Hogan Lovells - True Picture

Hogan Lovells training contract review 2025

The Firm

There are certain advantages that come with dual citizenship. Perhaps you’re bilingual? Maybe you want to travel freely between multiple countries? In the case of the matrimonially joined house of Hogan Lovells, multinationalism runs throughout, thus you get both sides of a very valuable coin: impressive US-style work for trainees with the warmth and approachability synonymous with more UK firms. Training principal Victor Fornasier sums this up clearly: “We’re full-service here with a global perspective, but it’s hugely important to feel like a British firm.” Fornasier goes on to describe the importance of having both formal and informal elements impact the training environment. “The courses and talks are very formal, and the informal training simply comes from learning on the job,” he says, continuing, “We see a lot of development over a six-month period for each seat.” And what kind of person best fits into this environment? Fornasier explains, “We have strong academics here. Be confident without being arrogant, and entrepreneurial in both a commercial and proactive sense.” Those we spoke to (who clearly fit Fornasier’s description) were drawn to the firm for several reasons. “It has such broad offerings and an international reach,” one interviewee explained, “they take culture seriously and have that US-style exposure to the levels of work available.”

“They take culture seriously and have that US-style exposure to the levels of work available.”

To emphasise just how full-service Hogan Lovells is, look no further than our sister guide Chambers UK, which ranks a whopping 60 of the firm’s departments, awarding it first class honours in commercial and corporate litigation, product liability, banking and finance, pensions litigation, life sciences, insurance, consumer finance, real estate litigation, public procurement and more. This impressive haul was not lost on trainees, who highlighted that “the perception of the firm is that we’re broad all around, with highly respected qualities of work – that’s proven to be accurate since I’ve joined.”

The Seats

Seat allocation does work slightly differently than what you may have seen from other firms. Before joining, newbies choose their first seat, then halfway through that seat, they must select their preferences for the next three seats. This proved somewhat divisive amongst insiders since “you develop and change as a trainee, so I wonder if I would’ve made different choices now versus then.” There are no mandatory seats, but trainees are required to complete at least one finance, corporate, and litigation seat during their training contract. It’s also worth highlighting that this marks the first year that Hogan Lovells will be welcoming a cohort of apprentices into its ranks. It works as a six-year contract, with the first four years being one seat per year and the final two years essentially working as a standard training contract. Alongside this, you study while you train. Fornasier, who is clearly passionate about the subject, tells us, “It’s a great way to expand opportunities for those who traditionally don’t come into law. We’ve had tremendous subscription for our first year!”

There are both international and client secondments on offer, with the overseas choices including offices in Washington, Dubai, Singapore, Paris, New York, Frankfurt, and Hong Kong. Client secondments include time at banking and pharmaceutical companies among others, and according to our sources, secondments are both common and popular, with the firm actively encouraging them for those interested. Pro bono is also a key component of the firm, with a scheme known as HL BaSE – business and social enterprise – which involves a few trainees being given one client to do pro bono work for over a six-month period, but multiple other options are available as well. “I’ve done a ton of pro bono to be honest,” an interviewee confessed, “it’s a huge positive for me and makes me feel like the firm is a real gem.”

“I’ve done a ton of pro bono to be honest; it’s a huge positive for me and makes me feel like the firm is a real gem.”

The litigation practice is unsurprisingly a massive part of the firm encompassing many different seats, such as complex commercial litigation, product litigation & regulation, commercial litigation & financial services investigations, and patent litigation. The work and quality of the teams were a big draw for the trainees on our list; “we have high calibre partners and high calibre cases,” with sources also relishing their high levels of responsibility: “I have a lot of independence in this seat, which is great for my development!” There will be potential to attend hearings too, as one source gushed, “I went to court two or three times, and it was a great opportunity to get to do that so early in my training contract.” Other typical tasks include substantial drafting, bundling, asset management, liaising with barristers, research, administration and notetaking, with the opportunity to tailor the seat however you want. “If I felt I wasn’t getting exposure to a person or type of work, I could request that,” an insider nodded. “As I got more comfortable and more trusted, I got more variety in my workload.”

The infrastructure, energy, resources and projects (IERP) seat was popular amongst our sources, with one trainee eagerly enthusing, “It’s the seat I wanted to do when I joined!” As the seat has four sections in its title, it’s no surprise that there is a lot on offer for the trainees who experience IERP: “I saw transactions through from beginning to close, which was an incredible experience with lots of responsibility,” some of those transactions being M&A, projects, defence, and energy focused. The latter of these can involve tendering energy assets for the UK government and reviewing powerplants. A more specific example of the Hogan Lovells’ efforts in the green energy space is the recent matter of The Crown Estate being awarded a landmark agreement for the development of a carbon capture and storage project that the firm advised on; this both sounds like (and is) a big deal because the project has the potential to substantially decarbonise the UK’s industrial emissions.

“It’s a combination of traditional trainee tasks on the bigger matters and being treated more like an associate on the smaller matters.”

Hogan Lovells’ real estate seat is a decidedly busy one according to our sources; “it’s unavoidably a seat of high responsibility. I love being thrown in the deep end and forced to just run with things myself.” Don’t let the enthusiasm of this trainee scare you though – the firm is sure to let you know what you’re doing even if things move fast. “They were really great when I first joined,” one beamed, “I was really supported in the process, figuring out how everything worked.” Trainees get in on leases, sales, licenses, asset management and more, with insiders telling us that their caseload is… sizeable, to say the least: “You’ve got, like, ten to 15 matters to do. You really get to see the lifespan of a deal.” Better still, “it’s a combination of traditional trainee tasks on the bigger matters and being treated more like an associate on the smaller matters.” Speaking of bigger matters, one of Hogan Lovells’ longstanding real estate projects is its collaboration with Related Argent in relation to Brent Cross Town’s ongoing £8 billion regeneration project that it’s been involved in since 2015. When completed, the scheme will encompass 6,700 new homes, new schools and workplaces, and a new station for the benefit of over 25,000 residents. Keeping it local, the firm also advised on the integration of the new Brent Cross West railway station this past year.

The international arbitration seat is expectedly disputes heavy, and the firm is very particular about making sure you’re up to speed on the complex comings and goings of the group. “There was a lot of training when we started,” one source reminisced, “it made me feel like the firm was invested in me and my development.” The seat has many different subgroups, such as the investor state and construction teams, so trainees can slip into a variety of work. Insiders spoke of drafting, organising hearings, attending meetings, notetaking, reviewing past evidence, and giving chronologies, but there’s also chances to go to court! “I went to a couple hearings which was excellent,” a newbie enthused, “I met with the client and spoke to them on the day.” Hogan Lovells’ international presence means that the firm represents a swath of different nations, including India, Ghana, and Slovakia. For example, the firm continues to advise the government of Ukraine in an investment arbitration brought by Misen Energy under the Sweden-Ukraine Bilateral Investment Treaty.

Trainee Life

The style of supervision varies by supervisor, with some preferring a more hands-on approach and others opting for a more relaxed relationship with trainees. “My last supervisor was hands-off, and I quickly learned that if they aren’t saying anything, then you’re doing a good job,” one rookie mused. “My current one, on the other hand, likes to check in often to see how I’m doing.” Whichever suits you best, sources reassured us that feedback is always readily available: “If I ask for feedback, it’ll always be given – it’s good, constructive stuff.” As for training, insiders detailed a general week of onboarding before practice-specific training sessions: “There are quite a lot of them. They’re really useful and run by different members of the team.”

“…a subsidised café, lots of plants, and the whole building to ourselves!”

The office is based in Holborn and comes with several perks trainees can enjoy, like “a subsidised café, lots of plants, and the whole building to ourselves!” Interviewees also mentioned the top-notch technology and the firm’s committed IT team, but don’t get too comfortable just yet; Hogan Lovells will be moving offices in 2026. Exactly how far is this voyage from one office to the next? Just look out the window! “We’re actually seeing our new office being built right across from our current one, so that’s exciting!” a newbie beamed. As for hybrid working, the firm’s policy necessitates at least three days in the office, but some teams may require more; our sources averaged four days in, one day at home. Hours are largely seat-dependent, but most seemed to start by 9.30am, finishing up anywhere from 6pm to 11pm, which was reflected by our survey respondents who reported working a few hours more than the market average.

Rest assured that everything you’ve heard about how intimidating American law firms are isn’t true at Hogan Lovells; “it’s a very encouraging working environment. Everyone is friendly and supportive here.” This kind of welcoming culture extends past the workday, as the firm hosts a multitude of events to integrate its employees, including a firmwide summer party, department-specific Christmas parties, two yearly trainee parties, new joiner parties, and ad hoc drinks with your team. This may sound like party central on paper, but the reality is that longer hours will often lead the trainees to pick and choose which events they attend: “Sociability varies – when the hours are steep, we don’t do too much after work.”

When it comes to diversity, “almost every team I’ve been on has had female partners which is great to see,” and there is also a Breaking Barriers for Women group that hosts regular events and talks. The firm collaborates with a lot of social mobility charities and is also inclusive when it comes to wellbeing, as HL offers a host of resources including a firm therapist.

“I think there’s a lot of homegrown partners here. If you trained here, you tend to stay.”

When we asked about their salary, trainees beamed, “It went up this past year! We’re on par with other City law firms’ trainee salary.” Speaking of NQs, come qualification time the process varies slightly depending on how many trainees are gunning for the same vacancy. “It kicks off quite early into your fourth seat,” one insider explained, “you can think about what you like and then tell HR who speak with the partners.” Once that happens, a job list is released, allowing you to rank a first and second choice. Some departments do a standard interview, whereas others might do a more technical interview with a case study. Those approaching this portion of their contract were eager to stay at Hogan Lovells too, with one commenting, “I think there’s a lot of homegrown partners here. If you trained here, you tend to stay.” In 2024, the firm did not disclose its retention statistics.

How to get a Hogan Lovells training contract

Applications 

Each year, the firm receives around 5,000 training contract applications. At the initial application stage, candidates submit an online application form with competency questions, as well as a Watson Glaser test. Applicants who find success at this stage are those who can demonstrate a real interest in the firm, transferrable skills from (legal or non-legal) work experience, and strong commercial awareness skills.  

For the direct training contract, about 40 candidates are invited to an assessment centre. This consists of two interviews, one of which is situational, while the other is technical. The situational interview assesses how candidates would respond to a tricky situation as a trainee solicitor, such as dealing with clients or working to a conflicting deadline. Meanwhile, the technical interview involves a case study exercise, and tests applicants’ commercial awareness, technical skills and general motivation for a career in commercial law.  

The vac scheme 

Hogan Lovells holds three vacation schemes throughout the year: a two-week scheme in winter, and two three-week schemes during the summer. There are 25 spots available per scheme, and the firm receives around 2,000 applications for each one. 

Vac schemers largely get involved in live work, such as drafting documents, attending client meetings, researching cases, or even going to court! The shorter, winter scheme comes with one seat allocation, while summer vac schemers rotate across two teams. Participants also work on a group presentation task and attend various workshops and events. Each vacation scheme wraps up with an interview for a training contract. 

Open days and other opportunities 

The firm also offers open days, which consist of workshops and networking opportunities to find out more about the firm and its culture. There is also a First Year Insight Scheme for those looking to get a head start on deciding their legal career, which provides an introduction to the firm’s practice areas. Students on this scheme also take part in case studies and workshops and, of course, there are plenty of networking opportunities on offer here, too.