Osborne Clarke LLP - True Picture

Osborne Clarke training contract review 2026

The Firm

“Its emphasis on innovation and looking forward is so refreshing,” was one trainee’s way of defining Osborne Clarke, and it was a sentiment shared by many. Words such as ‘ambition’ and ‘drive’ were repeated by trainees as they detailed Osborne Clarke’s trajectory from a single base in the South West to a powerhouse with 26 global offices, including New York and Shanghai. The firm’s latest Miami office opening is another sign that things are “going in an exciting direction.” As training principal Marc Shrimpling tells us, “the internationalisation of our work has been a focus; we act for the likes of Meta, Microsoft and Warner Brothers on a pan-international basis. We’re continuing to develop clients who use Osborne Clarke not only in the UK, but across our European network. It’s amazing to be able to work with colleagues across different jurisdictions from Rome, Madrid and Paris.”

This wouldn’t be possible without the expertise and offering to match, and OC does indeed prove its depth and breadth through its selection of core sectors, which includes energy, financial services, life sciences, infrastructure, retail and tech. It’s a reputation backed up by our colleagues at Chambers UK, who recognise OC as one of the best in class across several practices, such as banking and finance, corporate/M&A, litigation, real estate, employment and IT in the South West. The firm has also earned top-tier rankings for its UK-wide capital markets, media & entertainment and public procurement work.

“It strikes the perfect balance between being a big firm with an impressive list of clients and being human.”

Sources were also struck by the firm’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. However, beyond the work, we heard trainees were searching for “the perfect cultural fit, and somewhere that doesn’t eat into your work/life balance.” For those who had done a vacation scheme at OC, “the culture stood out from the first five minutes. People made such an effort to get to know me, and it was a great first impression.” Even as trainees, interviewees found that “it strikes the perfect balance between being a big firm with an impressive list of clients and being human.”

Around 35 trainees join the firm’s three UK offices each year. “We really have a breadth of talent and diversity in our trainee pool,” Shrimpling notes; “we don’t look for a single characteristic, and certainly nothing to do with people’s backgrounds, school or university. There is consistency among our trainees, and that is having a genuine curiosity and interest in the areas that Osborne Clarke specialises in.”

The Seats

Seat allocation always starts with an open conversation with the future lawyer team three months ahead of the next rotation: “We catch up with them about how our seat is going, how we’re feeling, what we would like to do next and why, and get their insights and guidance.” After this, trainees submit four preferences, and this year marked the first time that an algorithm called RUTH was used in the process to “optimise opportunities.” During their two-year contract, trainees are required to complete at least one disputes seat as “the firm wants to make you a well-rounded lawyer. It ensures you’re not missing out on half of what OC does!”

There are also a number of client secondments on offer. Here you’ll find big names ranging from social media, entertainment and food and beverage companies to life sciences and technology firms. There’s also the chance to do an internal secondment to ‘OC Solutions’, AKA the firm’s in-house technology department. “This is a relatively new development, but one we’re really keen to promote. We’re increasingly aware that being able to understand legal technology and innovation, and how it impacts the delivery of legal services, is no longer a ‘nice to have’ for lawyers of the future – it is essential,” Shrimpling emphasises.

“You get a good amount of responsibility and can run with things on your own, with support from the team as you go along.”

Real estate is one of the largest practices at OC. It handles both commercial and residential properties, and works with big names such as M&S, Unite Group and British Land across a range of asset management, financing, acquisition and disposal deals. The team has also been advising Canary Wharf Group on a whole host of matters relating to its hotels, events, healthcare space and, in particular, its retail malls, which are valued at around £900 million. Given the size of the department, teams are split into ‘pods’ such as residential and investment, meaning that “it has that small team culture, but we still catch up weekly with the other pods.” First and foremost, “there is a lot of Land Registry work!” insiders emphasised, as “every transaction needs to be registered, and it’s on trainees to sort those forms.”

Aside from that, we heard that day-to-day work varies, though there’s a focus on liaising with clients and property managers, drafting, and negotiating leases and licences. Outside of that, sources were pleased to tell us: “You get a good amount of responsibility and can run with things on your own, with support from the team as you go along.” On transactions such as portfolio sales, rookies are primarily tasked with project management and due diligence. Across the board, developing client skills was a highlight for trainees as they get to be the first point of contact for lots of clients.

In commercial disputes, cases often have millions of pounds at stake, and many matters also have a cross-border slant. There’s also an international arbitration practice within this team too. An eclectic mix of clients can be found here, including the likes of the Police Federation of England and Wales, the City of Venice and Starbucks – talk about variety! Compared to other seats, work is a bit more carefully monitored as “ultimately, it could end up in front of a judge.”

Otherwise, rookies get involved in lots of research into black letter law, which is often some “technical and niche” legal point, and plenty of project management. There are also opportunities to try some drafting, including correspondence to the court and with the other side. On one recent case, the team represented Renato Ghittini, one of 38 individuals facing claims of large-scale fraud from the Kuwait Public Institution for Social Security, which is seeking at least $847.7 million in damages.

A stint with the corporate team exposes trainees to both public and private M&A, private equity and venture capital deals, from mid-market transactions to billion-pound deals. It encompasses a range of sectors, such as energy, real estate, aerospace and defence, and life sciences. Recently, the team advised Focus Group, an IT and cybersecurity provider, on its cross-border sale to Hg Capital, increasing its value to $1 billion. “It’s very fast-paced, so you’re thrown into the deep end,” a source attested, “but there’s constant communication, so you can easily ask even simple questions.”

Trainees get involved in research tasks, marking up documents from the other side, and also get to take the first draft of various ancillary documents. Due diligence and project management are also a significant part of a trainee’s workload, alongside post-completion tasks. Rookies praised their colleagues for making them feel integrated into the team, as “even the most senior team members would talk about what is going on and get me involved in calls.”

“… a lot of exposure into the international work we do at the firm.”

Over in the commercial practice, the team focuses on advertising, negotiating and drafting commercial contracts, and advising clients on elements of data and consumer law. As such, you’ll find a variety of global corporations and household names in the team’s client lists, including the University of Bristol, the Department for Transport and Warner Bros. Discovery. “We helped out a client with a large social media platform who wanted to advertise a financial product,” a trainee offered as an example; “that means we took a look at all the applications they’d need to submit.”

We heard that these requests could come from anywhere in the world, and trainees usually reach out to lawyers in different jurisdictions to figure out the relevant licences to operate. Essentially, this means that the commercial seat is a great way to “get a lot of exposure into the international work we do at the firm.” Rookies also roll up their sleeves to review and mark up various agreements, and dive into their fair share of legal and market research.

Trainee Life

“Most of the time you’re sat near very senior people but there’s no intimidating vibe at all.”

“I’d say the culture is the number one selling point!” trainees proclaimed; “the partners are a really nice bunch, and it’s a top-down influence. There is no hierarchy – everyone is approachable and willing to talk.” It certainly helps that all the offices are open plan with hot-desking so “most of the time you’re sat near very senior people but there’s no intimidating vibe at all. It’s super welcoming.” As such, we heard that “people are very protective of the culture.” Also, given that the Bristol HQ recently moved to a brand new, sustainable office building kitted out with a rooftop terrace, indoor gardens, and a spin and yoga studio, it’s safe to say that “the place has a fun energy.”

There have also been efforts to keep regular events on the social calendar. The summer party is undoubtedly one of the highlights; all three offices get together to celebrate and, rumour has it, “the big selling point was the Radio One DJ!” There are lunches, dinners and away days throughout the year and, in the run-up to Christmas, there are plenty of trainee-specific and departmental get-togethers as well as a firm-wide summer party. Trainees also have their own social budget and, on occasion, pop down to the pub together after work. If that wasn’t enough, there are also a bunch of sports clubs to get involved in too.

Trainees were quick to highlight how “inclusion is a big deal here.” There are numerous affinity groups across race and ethnicity, social diversity, gender, LGBTQ+ and wellbeing. Events are just as varied and include anything from themed book clubs to drag bingo to celebrate Pride! There’s also a mentorship programme, and interviewees were reassured by the fact that “the firm is trying to do as much as it can, and naturally that leads to an inclusive environment where you can just be yourself.”

Gender representation at the partner level received special praise, though sources noted that there’s still room for improvement when it comes to some other aspects of diverse representation. That said, the committee meets monthly and is “transparent about its strategies and how it’s going to make a difference.” It certainly helps that the firm counts 100 hours of DEI and pro bono time towards qualified associates’ 1,350-hour billable target.

In fact, pro bono is very much encouraged: “You get loads of emails coming through with opportunities and how to get involved.” Sources introduced us to the OC Bridge programme, where trainees can volunteer at local schools and speak to students about employability. The firm also partners with various charities; trainees can help refugees find employment though Breaking Barriers, and opportunities with Z2K include helping individuals reapply for disability benefits after an initial rejection. Those in the London office can also visit the Westminster Legal Advice Centre on Tuesday evenings to answer client questions related to housing, family law and simple contract disputes.

“The head of the London office was mentored by a trainee!”

Everyone is expected to be in more often than not, which translates to three or more days a week in the office. Sources valued the flexibility that the hybrid policy provides but also noted, “you learn so much more by being in the office as you get to speak with people and pick up more opportunities.”Supervision was highlighted as another strength, with trainees receiving regular feedback alongside mid- and end-of-seat reviews. We heard that supervisors are “really supportive, open-minded, and make sure that you’re developing professionally.” Newbies also appreciated the pastoral care, noting how “there’s dedicated time for strictly non-work-related catchups.” If that wasn’t enough, all trainees are assigned an NQ buddy as well. OC has also started a firm-wide reverse mentoring scheme and, as one insider revealed, “the head of the London office was mentored by a trainee!”

For more work-specific support, there’s plenty of training for trainees to access. The way it generally works is that trainee-focused sessions all take place at the start of the seat, while team-wide sessions led by partners and seniors happen on a regular basis. The knowledge team provides skills sessions and legal updates, and there’s a bank of online resources available, too. What’s more, trainees from across the Bristol, Reading and London offices all meet up at the Bristol HQ for yearly training. The firm has also introduced a new programme of cohort days where they focus on certain topics which will support trainees in around four to five sessions over the course of the two years.

As is often the case across the legal profession, hours at OC vary depending on the team and the week. Departments such as real estate, corporate and banking come with the ups and downs you’d expect from a transactional seat, meaning that later hours can be necessary in the lead-up to a deal closing. “This is always communicated so you can plan around it, and it’s not just sprung on you,” an interviewee reassured; “on the flip-side, if you don’t have anything urgent to do, you’re not expected to stick around late. They know you’ll be there for the hard times when things come up.” Sources explained how an average day typically starts at 9am and finishes around 6pm, so trainees generally felt well-compensated relative to these hours. Salaries start at £49,000 in Bristol, £49,950 in Reading and £55,000 in London.

Trainees were also clear about the qualification process, which officially kicks off with a jobs list after final seat trainees have had the chance speak to HR about their interests. It’s worth noting that, according to qualifiers, one difficult aspect of the process was that “they didn’t tell us exactly how many jobs would be available in each department.” The rest of the process was reportedly straightforward, as qualifiers apply to roles they are interested in before interviewing with them. Beyond this, insiders highlighted, “it’s definitely a firm people go out of their way to pick. I can see myself staying here a long time, not just because of the work but because of the culture.” The firm did not disclose the number of qualifiers in 2025.

How to get an Osborne Clarke training contract 

• Vacation scheme deadline: 15 January 2026
• Training contract deadline: 15 January 2026

Trainee profile    

Landing a training contract at OC is competitive business: the graduate recruitment team tells us that the firm only interviews around 12% of the 2,500-plus candidates who apply each year. Trainees come from a mix of universities, and “the candidates who are invited to an assessment centre give really strong, well-researched answers and demonstrate a genuine interest in the firm.” As part of the firm's commitment to social inclusion, it uses Rare Recruitment throughout the entire process. The firm is particularly welcoming to those with second careers: previous trainee intakes have included those with backgrounds in fields as varied as teaching, telecoms and the armed forces. Being driven is their unifying factor. According to graduate recruitment, “throughout the recruitment process candidates need to show that they are intellectually curious, can maintain a flexible approach and build relationships with people across all levels.” As our trainee sources added: “You also need to be willing to get stuck into everything.”    

Applications and assessments    

The firm now recruits almost only through its vac scheme (the direct route is for those who are unable to complete a vac scheme for practical reasons). Applications for spots begin with an online form and psychometric tests. Strong written communication skills and attention to detail are essential to pass these.    

Those who impress on paper are invited to participate in further assessments which assess a range of different skills. “Our assessment centres are an opportunity for candidates to show that they are developing the key skills that will make them an excellent lawyer, and have an interest in the work that the firm does. We can tell those candidates who have a real interest in the firm as their answers are tailored to our areas of expertise and they understand what we’re doing in the market.”  The firm then makes its vac scheme offers.    

Those who want to take their chances at applying directly for training contract complete the same online form as vac scheme applicants. If they pass the initial screening, they go on to participate in the same assessment process detailed above.    

Vacation scheme    

OC's Bristol, London and Reading offices each run two, two-week summer vacation schemes which run concurrently. Bristol and London each host around 20 students at a time, while Reading hosts five. Vac schemers split their time between two different departments and are assigned a trainee buddy each. Past attendees told us they'd got to grips with hands-on tasks and “actually assumed the role of a trainee solicitor.” The scheme tends to go easy on the social side, an approach our trainee sources appreciated at the time. “It’s nice to be wined and dined, but that’s not what it’s actually like as a trainee. Also, too many evening events can wear you out.”  

According to trainees, “the vac schemers who impress the most are the ones who make an effort to speak to people and ask as many questions as they want.” In the final week of their placement, vac schemers interview for a training contract with two partners. 

Interview with Marc Shrimpling, training prinicipal

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

Marc Shrimpling: Osborne Clarke isa truly international firm with a strong presence in London, Bristol and Reading. You can see from our Chambers’ rankings, in the UK alone we have market-leading expertise across multiple practice areas, with particular strengths in technology, media, real estate, and procurement, to name just a few! This means trainees can come to us knowing that whatever their area of interest, there could be the option of focusing on that at the firm. Being part of an international firm also opens up the kind of career opportunities not that all firms can offer, particularly if you want to be based outside of London. What sets us apart is how approach the market differently; we focus on our sector expertise and private sector investment work. 

More than the opportunity to pursue legal excellence that we offer, though, is the fact that we really pride ourselves on being a fantastic place to work. We want everybody in our firm to bring their best selves to work. To feel it's a place where you have the safety net of a strong support network, so you have the confidence to try, get things wrong and learn.  It’s open plan across all three of our UK offices; people sit next to each other across different practices and feel empowered to ask questions, get help and express interest in new sectors and new areas. We achieved that culture without compromising on our excellent work and fantastic list of clients from global tech companies and other industry leaders.  

While we have a leading mid-tier profile in the London market, we are also leaders in Bristol and Reading – these aren’t simply satellite offices. We don’t split the work on a regional basis, so that you are as likely to be working on international work from Bristol as in London, and to be working with colleagues from a different office. 

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

Shrimpling: We’re really at the forefront of legal developments. We have worked on cases that have gone all the way to the Supreme Court on the intellectual property side of our business. Some of those judgments involved big teams of lawyers, trainees and apprentices, and paralegals. This makes us an attractive option for those starting out their careers, because they get to cut their teeth on proper, meaty work, but at the same time they have the security of knowing they have a strong support network to ensure they aren’t left to flounder.  

The internationalisation of our work has been a focus; we act for the likes of Meta, Microsoft and Warner Brothers on a pan-international basis. We’re continuing to develop clients who use Osborne Clarke not only in the UK, but across our European network. It’s amazing to be able to work with colleagues across different jurisdictions from Rome, Madrid and Paris. Again, this is great for trainees, as they get exposed to those international perspectives early. 

On the training front, we have a fantastic training program. Being at the vanguard of the solicitor apprenticeship program is a source of pride, tapping into talented individuals who choose not to pursue the more conventional university route. Our first two solicitor apprentices, who joined us nearly seven years ago from sixth form, have now made a flying start to their careers as fully qualified associates! We have another four apprentices due to qualify this September. By 2027/28, we will have 10 apprentices qualifying and now recruit 10 every year. We’re really at the forefront of that as part of our overall training cohort. 

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

Shrimpling: It’s openness and keenness for people to collaborate with senior lawyers. At the early stages, our trainees should be stretched and ambitious and want to become the associates and future partners of our business.  

We never want a trainee to think, never mind say, ‘I should know that.’ If you don’t know it, someone here will be delighted to help, whether it’s IT support from the IT team, admin support from your PA, or technical support from your supervisor. That’s the positive culture we try to create. The proof is in the superb quality of the associates that come through our training at the NQ associate level. 

I have been a partner with responsibility for training for years at Osborne Clarke, but this is my first year as the training principal, so I have more time set to talk with the trainees. That really enables me to hear and address any concerns, to make sure we are constantly adapting our training to reflect not only the real-world needs of the trainees but also wider changes in the legal market, and in client expectations. We are training our people not just to have the strongest career they can have, but to become the lawyers our clients will need in future. 

CS: Trainees also highlighted that there is the opportunity to sit within ‘Osborne Clarke Solutions’ for six months. Could you tell us more about this? 

Shrimpling: This is a relatively new development, but one we’re really keen to promote. We’re increasingly aware that being able to understand legal technology and innovation, and how it impacts the delivery of legal services, is no longer a ‘nice to have’ for the lawyers of the future – it is essential.  

Understanding the delivery of legal services (legal OPS), the presentation, the way in which advice can be synthesized and stored, and project managed – particularly with international projects – is what our clients value and the reason why they choose Osborne Clarke. It really adds value having associates and trainees who can not only use the tools but really understand what we’re developing and can explain it to more technophobic colleagues. 

They can go back to their teams and say, ‘I’ve been working on this IT project for a big client like Vodafone, they’re able to have access to guides for administrative and technical issues and have a FAQs questions function where we can respond with advice. Also, we’ve integrated some OC GPT technology around the use of AI to generate template documents – you can be using this for your client here.’   

This is a huge asset for trainees, in that it gives them an incredibly useful grounding. While most of our trainees tend to stay and progress with us, for those who do decide to move in-house (including, sometimes, to our clients, which is always great for relationship building!) that ability to understand legal tech and legal OPS is going to be a huge asset for them in their later career. 

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?  

Shrimpling: We were ahead of the curve in thatwe’ve had a flexible working policy for years pre-Covid – we’re very comfortable with people working flexibly and encourage our teams to do it. But we also recognise that for trainees, a lot of the best learning is done face-to-face. Being in the office also helps them build relationships, including with colleagues they might not interact with otherwise. It also helps trainees feel more supported and less isolated. Although we always encourage trainees to ask questions whether remotely or in person, we recognise sometimes it feels easier to just pop to someone’s desk with a quick question rather than emailing them. Our open plan offices really facilitate this kind of informal communication.  

Therefore, the firm-wide policy is that trainees should be in the office more often than not. For full-time work, that assumes three working days in the office, but not necessarily the same office. Even as a trainee, you might work on matters with colleagues in another office, so you might be in two days from Bristol, one day from London or Reading. If people have particular requirements to work remotely for an extended period, that is fine.  

We believe our office is a fantastic place to learn and so while it’s not a requirement to do so, we find in practice our trainees chose to spend more than three days in the office. Those who do report to us that they get a lot out of it and have more learning opportunities and opportunities to build relationships with people in other departments. If trainees find being in the office every day, for example, is their best way to learn, progress and are happy, then we’re really happy for them to do that. 

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

Shrimpling: Truthfully, we don’t really have a ‘type’ of candidate. If you look at our lawyers and partners, you will see that Osborne Clark might favour a style of lawyer – commercial, savvy, forward-thinking, responsive to the market – but we know that doesn’t come in any one form, or from any one particular background. This means trainees know they can thrive in the firm without having to fit some narrow demographic profile.  

This is reflected in the fact we really have a breadth of talent and diversity within our trainee pool. We don’t look for a single characteristic, and certainly nothing to do with people’s backgrounds, school or university. There is consistency between our trainees and that is having genuine curiosity and interest in the areas that Osborne Clarke specialises in. Our clients come from all sorts of backgrounds – our lawyers should reflect that.  

We proactively look for people who really have demonstrated an enthusiasm to learn more. They may be coming from a low base knowledge to start with, which is absolutely fine – we want that potential. For example, seeing that somebody is really interested in sustainability and has gone out their way to find out why particular companies do things, or have read reports around sustainability and green claims. People who have gone that bit further to really understand what a law firm does in the context of these big macroeconomic issues, sustainability, digitalization and things like that, that really stands candidates in good stead. 

We look for individuals who have demonstrated through their studies or work, family, friendship and non-work activities a level of resilience in overcoming challenges and that they have a commitment and work ethic. This at a very basic level is necessary in our job, as it is highly pressured at times. Our clients expect us to turn things around quickly. We rely heavily on the fact that our clients like to work with us, that we prioritize them, and we understand them.  

Lawyers who demonstrate those authentic customer care skills are often the people who thrive the most, even if they are technically not as good (though, at Osborne Clarke, we do also expect you to be good!). The ability to show clients that they really care about them and winning business is something that we look for because ultimately, we’re a business.  

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

Shrimpling: We are very mindful, particularly in underrepresented categories, that we need to be doing as much as possible to create a level playing field and giving equal opportunities to candidates from diverse backgrounds. It’s one of the reasons I got into recruitment in the first place to try and do my part. That is partly apprenticeship program is aimed to do – our apprentices are sensational in terms of the quality that they offer! It’s certainly a consideration to bring in a more diverse perspective and candidates into our workforce. To those ends, we participate in a wide range of social mobility and diversity initiatives; for example, we take a large number of interns via the 10K intern program. 

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

Shrimpling: Firstly, just to re-emphasize what I've said around curiosity. If you’re interested in a particular area, don’t worry too much if it’s a bit of a curveball. If you’re a geek about taxation and why countries have different tax rates, or fundamental around nuclear energy and renewables, just explore that interest and see where law interfaces! If you're interested in football, there are loads of legal cases about financial fair play; should Manchester City be able to sign all these expensive players when they're pumped up with state owned subsidies? Every area has a legal interface. Take some time to appreciate that and see if that stokes your interest in law.  

It’s also important to remember that client care is core to being a good lawyer. A lot of potential trainees / apprentices ask, ‘Do I need to have legal work experience? Or work experience at a high-street solicitors?’ I wouldn't dismiss it as irrelevant, but as it's just as relevant to me that for five years you have been a fantastic weekend produce assistant at Tesco. If you've been punctual, given great customer service, worked well with colleagues, that shows me you know what it means to be a good worker.  

Finally, for incoming trainees: make sure you approach all your seats with an open mind. Even if your heart is set on becoming an employment or corporate lawyer, you will get so much out of each department that you work in an OC. Each department is so different and diverse with different teams, it’s a fantastic opportunity to learn every day. Don’t coast even in areas that interest you less, or you'll look back and realise what a real wasted opportunity that was. You can learn so much from all the different seats, and you never know how that knowledge can help you in future. That would be my big tip for trainees!