Free deadlines tracker
Vacation scheme and training contract deadlines 2026–27
Closing dates for 39 leading law firms' vacation schemes, training contracts and first-year schemes, sorted by what closes next. Add any deadline to your calendar in one click.
Last checked: 7 November 2026. Firms sometimes change dates, so always confirm on the firm's own site.
4 deadlines close in the next 14 days.
| Firm | Programme | Closes | Good to know | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slaughter and MayMagic Circle · London | Training contract (September 2029 and March 2030) | 13 Nov 2026Closes in 2 days | £56,000 first-year salary. For law and non-law finalists and graduates. | Details for Slaughter and May |
| Gowling WLGInternational · London | London vacation schemeSummer 2027 | 18 Nov 2026Closes in 7 days | Students are assessed for a training contract at the end of the scheme. | Details for Gowling WLG |
| Clyde & CoInternational · London | London vacation scheme | 19 Nov 2026Closes in 8 days | £520 a week. | Details for Clyde & Co |
| CMSInternational · England | Training contract (Bristol, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield) | 22 Nov 2026Closes in 11 days | Details for CMS | |
| Jones DayUS firm · London | Spring vacation scheme5 to 16 April 2027 | 27 Nov 202616 days left | Rolling Dates from a student deadlines tracker; confirm on Jones Day's site. | Details for Jones Day |
| KennedysInternational · London and Manchester | Vacation scheme | 30 Nov 202619 days left | Details for Kennedys | |
| HSF KramerInternational · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSpring: 12 to 23 April; summer: 7 to 25 June or 5 to 23 July 2027 | 1 Dec 202620 days left | Non-rolling £500 a week. Some careers sites list 2 December; apply by 1 December to be safe. | Details for HSF Kramer |
| SkaddenUS firm · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSpring: 30 March to 9 April or 12 to 23 April; summer: 21 June to 2 July 2027 | 1 Dec 202620 days left | Non-rolling Dates from a student deadlines tracker; confirm on Skadden's site. | Details for Skadden |
| LinklatersMagic Circle · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSummer: 21 June to 2 July or 5 to 16 July 2027 | 3 Dec 202622 days left | £520 a week. Every scheme student is offered a final training contract interview. | Details for Linklaters |
| Mayer BrownUS firm · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSpring: 12 to 23 April; summer: 21 June to 2 July 2027 | 4 Dec 202623 days left | £650 a week. Assessment centres run in January and February. | Details for Mayer Brown |
| Slaughter and MayMagic Circle · London | Summer work experience schemes21 June to 9 July, 19 July to 6 August, or 31 August to 17 September 2027 | 4 Dec 202623 days left | Rolling £550 a week. For penultimate-year students. Interviews are scheduled on a rolling basis, so apply early. | Details for Slaughter and May |
| Latham & WatkinsUS firm · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSpring: 5 to 16 April; summer: 21 June to 2 July 2027 | 6 Dec 202625 days left | £500 a week. Scheme students get the chance to interview for a training contract. | Details for Latham & Watkins |
| White & CaseUS firm · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSpring: 5 to 16 April; summer: 28 June to 9 July 2027 | 6 Dec 202625 days left | £600 a week. Around 80% of the firm's London trainees come through its vacation schemes. | Details for White & Case |
| Hogan Lovells CadwaladerInternational · London | Spring and summer vacation schemes | 10 Dec 202629 days left | Rolling The spring scheme is new this cycle, and the firm now runs one summer scheme instead of two. | Details for Hogan Lovells Cadwalader |
| MilbankUS firm · London | Spring vacation schemes (leveraged finance and traditional tracks)Leveraged finance: 22 March to 2 April; traditional: 5 to 16 April 2027 | 11 Dec 202630 days left | Dates from a student deadlines tracker; confirm on Milbank's site. | Details for Milbank |
| Paul, WeissUS firm · London | Spring vacation scheme5 to 16 April 2027 | 14 Dec 202633 days left | Non-rolling Dates from a student deadlines tracker; confirm on Paul, Weiss's site. | Details for Paul, Weiss |
| Reed SmithUS firm · London | Vacation schemes 2027 | 18 Dec 202637 days left | Rolling Recruits trainees mainly through vacation schemes. A direct training contract route opens in 2027. | Details for Reed Smith |
| Simpson Thacher & BartlettUS firm · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSpring: 5 to 16 April; summer: 14 to 25 June 2027 | 20 Dec 202639 days left | Non-rolling | Details for Simpson Thacher & Bartlett |
| Walker MorrisNational and regional · Leeds | Vacation schemeApril 2027 (to be confirmed) | 31 Dec 202650 days left | Non-rolling Dates from a student deadlines tracker; confirm on Walker Morris's site. | Details for Walker Morris |
| White & CaseUS firm · London | University insight scheme | 3 Jan 202753 days left | An introduction to commercial law for students considering a legal career. | Details for White & Case |
| BCLPInternational · London | Vacation scheme | 4 Jan 202754 days left | Details for BCLP | |
| Morrison FoersterUS firm · London | Summer vacation schemes14 to 25 June or 28 June to 9 July 2027 | 4 Jan 202754 days left | Details for Morrison Foerster | |
| Stephenson HarwoodInternational · London | London vacation schemesSpring: 5 to 16 April; summer: 7 to 18 June or 12 to 23 July 2027 | 4 Jan 202754 days left | London Living Wage, lunches and travel. The training contract assessment centre takes place during the scheme. | Details for Stephenson Harwood |
| Addleshaw GoddardNational and regional · Leeds, London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow | Easter and summer placement schemes | 5 Jan 2027midday55 days left | The firm recruits trainees solely from its placement schemes. | Details for Addleshaw Goddard |
| Burges SalmonNational and regional · Bristol | Spring vacation scheme12 to 23 April 2027 | 5 Jan 202755 days left | Dates from a student deadlines tracker; confirm on Burges Salmon's site. | Details for Burges Salmon |
| Slaughter and MayMagic Circle · London | Spring Forward programme5 to 9 April 2027 | 6 Jan 202756 days left | For first-year law students from lower socio-economic and/or ethnic minority backgrounds. | Details for Slaughter and May |
| HFWInternational · London | Spring vacation scheme15 to 19 March 2027 | 7 Jan 202757 days left | Details for HFW | |
| Gibson DunnUS firm · London | Spring vacation scheme30 March to 9 April 2027 | 8 Jan 202758 days left | Rolling Dates from a student deadlines tracker; confirm on Gibson Dunn's site. | Details for Gibson Dunn |
| Jones DayUS firm · London | Summer vacation scheme28 June to 9 July 2027 | 8 Jan 202758 days left | Rolling £750 a week. | Details for Jones Day |
| Sidley AustinUS firm · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSpring: 5 to 16 April; summer: 21 June to 2 July 2027 | 8 Jan 202758 days left | Rolling Dates from a student deadlines tracker; confirm on Sidley's site. | Details for Sidley Austin |
| CMSInternational · Scotland | Training contract (Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow) | 10 Jan 202760 days left | Details for CMS | |
| RPCNational and regional · London | Summer scheme (London) | 11 Jan 202761 days left | £550 a week. | Details for RPC |
| Charles Russell SpeechlysNational and regional · London, Guildford and Cheltenham | Spring and summer placement schemesSpring: London 5 to 9 April, Guildford 12 to 16 April; summer: London 7 to 11 June, Cheltenham 14 to 18 June 2027 | 15 Jan 202765 days left | Details for Charles Russell Speechlys | |
| Covington & BurlingUS firm · London | Summer vacation scheme28 June to 9 July 2027 | 15 Jan 202765 days left | Details for Covington & Burling | |
| Greenberg TraurigUS firm · London | Training contract (2029) | 15 Jan 202765 days left | Details for Greenberg Traurig | |
| MacfarlanesSilver Circle · London | First Year Insight Scheme28 June to 2 July 2027 | 15 Jan 202765 days left | £525 for the week. For first-year students on a three-year course, or second-years on a four-year course. Any degree. | Details for Macfarlanes |
| FladgateNational and regional · London | Summer vacation schemesTwo one-week schemes in late June and early July 2027 | 25 Jan 202775 days left | Details for Fladgate | |
| BristowsNational and regional · London | Training contract | 31 Jan 202781 days left | Details for Bristows | |
| AshfordsNational and regional · Bristol and Exeter | Summer schemes and training contracts (Bristol and Exeter) | 31 Mar 2027140 days left | Details for Ashfords | |
| Mayer BrownUS firm · London | Training contract (2028 and 2029 intakes) | 31 Mar 2027140 days left | Details for Mayer Brown | |
| BCLPInternational · London | Training contract (2028 and 2029) | 31 May 2027201 days left | £55,000 starting salary. For penultimate-year students onwards, law and non-law. | Details for BCLP |
| A&O ShearmanMagic Circle · London | Summer vacation scheme5 to 16 July 2027 | 9 Nov 20265pmClosed | Non-rolling £500 a week. For penultimate-year students of any degree. One application per recruitment cycle. | Details for A&O Shearman |
| Pinsent MasonsNational and regional · London | London vacation placement and training contract | 4 Nov 2026Closed | Details for Pinsent Masons | |
| CooleyUS firm · London | Spring and summer vacation schemesSpring: 5 to 16 April; summer: 28 June to 9 July 2027 | 31 Oct 2026Closed | Details for Cooley | |
| FreshfieldsMagic Circle · London | Summer vacation scheme28 June to 16 July or 26 July to 13 August 2027 | 30 Oct 2026Closed | Rolling £515 a week. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis and may close early. | Details for Freshfields |
| MacfarlanesSilver Circle · London | Spring vacation scheme30 March to 9 April or 12 to 23 April 2027 | 30 Oct 2026Closed | Non-rolling £525 a week. You can apply to either the winter or the spring scheme in a cycle, not both. | Details for Macfarlanes |
| White & CaseUS firm · London | Training contract (September 2029 and March 2030) | 18 Oct 2026Closed | Details for White & Case | |
| Travers SmithSilver Circle · London | Training contract (September 2027) | 16 Oct 2026Closed | Details for Travers Smith | |
| Hogan Lovells CadwaladerInternational · London | Winter vacation scheme30 November to 11 December 2026 | 5 Oct 2026Closed | Rolling | Details for Hogan Lovells Cadwalader |
| A&O ShearmanMagic Circle · London | Winter vacation scheme30 November to 4 December 2026 | 7 Sept 20265pmClosed | Non-rolling £500 a week. For final-year students (spring intake). | Details for A&O Shearman |
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Frequently asked questions
What does a rolling deadline mean?
The firm reviews applications as they arrive and may fill its places before the closing date. For rolling schemes, apply as early as you can, ideally weeks before the deadline.
Do I need a vacation scheme to get a training contract?
Not always, but many City and US firms recruit most of their trainees through their vacation schemes. Others run a separate direct training contract route. The tracker shows both, so you can plan for each firm.
How up to date is this list?
We check every date against the firm's own careers page or a major careers site and show when it was last checked. Firms do change dates, so always confirm on the firm's site before you apply.
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