Curious about the kind of lawyer you could become
Trainee solicitors.
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of trainees offered a job at Burges Salmon in 2024
We know choosing the right firm to train at is a defining step in your legal career.
Our Trainee Solicitor Programme offers award‑winning experience, high‑quality work and the support to grow your career – working collaboratively in an ambitious, forward‑thinking firm.
From day one, you’ll work on high‑quality matters for leading clients, supported by first‑class training, inspiring colleagues and a genuinely collaborative culture. This is a place where ambition is encouraged, people are supported and brilliance belongs.
Based in Bristol, Edinburgh and London, we welcome trainees from a wide range of backgrounds. You’ll be trusted early, challenged to grow and supported by teams who care about your development as much as the quality of the work we deliver together.
We offer a distinctive six‑seat training programme, giving you broader exposure than the traditional four‑seat model. In each seat, you’ll work across the full department, building confidence and commercial insight. Your final seat is usually spent in your qualification department, giving you time to settle in before stepping into life as a newly qualified solicitor.
Our trainees at a glance
See the opportunities
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of partners trained at the firm
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in a row (2022 to 2025) that we have won the RollOnFriday ‘Best Law Firm to work at’ award
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vacation scheme places
Secondment opportunities
We believe in nurturing our people and giving them the opportunity to develop their commercial awareness. That is why our secondment opportunities for trainee solicitors are so sought after.
As well as giving trainees and lawyers a three-dimensional view of the profession at large, secondments are an opportunity to learn more about our clients.
Career progression
You’ll work alongside supportive associates, senior associates and partners, learning from experts and contributing from day one. We invest in recruiting and developing our people, and we aim to retain all our trainee solicitors on qualification.
By setting realistic recruitment targets based on future business needs, we only take on the number of trainee solicitors we will require in the future. This means that over the last five years, our average retention rate on qualification has been above the industry standard at 97%.
Your personal and professional development won’t end when you complete your training. We will support your progression at every stage of your career, with 36% of our partners having trained at the firm.
PGDL, SQE and Diploma in Professional Legal Practice sponsorship
The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) is the new route to qualification, with our 2024 intake being the first to qualify through the SQE route. We will support any future trainees who are due to join us in the Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) and the SQE Plus preparation course with the University of Law.
If your ambition is to join us in our Edinburgh office, you will need to complete a Scots law degree (LLB) and the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (PEAT STAGE 1) followed by a two-year training contract.
We will support any future trainees who have not previously studied law in the PGDL and all future trainees in the SQE Plus course who are due to join us from 2026 onwards.
We also offer a generous £9,000 maintenance grant for each course.
The application process and FAQs
Click through to find out more information about our trainee programme and the application process
Learn moreVacation scheme
A vacation scheme at Burges Salmon provides you with the opportunity to experience life at the firm and see whether it’s right for you.
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