Deadlines can change and popular schemes may close early, so check the live application deadlines tracker.
How many trainees does Squire Patton Boggs take on?
Squire Patton Boggs takes on around 23 trainees in each intake, so places are competitive and strong applications matter.
What tests does Squire Patton Boggs use in its applications?
The confirmed next stage is a digital assessment. Candidates receive preparation time for questions shown on screen and have one week to complete the assessment in a single sitting. The firm does not identify a named psychometric test or publish the complete question format. Prepare by practising concise responses that directly address a question and explain your reasoning. Organise examples of teamwork, problem-solving, taking responsibility and responding to feedback, then practise adapting them to different prompts. These are preparation recommendations; the published information does not confirm that the assessment uses particular competency questions.
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