Employer profile
White & Case
White & Case is a global law firm with more than 2,500 lawyers worldwide. We’ve built an unrivalled network of 43 offices in 29 countries, an investment that is the foundation for our client work in over 200 countries today.
Our innovative approaches and nuanced local market knowledge create unique solutions to our clients' most complex domestic and multijurisdictional deals and disputes. We anticipate what they want, provide what they need and build lasting relationships. Our culture comes to life through our three core values: Pioneering, United and Human.
The work
As a White & Case lawyer, you’ll work on fast-paced global projects from the outset of your career. In London, our key areas of work include:
Arbitration, Data, Privacy & Cybersecurity, Debt finance, Capital Markets, Competition, Construction, Corporate M&A, Corporate PE, Energy, Infrastructure, Investment Funds, Project & Asset Finance (EIPAF), Employment, Compensation & Benefits (ECB), Financial Restructuring & Insolvency (FRI), Intellectual Property, Litigation, Real Estate, Tax, White Collar, Environmental Social Governance (ESG).
Who we’re looking for
There’s no such thing as a typical White & Case lawyer. We recruit ambitious trainees who have a desire to gain hands-on practical experience from day one and a willingness to take charge of their own career. We value globally minded people who are eager to work across borders and cultures, are intrigued by solving problems within multiple legal systems and have an understanding of international commercial issues
We recruit both law and non-law students and, owing to the nature of our work, language skills are highly valued. Applicants will be welcomed for their individuality, their enthusiasm for the cutting-edge work we do and having a positive, proactive mindset that puts our clients first.
Potential trainees should have achieved, or be on track to achieve, a solid 2:1, have a positive attitude, be enthusiastic and work well as part of a team.
Our two-year training contract
The training contract consists of four six-month seats, one of which is guaranteed to be spent in one of our overseas offices: Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Riyadh, Geneva, Helsinki, Madrid, New York, Paris, Singapore, Stockholm, Tokyo, and Washington DC. The remaining three seats can be spent in any of the Firm’s practice groups in London.
Trainees will receive a high level of partner and associate contact and will do high-quality, stimulating and rewarding work from day one. Our trainees work in small, focused teams, and their colleagues trust them to perform tasks accurately and efficiently.
Ongoing training and development enables all our trainees to reach their potential and develop the skills they will need as a global lawyer. We offer plenty of support and regular feedback, so our trainees are always clear on how they can continue to grow as lawyers, build their network and make the most of the opportunities we offer.
White & Case is a “high-stretch, high-support” workplace that celebrates individual excellence and team success. We actively encourage our trainees to take responsibility early and drive their own careers, and there is a strong emphasis on practical training, with plenty of support and feedback. Alongside the training contract, our trainees are encouraged to get involved in all aspects of our globally renowned pro bono programme, often working directly with clients and even managing small matters. We recruit and develop trainee solicitors with the aim of retaining them on qualification.
Discover White & Case through the eyes of our people: find out about our work, our people and our culture.
The deadline for applications to start in September 2028/March 2029 is 10 May 2026.
<Vacation schemes So you want to be a City lawyer. Taking part in one of our three annual vacation schemes is the best possible way to experience what our lawyers do every day. Try out real client work and see if our Firm is the right fit for you. e recruit the majority of our London trainees (on average 80 percent) from our vacation schemes, with 25 participants in each intake. There’s no limit on how many training contracts we offer per scheme, so you won’t be in competition with your peers.
- Wherever your career takes you, we guarantee that you’ll build skills and experience that will last. You’ll do real client work— for example, drafting memorandums, writing client alerts, researching areas of the law or attending meetings or court hearings
- Learn about different practice areas and deepen your knowledge of the law
- Get involved in sessions, such as our ‘Carousels’ with associates or more formal practice presentations from our partners or senior lawyers
- Be allocated a supervisor and a buddy to support you in your day to day and allocate you work
- Attend social events, including supervisor and buddy lunches, and fun activities such as visiting the iconic sites of London
- Build your networks, both professionally and personally
- Receive feedback and advice on your work and performance
- You’ll have the opportunity to prepare a presentation on a commercial topic
Our vacation schemes run on the following dates:
Winter (for finalists and graduates)
Our Winter scheme runs from 1 December – 12 December 2025. The deadline for applications is 26 October 2025
Spring (for penultimate-year students, finalists and graduates
Our Spring scheme runs from 13 April – 24 April 2026. The deadline for applications is 12 January 2026
Summer (for penultimate-year students, finalists and graduates)
Our Summer scheme runs from 29 June – 10 July 2026. The deadline for applications is 12 January 2026