Squire Patton Boggs - True Picture

Squire Patton Boggs training contract review 2026

The Firm

Any knight with even a modicum of nobility travelling the Middle Ages adhered to three key principles: honour, respect and, of course, justice. Any solicitor worth their salt needs to uphold these tenets as well, and both lawyers and knights require the same thing to help them achieve this excellence – a good Squire. “Partners take a genuine interest in you as an individual,” beamed one interviewee, “they also know if they train you to do something, then that’ll make their lives easier.” That’s right – this is the kind of Squire that will back you up and help you enhance your growing skill sets. As another insider confirmed: “If you want to be exposed to work, they’ll make it possible and push you out of your comfort zone.”

“If you want to be exposed to work, they’ll make it possible and push you out of your comfort zone.”

Squire Patton Boggs’ bases in the UK include London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, but the global reach far exceeds that number with a total office count of 46. “We’ve got new offices in Geneva, the Netherlands and Italy,” reveals training principal Rob Elvin; “it makes people feel good, makes your people feel better, anyone associated with growth just makes people feel better I think.” Our interviewees clearly thought that was the case as well: “I wanted a global firm with a clear international reach, but also the really strong full-service offering of the national offices.” That full-service aspect is no joke either. Our bannermen over at Chambers UK bestow near 50 crowns unto the firm’s various departments, including knighthood for its corporate/M&A, employment, litigation, tax, pensions, and real estate. So, if you’re looking for a global law firm with a strong national presence and a deep bench of practice areas, then maybe this Squire is king.

The Seats

The firm boasts a plentiful six-seat contract that allows trainees to see as many of the firm’s departments as possible. Elvin explains the rationale behind this, saying: “We’ve got a lot more than four groups, you’ll miss out on a lot of the firm if you only have four, it works for us, we like getting those extra experiences.” This means that, with all that exposure, no seats are mandatory, but we did hear a corporate seat is “likely to pop up at some point, though it’s not a requirement.” The process is otherwise simple, with trainees submitting three preferences at the midpoint of each seat. Sources were happy to report that they broadly got one of their preferences on most occasions.

Almost all our interviewees had done a stint in the corporate department, and it was clear why: “It’s the biggest team here, and everyone is always really busy,” an insider commented, “it’s where you’ll have your biggest caseload.” The group encompasses a variety of areas such as M&A, private equity, and public limited company work. As such, there is a wide range of matters to get stuck into; for example, the firm acted for Inflexion Private Equity, the managing shareholders of Mussel Topco, during the company’s sale of its entire issued share capital, dealing with various stakeholders in different jurisdictions. “There’s lots of experience on offer,” explained one rookie, “it really teaches you to be proactive and experience what it would be like to be a corporate lawyer.” Specifically, trainees get involved in everything from drafting ancillary documents and sale agreements, attending client meetings, due diligence, disclosure work, and general project management. “You really get to see how the department connects and interlinks with everything else at the firm,” divulged one newbie, “you also get to engage your creative thinking and are exposed to everything.”

“You never know what’s going to land on your desk next!”

The particulars of the commercial litigation team depend largely on the office you’re based in, with London being more specialised while the North covers a broader range of disputes. “You get involved with everything,” beamed one junior, “you never know what’s going to land on your desk next!” No seriously – with clients across the spectrum, from the Co-op Group to Viatris Inc., it’s no wonder trainees in this seat get so much exposure. Even better, the juniors here get a front seat to big-name cases. For example, SPB acted for the successful representative member in the landmark decision of Virgin Media v NTL Pension Trustees II Limited & Ors, a case with far-reaching consequences for UK pension schemes. Just like the matters, tasks in this seat are varied and include bundling, putting together particulars of claim, summarising documents, taking attendance notes, sitting in on client calls, research, and lots of drafting. “By the end of my seat, I could run my own matters,” one rookie was eager to reveal; “that’s quite common here because you’re given a lot of responsibility.”

The property litigation group stands separate from its commercial counterpart, working with developers, investors, landlords and tenants across the real estate space on both advisory and advocacy work. “No case is ever the same, so I loved that,” gushed one source, “everyone is very supportive of you seeing as much of a matter as possible.” An example of the firm’s work in this sector is its representation of all of Signet Group’s litigation needs regarding its national retail property portfolio, consisting of over 400 jewellery stores. SPB has also done lease renewals, rent arrears claims, dispute advisory, and other contentious property issues for Signet Group. As for what trainees can get stuck in with, their day-to-day consists of initiating claims and notices to draft, bundling, research tasks, and plenty of client contact. Excitingly, more than one source pointed out that “you can even go to court if the opportunity arises!”

“It’s really valuable and a great opportunity to lead a matter from beginning to end.”

The firm takes pro bono seriously to the point that it has recently become a new seat option for rookies to dive into. This seat operates as a 50/50 split between your own caseload and a project management role. “You’re doing everything in this seat because it’s just you and the pro bono director,” noted one insider, “it’s more on the business side and gave me exposure to things I wouldn’t have imagined I’d see during the contract.” Sources spoke of trainees and associates working together in groups, interviewing clients, and taking witness statements – all leading up to the hearing itself. Insiders shared that they “could see this seat suiting a second year, because you have to be independent and are given a lot of responsibility.” Outside of the seat, trainees are encouraged to contribute 100 hours to pro bono: “It’s really valuable and a great opportunity to lead a matter from beginning to end.”

Trainee Life

The levels of supervision trainees are given went down a treat with our sources, with one reflecting: “They almost anticipate my needs beyond what I can even guess I’d need.” Most trainees will get a daily supervisor and a partner supervisor per seat (on occasion, this can be the same person), and although they were said to be attentive and supportive, interviewees were pleased to report that there’s no micro-management. “They know when I’m ready to take the stabilisers off and try something challenging as well,” commended one rookie, “they just let you get on with things at that point – I couldn’t ask for more really!” Induction training sessions occur at the start of each seat, but the frequency of sessions after that is largely dependent on the department. The good news is that trainees can attend any training session for any group, regardless of whether they’re in that seat.

Central Line warriors rejoice: the London office is nestled between Liverpool Street and Bank, which, as one source put it, is “the perfect location; you can’t fault it.” With an open plan and a roof terrace to entertain guests and employees alike, those in the City felt a strong sense of collaboration. The Birmingham branch is also open plan, and interviewees were looking forward to an office move next year. The Leeds hub, though not entirely open plan, boasts a roof terrace too, as well as a sustainability garden where they can eat the fresh produce. Across the offices, a 50% in-office policy is in effect, but most sources reported being in more often than that: “There’s a lot to be gained from being in the office, so they do encourage it.” Given the reputation of the legal world, hours were surprisingly more consistent than insiders expected, with average finish times ranging from 6pm to 7pm; this factored into their comfort with the firm’s compensation. “I have no qualms about the salary,” began one rookie, “I don’t have the crazy late nights that you see at other firms.”

“There aren’t many months where you don’t have a few invites pending!”

A benefit of those consistent hours is that trainees get to enjoy a full social calendar of events organised by the firm. As such, “there aren’t many months where you don’t have a few invites pending!” These include your Christmas and summer parties, as well as charity and business development events, quizzes, and a budget for trainee socials. “The firm is very interested in you going to these external things,” nodded one source. Luckily, all our interviewees were eager to take part, and that derived from the firm’s culture where “everybody is really approachable.” This interviewee continued: “You can go up to a partner in the same way you would a junior person, and they would be more than happy to talk to you.” Although the firm itself may not be as diverse as some sources wished, everyone we spoke to acknowledged the firm’s efforts to promote inclusivity and growing a more diverse workforce. “There’s a lot of events around celebrating cultural and heritage points” such as Windrush and Eid, revealed one newbie, adding that “I think they’re pushing in the right direction for sure.”

For qualification, trainees noted that they were not siloed into only applying for departments in their respective offices and could instead look to qualify into groups based in different cities. The process is simple, with some departments holding two interviews and others requiring just one. Retention was a point of concern for sources however, with some insiders feeling that there was just no space for them at the end of their contract: “There were a lot of jobs on the list that were just not for us in reality,” one confessed. Despite this, trainees were incredibly eager to remain at the firm, with one jubilantly conveying: “I was desperate to stay and had no intention of looking elsewhere.”  In 2025, the firm retained 15 of 24 qualifiers.

How to get a Squire Patton Boggs training contract 

• Training Contract Application deadline: 5 January 2026 (opens 15 September 2025) 

Open Day events 

Squire Patton Boggs run webinars and events to provide prospective applicants with hints and tips to aid their knowledge regarding the application process, with a focus on strategy, the programs on offer and life at the firm. They also host an open day in each of their 4 UK offices in November each year.

Training principal Rob Elvin offers a top tip: “Clients are expecting more from their legal providers, and it is our responsibility to differentiate ourselves and offer a competitive advantage. Work out how you can differentiate yourself.”

Applications and assessment 

The firm only recruits trainees through its one-week summer placement scheme, which is hosted at each of the firm’s UK offices.  

You will need a minimum 2:1 degree in any subject to be considered by the firm. Those who have not graduated yet should be on track to attain a 2:1. The firm uses Rare Recruitment's contextualised recruitment system, which allows it to match candidates' academic achievements against their social backgrounds to assess real potential, as well as considering extenuating circumstances.

The contextualised recruitment system allows it to consider applications from those who may not meet the requirements but have extenuating circumstances. Applications start with a short online form. Those who impress on the form are then invited to complete an online assessment. A select number of candidates will then be invited to attend a half-day assessment centre at one of its offices, which involves an interview, group exercise and a presentation. Placement scheme offers are made from here. 

The placement scheme

During the placement scheme, students spend time in a department and attend regular presentations. They are also invited to social events, such as dinners, bowling excursions and quiz nights. As with placement schemes anywhere, do not forget that you will be on show at all times. There is no need to worry about this, just simply show yourself off at your best whenever you can. All placement schemers are considered for a training contract and have a final interview and presentation on their final day of the scheme. 

So, who is Squire Patton Bogg’s searching for?

The firm tells us the firm is looking for those “who are interested in commercial law, whether it be litigation or corporate. It sounds trite to say, but someone who is collaborative. We don’t have a sharp elbows culture – we really don’t have that. We want someone who is willing to get involved not only in the work but the firm’s broader community, too. We have lots of committees: charity committees, social mobility committees and workplace, culture & development committees.”