Firm Profiles
Travers Smith
Travers Smith
A Silver Circle Firm
A Silver Circle Firm
Year 1 Trainee
£55,000
Year 2 Trainee
£60,000
Newly Qualified
£130,000
Travers Smith is a London-based independent law firm, established in 1810. It has around 370 lawyers across its London and Paris offices. The firm advises corporates, private equity, and financial institutions on complex commercial work including corporate and M&A, finance, dispute resolution, competition, pensions, real estate, tax, and employment.
TC Number
40
Seats
4
Secondments
Yes
Offices
2
Travers Smith recruits up to 40 trainees per intake, with two intakes per year. The two-year training contract includes four six-month seats across transactional, contentious, and regulatory areas. Trainees have access to secondments with clients such as investment banks and asset managers, as well as opportunities for international placements including Paris.
Rankings in Chambers
22
Category
Silver Circle
In 2024, Travers Smith’s Financial Services Regulatory team won the “Legal, Compliance and Regulatory Adviser” Award at The Drawdown Awards. Legal Cheek also recognised the firm as Highly Commended for peer support and legal tech, and commended it for training. In the Chambers UK 2025 Guide, the firm has 22 ranked departments, with Band 1 and 2 recognition in areas such as corporate and M&A, banking, pensions, competition, and commercial disputes.
The Application Process
Vacation Scheme Deadline
TBD
A-Levels Requirements
AAB
Degree Requirements
Degree Requirements
2:1
Application Writing
Candidates apply via an online application form, which includes space to input CV-style information, a cover letter, and answers to short questions. There is no word limit on the cover letter, but applicants are advised to keep it to no more than one side of A4. No CV uploads or psychometric tests are required. Applications are not reviewed on a rolling basis.
Assessment Centre
Interview Stage
If shortlisted, candidates are invited to a virtual interview with a partner from the Graduate Recruitment panel. This interview covers a mix of competency, motivation, commercial awareness, and ethical questions. Successful candidates are offered a place on the two-week Summer Vacation Scheme.
Application Writing
Psychometric Testing
Candidates apply via an online application form, which includes space to input CV-style information, a cover letter, and answers to short questions. There is no word limit on the cover letter, but applicants are advised to keep it to no more than one side of A4. No CV uploads or psychometric tests are required. Applications are not reviewed on a rolling basis.
Psychometric Testing
Interview Stage
If shortlisted, candidates are invited to a virtual interview with a partner from the Graduate Recruitment panel. This interview covers a mix of competency, motivation, commercial awareness, and ethical questions. Successful candidates are offered a place on the two-week Summer Vacation Scheme.
Firm Profiles
Travers Smith
A Silver Circle Firm
Year 1
Trainee
£55,000
Year 2
Trainee
£60,000
Newly
Qualified
£130,000
Travers Smith is a London-based independent law firm, established in 1810. It has around 370 lawyers across its London and Paris offices. The firm advises corporates, private equity, and financial institutions on complex commercial work including corporate and M&A, finance, dispute resolution, competition, pensions, real estate, tax, and employment.
TC Number
40
Seats
4
Secondments
Yes
Offices
2
Travers Smith recruits up to 40 trainees per intake, with two intakes per year. The two-year training contract includes four six-month seats across transactional, contentious, and regulatory areas. Trainees have access to secondments with clients such as investment banks and asset managers, as well as opportunities for international placements including Paris.
Rankings in Chambers
22
Awards
Category
Silver Circle
In 2024, Travers Smith’s Financial Services Regulatory team won the “Legal, Compliance and Regulatory Adviser” Award at The Drawdown Awards. Legal Cheek also recognised the firm as Highly Commended for peer support and legal tech, and commended it for training. In the Chambers UK 2025 Guide, the firm has 22 ranked departments, with Band 1 and 2 recognition in areas such as corporate and M&A, banking, pensions, competition, and commercial disputes.
The Vacation Scheme Application Process
Application Writing
Candidates apply via an online application form, which includes space to input CV-style information, a cover letter, and answers to short questions. There is no word limit on the cover letter, but applicants are advised to keep it to no more than one side of A4. No CV uploads or psychometric tests are required. Applications are not reviewed on a rolling basis.
Psychometric Testing
Interview Stage
If shortlisted, candidates are invited to a virtual interview with a partner from the Graduate Recruitment panel. This interview covers a mix of competency, motivation, commercial awareness, and ethical questions. Successful candidates are offered a place on the two-week Summer Vacation Scheme.
Assessment Centre
Vacation Scheme Deadline
TBD
AAB
A-Levels Requirements
Degree Requirements
2:1