Mayer Brown LLP - True Picture

Mayer Brown training contract review 2025

The Firm 

When looking for a training contract, it’s always best to know exactly what you’re looking for. If not, your job search may leave you feeling blue, or even green with envy. However, clued-in trainees who saw Mayer Brown’s true colours were pleased to come upon “an elite firm working on top deals and cases, with top clients and high calibre work.” Our colleagues at Chambers UK can confirm this reputation, awarding the firm top-tier rankings in construction litigation, real estate, professional negligence, and energy  & natural resources. The firm also earns extra Brownie points from the guide across an array of financial practices, and one trainee helpfully pointed out that “the finance work is a call card for many people here, and it’s what Mayer Brown is known for!” Throw in the stats – 27 global offices and 92 Chambers Global  rankings to boot – and you might call that some serious street cred… 

“The training gets an A* from me!” 

Training was another draw for many of our interviewees, despite stereotypes that it’s not as much of a focus at US firms. Instead, trainees appreciated MB’s focus on their development, telling us that “the training gets an A* from me!” With the promise of a rigorous training programme, one trainee “knew that I’d come out of the training contract a better lawyer than if I went elsewhere.” The cohort size is also worth bearing in mind, as MB only took on a cosy 15 trainees last year. For one interviewee, “the size pushed me out of my comfort zone. After all, I didn’t want to feel like a number and just shy away in the crowd.” Competition is also reduced with a smaller headcount, with newbies noting that, “instead, you just get more responsibility and feel more integrated into the firm.” So, like Goldilocks, it seems the firm is not too big, not too small, but just right. 

The Seats 

Before newbies join the firm, they’re invited to meet the available departments – “it’s like speed dating,” we heard – to find out what they can expect from each seat. Graduate recruitment then sends out a list of seats and trainees rank their top five choices. “You can write about your choices and even your long-term strategy,” one trainee explained. “That allows us to tailor our training contract as much as possible.” However, interviewees noted that “there’s definitely a priority for fourth seaters.”  Regardless, open conversation reportedly continues throughout the training contract with mid-seat reviews to discuss the trajectory of their TCs. Typical seats for newbies include corporate and finance which “always have places and need people.”  There are also client secondments on offer.

“I came to Mayer Brown for the finance work,” one interviewee enthused right off the bat. The massive team is split into nine subgroups, including project finance, fund finance, real estate finance, asset-based lending, securitisation and derivatives. The work itself matches the scale of the team, with plenty of matters with big clients such as Barclays, Citigroup and HSBC. The firm also represented ING Bank on an agreement concerning a €1.23 billion base loan and trade facility for natural gas and power energy company MET Group. Trainees have the opportunity to work across subgroups and noted that, were they to join the team as associates, they’d be able to remain generalists until their fifth year post-qualification. “It’s quite nice to have the choice because you gain a breadth of knowledge,” an interviewee praised, continuing, “if you come into the group with no knowledge of one of the subgroups, you might not consider it, but this method allows you to try everything.” We heard that it’s typical to work on three to five deals at a time and trainees might typically be in charge of proofreading, attending client meetings, liaising with local counsel and managing conditions precedents. What’s more, this work oozes with international flair, and trainees were keen to boast, “I’m working with counsel on some really cool emerging market work across lots of different jurisdictions and time zones – it’s brilliant!” 

Mayer Brown’s core corporate team works on a range of private equity matters, public and private M&A deals and initial public offerings. Recent matters here include representing Hasbro on the $500 million sale of its film and television division to Lions Gate Entertainment. Trainees here explained that their role is “very organisational,” meaning typical tasks include document checklists, emailing clients with updates and other general project management tasks. However, there’s still plenty of scope for corporate trainees to work directly with partners. For example, “a partner will ask me to do research for a client meeting, meaning that I get responsibility alongside a partner instead of smaller tasks here and there.” 

“I felt like I was treated as a junior rather than just a trainee.” 

Trainees thanked the construction litigation team for offering a “first-class”  learning experience from the very start of their seat. Examples of the team’s work include a matter with Standard Life Investments, where MB lawyers advised the company on a £70 million claim against its professional team regarding delays and costs on one of their projects. Responsibility is present from the get-go as trainees are expected to “jump in.” As one insider reminisced, “from day one I was drafting witness statements, sitting in client meetings and completing witness reviews.” Others had experience liaising with expert witnesses and presenting information to clients. As the team’s work is more niche than some other seats, trainees found that there was more time to prep: “There was a lot of background reading at the start of the seat which meant that we really could be thrown in the deep end.” According to one trainee, this meant “I felt like I was treated as a junior associate rather than just a trainee. It’s long hours and hard work so you need to be switched on, but I’m glad it wasn’t easy because we’re here to learn and become big lawyers.” 

Despite its smaller size than other teams at the firm, real estate  packs a mighty punch. As one source detailed, “we’re small, but we’re ranked highly for our work and have quite a few partners on the team.” Typical clients include high net worth individuals looking to own property in the London area, or developers with a whole host of properties. For example, the firm advised Hong Kong-based property developer Chinachem Group on its almost £350 million acquisition of One New Street Square, one of Deloitte’s London bases. Depending on the housing market, trainees were involved in anything from negotiating leases and handling licences to alter, to asset management and drafting contracts. Interestingly, sources valued the group’s sector focus, explaining how the seat comes with “a lot of research around things such as life sciences and how development in those areas will affect real estate review.”  

Trainee Life 

On the development front, insiders were eager to tell us about how “there’s so much training, it’s ridiculous!” Examples here include two weeks of introductory training and six to eight weeks of specific practice area training when newbies join a seat. These include “all sorts of detail on an academic level. It felt a little bit like being back at university again.”  Each team handles its own training, and partners typically take the wheel here. As one trainee gushed, “it’s clear they’re very involved and care about our progression since they’re investing so much of their time.” However, senior support certainly does not stop here, and interviewees had plenty of praise for their supervisors. Though some warned that it’s important to find compatible working styles, another trainee boasted, “my supervisors have been so supportive. When they knew I was ready, they pushed me to do things out of my comfort zone.” 

“I speak to old friends at other firms and they don’t have this level of care!” 

Interviewees also appreciated the “friendly and encouraging”  culture, noting how there’s an effort to focus on and invest in the junior ranks. “People will find time to sit down with you and go through anything you need. If they can’t do it immediately, they’ll book time in,” said a trainee. “I speak to old friends at other firms and they don’t have this level of care!” These relationships aren’t just maintained through professional interactions, but can flourish thanks to the firm’s variety of social events. One social butterfly noted that “it’s very much a work-hard-play-hard place. Socials are constant, and teams will invite previous trainees to events when cases close to thank them for their help.” On top of regular after work drinks, the firm hosts summer and Christmas parties, and an array of trainee socials. According to our insider sources, we heard that the finance team is particularly social, and often seen at client drinks and dinners!  

MB’s culture is also influenced by its international presence, with one insider noting that it “makes it a very welcoming environment.” In the context of DEI, the firm boasts multiple networks, such as a women’s group, diversity groups and a disabilities group that trainees can get involved in when they join the firm. However, some did admit that the firm has a long way to go when it comes to gender and ethnic diversity. One trainee noticed that “the male-to-female ratio isn’t brilliant at partnership level,” while another wanted to see more representation at the trainee level, but appreciated that “it is getting better every year.” From trainees’ perspective, standout efforts on this front included sessions on managing bias and how to treat people in the workplace. 

As is often the case, hours can vary drastically depending on the seat. For example, contentious seats tend to be a little bit more steady, with sources reporting that an average day starts at 9am and finishes around 7pm. Meanwhile, those in corporate or finance might finish anywhere between 11pm and 2am, with some interviewees sometimes working even later. As such, evening, weekend and annual leave plans might be disrupted by work, but MB trainees are “under no illusion that this is a nine-to-five job.” Despite this, interviewees highlighted that supervisors try to offer support when they can: “They check in with you regularly, especially if they see you’ve been online late, and will go above and beyond to help you manage your workload if needed.”  Fortunately, trainees didn’t necessarily feel hard done by when it comes to their salary, even though some noted that “there’s always room for improvement.” MB stays at market-rate and its £120k NQ salary is certainly not to be scoffed at. 

“Your pro bono matters are just as respected as the billable work you do.” 

You’ll often hear that US firms are particularly dedicated to pro bono, and MB is no exception. Trainees are expected to complete at least 20 hours of pro bono a year, but we heard that “people normally go well above that number because it’s encouraged by most teams.” Insiders had worked with the Islington Law Clinic and housing and benefits charity Z2K, but generally praised the firm for offering the chance for trainees to “actually take the reins on really interesting work.” Trainees in transactional seats noted that “I was out of my depth when drafting letters of advice on pro bono matters, but I had a lot of support and it felt good helping people.” In fact, it’s so ingrained in daily life at MB that one source raved, “your pro bono matters are just as respected as the billable work you do.” 

Conversation is a key part of MB’s qualification process. It starts off with a meeting with graduate recruitment to scope out where fourth-seaters may want to qualify, before they then fill out an application pack (which includes an internal CV and mid- and end-of-seat appraisals). These are then sent to the head of qualifiers’ desired departments to check if there are places available. Interviews are typical, though the formality depends on the department and number of open spots available. According to insiders, contentious departments tend to be the most popular: “People generally want to qualify into litigious seats such as IP, pensions or employment.”  In 2024, the firm retained 14 out of 16 qualifying trainees.

How to get a Mayer Brown training contract

• Vacation scheme deadline (2025): 16 December 2024

• Training contract deadline (2027): 31 March 2025

Vacation scheme

Mayer Brown runs two vacation schemes each year: one in Spring (from Monday 31 March – 11 April 2025 ) and one in Summer (from Monday 9 – Friday 20 June 2025). There are up to 15 places available on each two-week programme and the firm generally receives around 2,400 applications annually for its vacation schemes.

The first stage of the recruitment process is an online application form, which includes the applicants' academic background, previous work experience and wider non-academic achievements. Applicants also have to pass online verbal reasoning and situational strengths tests, complete a “Life as a trainee” job simulation exercise (which is a combination of multiple choice, written and video interview questions), and attend an assessment centre to secure a place on the vacation scheme.

Vac schemers are seated across two of the firm’s core practice areas changing at the start of the second week. “Graduate recruitment works hard to accommodate your preferences as to where you'd like to go,” a current trainee said. Dominic Griffiths, London office managing partner, tells us the overall aim of the placement is to give candidates “a feel for being a trainee at Mayer Brown. We ensure they get good quality work that's typical of what they'd be doing as a trainee.” Our trainee sources backed this up, with one telling us: “I got to go to the High Court during my visit. It was great to feel like I was helping out the team on something valuable.”

Alongside vac schemers' work comes various social and networking opportunities. “Its important people get to know a firm in its entirety – all the employees who make the cogs work, as well as the partners and solicitors,” says Griffiths.

During the second week of the scheme, candidates face a final stage training contract interview with two senior fee earners on the Graduate Recruitment panel, who will ask about their understanding of the role of a City solicitor and why they're interested in Mayer Brown, along with questions testing their commercial awareness and business acumen. The majority of the firm's trainees are recruited through the vacation schemes and the firm stresses that it welcomes vac scheme applications from final-year students and graduates too.

Assessments

In 2024, the firm received over 1100 direct training contract applications. Those who impress on the application form and online assessments are invited to complete the Mayer Brown “Life as a trainee” job simulation exercise and, if successful, an assessment day. The assessment centre involves a fact-finding exercise designed to see if you can “think on your feet,” a written exercise and a group task. The day also includes a lunch with some of the firm's trainees plus a “quite rigorous” strengths-based interview with two fee earners.

Ideal candidates

According to Griffiths, candidates need to demonstrate they're keen on law, and on Mayer Brown in particular: “We want to see a sense of passion for working here. We don't always know in interviews if someone will be a brilliant lawyer, but we can judge their enthusiasm and dedication to the profession.”

He goes on to reveal he's “a great believer in work experience. Pure legal work is all well and good, but I do like to see people with a diverse range of experience as well. It shows they're inquisitive about their career and have thought deeply about it.”

Solicitor Apprenticeship

Mayer Brown also has a long-standing solicitor apprentices programme, which offers aspiring solicitors an alternative path into the profession and route to qualification. The Trailblazer Solicitor Apprenticeship offers candidates the opportunity to qualify by combining work and parttime study over a period of six years. During that time, participants gain a LLB and complete the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE) 1 & 2. The solicitor apprenticeship is a great alternative for those wishing to pursue a career in law, without the financial burden incurred by fees and student loans. The minimum entry requirement is ABB or equivalent at A level.

Interview with firm partner Miriam Bruce

The Firm

Chambers Student: How would you describe the firm? How would you describe its position in the market?

Miriam Bruce: We are a leading international law firm positioned to represent the world's major corporations, funds and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. Mayer Brown came about through a series of successful combinations, including one of the first successful transatlantic combinations, culminating in the firm we are now.  We have more than 1900 lawyers across the world, with over 400 of those operating in one of our European offices in London, Brussels, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Paris.

We are best known for  our focus on finance transactions and products, corporate M&A, private equity, funds, real estate and dispute resolution. On the litigation side, we have  seen particular demand in financial services litigation, employment litigation and international arbitration. That gives us a really interesting mix, so we appeal to those who want a broad cross-section of work or who want to specialise in a particular practice area.

CS: Are there any highlights from the last year you think it would be helpful for our readers to know about?

Miriam Bruce: On the work side, as an employment lawyer, I have to give an example of a matter which has been market-defining for us. Last year, the team acted for re-insurance broker Guy Carpenter, helping them with a problem they faced when 38 employees resigned and then went to a competitor. It was thought that there was unlawful action behind these resignations.  The case highlights the complex and international element of our work, as the 38 employees were based in a number of different countries, not just the UK. It was one of the biggest team move cases in  decades within the London market, which is really exciting for us. It ended up settling on the first day of trial but remains an example of the cross-practice work we do, with collaboration between Mayer Brown employment and litigation lawyers from all over the world. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard work at the time, but it involved multiple trainees on the matter, so it felt like a real team effort. We have also been shortlisted for a number of prestigious awards since the matter concluded, including The Lawyer's Litigation Team of the Year.  It was great to be able to invite the client and our team, including the trainees who worked on it, to the Awards Ceremony.  We’ve done some other market leading matters too! For example, we advised Absolut Vodka and Sprite on their new tinned drink collaboration, which you can see on the shelves. As a trainee, it is nice to be involved in work that can be seen in the market.

We are very focused on supporting colleagues in their professional development and create initiatives such Next Gen. Next Gen is a network led by associates and trainees. It gives trainees and associates, working across a variety of sectors, the opportunity to come together  as the next generation of business  leaders. We value business development here at every level, not just for partners and qualified lawyers. In the last month, we have introduced the next phase, Next Gen x Apprentice, which will focus on creating development opportunities for apprentices working with our clients across the sectors and industries we support. This is achieved through developing a professional network which they will need as they grow as lawyers.

The Training Contract

CS: How would you describe the training environment/culture that you have aimed to create at the firm?

Miriam Bruce: We would view our culture as supportive and engaging. It provides trainees the ability to have a say in the direction of their career. We do try to match trainee’s seat allocation to their choices and interests, and the relatively small cohort size helps with this. The cohort size hasn’t changed, even since my time here as a trainee. This is a deliberate strategy to allow entry levels to have the opportunity to try out our different practice areas and is a great selling point for Mayer Brown. However, a lot of what we do isn’t just legal learning. We want to make sure people are committed to delivering good service while also making the most of the workplace. We want to encourage business development for our trainees and solicitor apprentices through pro bono participation, for which we have a minimum target of 20 hours annually. We also aim to provide a personalised service for trainees during their training contract with a dedicated supervisor and regular contact with me and the graduate development team. We have received some very good feedback about our graduate development team who facilitate career development meetings every rotation to review individual progress, the development needs of trainees, understand future seat preferences and qualification interests. The training contract is much more of a partnership approach where trainees are here to do work but get to be where they want to be in their career as well.

CS: What’s the current set up with remote working for trainees? Is there a set number of days where trainees are expected to come into the office?

Miriam Bruce: We have an approach to hybrid working as a 60:40 split, which is three days in the office and two days at home. That said, we do encourage and expect trainees to come in four or five days, but it can vary depending on workload, team and client demands. We do this because, whilst flexible working has been a great addition to the legal industry, the best learning environment for juniors is sharing a room with their supervisors and being on the ground when things are busy. It’s also helpful for us to have trainees in the office so we can support them!

Applications & Recruitment

CS: What sort of person thrives at the firm? How can a candidate really impress at interview?

Miriam Bruce:  We are looking for hardworking and committed individuals who are passionate about the work we do. We know getting a training contract is hard, but we want to see candidates who show that they really want it. When we interview candidates, we don’t want to see rehearsed answers. Instead, we want people who are passionate, intellectually curious and business development minded. We don’t expect applicants to know every answer, but we appreciate it when a candidate puts thought and interest into their answers, rather than just reciting words they’ve memorised from a book or script. We’re all about the culture and are looking for people who will maintain and build on it. We look for people who are authentic, enthusiastic and show us who they are, making it more than just another interview. We understand that the interview is hard, but we also know it is important for our juniors to be able to change with the working environment. Any job is tricky, but since trainees have to regularly adapt and start new seats, candidates must show that they have flexibility and resilience.

CS: Does the firm have any set recruitment targets around diversity?

Miriam Bruce: We do not have formal targets in place for trainee recruitment however there are steps we take such as working with Aspiring Solicitors, Brightnetwork, My plus Consulting and many other organisations to ensure we are recruiting the best talent, regardless of background, from the widest pool. A lot of firms focus solely on recruiting diverse talent, but we focus on retention too. Diversity and inclusion is not a tick box exercise; we want to see a more diverse environment permeating through the firm. We have a diversity and inclusion team based in London who review and refine our policies and create strategies to make improvements where necessary. This is then supported by our many employee networks, which cover aspects of diversity such as those with families and caring responsibilities, women, lawyers from an ethnic minority background and those with disabilities. We really try to educate ourselves as a firm and we have found that storytelling is a great way to learn from our colleagues. The work our networks do is intended to encourage people to share stories and different pathways. It’s a really exciting thing to be involved in. I have been here a while and I have seen changes in the makeup of teams, and we have seen improvements from having so many different perspectives which means we are able to provide a better service for our clients.

CS: And finally, do you have any advice for those thinking about pursuing a career in law? Either at your firm or more generally?

Miriam Bruce: Looking back through my own personal experience during university and my legal studies, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a lawyer. You don’t know until you try it, so you should be open to opportunities out there such as open days, vacation schemes, talks and panels, advice and pro bono advice lines, which are all going to open your eyes to different possibilities. Being a lawyer is a wide-ranging role so if you are closed off to only being one type of lawyer, you could miss out on opportunities. Make sure you grab them!