Stephenson Harwood LLP - True Picture

Stephenson Harwood training contract review 2026

The Firm

For those at the beginning of their careers, where a firm is right now will always be the most important thing. “It’s on an upward trajectory, and it’s great to be a part of that,” one trainee told us, “I’m happy to be here at such an exciting time – it’s going from strength to strength.” So, what does that really look like at Stephenson Harwood? Growth in the firm’s international footprint is a big part of it: “It’s big internationally, but not overwhelmingly so,” another explained, “there’s a sizeable trainee intake, but not to the extent that I’m ever lost in the numbers.” Indeed, Stephenson Harwood recently added two brand-new offices in Saudia Arabia adding to the existing network of eight offices in London, Paris, Athens, Dubai, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul.

“It really is the best of both worlds…”

Shipping is a big part of what made the firm its name and it has been an ever-present practice in the firm’s offering, but SH has evolved significantly since its early days: “Some firms have a reputation for either transactional or contentious work,” a trainee outlined, “but Stephenson Harwood is strong in both. It really is the best of both worlds, and I knew that breadth of seats would offer me a well-rounded training contract.” UK-wide, the firm’s shipping finance practice still gets the gold star from Chambers UK, but the firm is also recognised by the guide for its top-tier contentious financial services, civil fraud and investment funds practices. Its professional negligence, real estate, aviation, commodities and capital markets practices are just a few more that receive tips of the hat.

The Seats

Ahead of each rotation, seats are decided using an algorithm, Ruth, which allows trainees to rank their top 10 seat preferences. Ruth’s answers are, however, not the be all and end all, as while “it’s taken account, you do get to have a chat with HR so you can clearly tell them about how your seats are going and how you’re feeling moving forward.” Priority, as is often the case, goes to final seat trainees. All trainees must do at least one transactional and one contentious seat. Overall, sources were happy about the process, noting that most tend to get one of their top three preferences.

There’s also an opportunity to do an international secondment, which are typically reserved for second years. They are “based around the firm’s international reach,” and locations reportedly include Doha, Singapore, Dubai, Paris and Seoul. Interested trainees submit a CV and cover letter, before interviewing with the partners in the team.

Real estate is one of the more common trainee destinations. The team covers developer matters, investment management, asset management and real estate finance, with a mix of corporate and high-end residential work filtering through. In one recent matter, the firm advised M&G Real Estate (M&G) on a £700 million joint venture with TPG Real Estate. Matters are regularly in the millions, but trainees still have plenty of opportunity to “run matters from start to finish, especially lease agreements.” Across the board, interviewees were satisfied at the level of responsibility, noting how “you’re given client contact straight away.” Other tasks for newbies include drafting leases and licences, due diligence, assisting with Land Registry applications, conducting research or taking part in business development tasks like writing articles. “It’s a real mixed bag,” said trainees and, although project management means there’s an admin side to the work, insiders were clear that “you’re encouraged to reach out to people and get involved in as many matters as you want.” As such, collaboration with other teams across the firm was also rated highly, with trainees finding themselves working with colleagues in finance, private equity and beyond.

“I’ve seen both sides as well as the whole lifecycle of a transaction, it meant I could get to grips with everything quickly.”

Private equity, we heard, is “more intense and fast-paced – so many deals are happening at once!” The team covers the likes of fund formation, secondaries, buy outs and exits as well as bolt on acquisitions. Trainees explained how they had the opportunity to see a mix: “I’ve seen both sides as well as the whole lifecycle of a transaction,” an interviewee recalled, “it meant I could get to grips with everything quickly.” The team advises a number of private equity firms, such as Bowmark Capital, Star Capital and Elysian Capital, as well as acting for founders, management teams and private equity portfolio companies across a wide range of deal values. Newbies do get their fair share of admin tasks, such as maintaining documents lists and making Companies House filings, but they are also involved in drafting board minutes and other documents, carrying out research and often have a key role to play in due diligence processes.  One insider explained how they “worked on multiple deals where I was helping manage that, which involved getting on client calls to run them through the process.”

SH offers a number of contentious seats as well, including one in corporate commercial disputes. The department works on a range of disputes across sectors – including energy, shipping, art and aviation. As a result, the client list is about as varied as you might imagine, with names including Soho Square Capital, Asda and M&S. The team also acted for Primer Design defending a £134 million COVID contracts claim brought by the government, which alleged that the quality of the company’s testing kits was not up to scratch, and pursuing a £70m counterclaim for unpaid invoices. Trainee tasks in the seat range from research reports to document review and disclosure: “The team paid attention to my experience and skills so gave me more difficult work to do with supervision.” For example, some get the chance to draft more significant case documents and get direct contact with clients. “It was encouraging to have that level of trust,” a trainee reflected, “Even though it’s a bigger team, everyone is still so close-knit and supportive.” It is also worth mentioning that there is a separate seat in international arbitration, where trainees get involved in things like research, client meetings and drafting.

Trainee Life

We heard that, as a general rule, “there’s no fixed time culture. Provided the work gets done, they don’t mind. Some days are busier than others, but I’ve personally never left later than 7pm.” Of course, hours can vary depending on the seat, week or trainee, but many found that the general setup was “reassuring. They tell me to go home and pick things back up tomorrow.” This meant many were also satisfied with the salary, gratefully telling us, “I feel well compensated. It can be tempting to compare to other firms but, relative to the hours I put in, I’m absolutely flattered.”

“…understanding, forgiving and human. It’s made it less daunting than it could have been.”

When it comes to culture, one trainee described it as “understanding, forgiving and human. It’s made it less daunting than it could have been.” Others were impressed by how approachable partners are and found that “you can pretty much ask anyone any question here. People quickly become familiar and friendly. There’s a culture of excellence. People are really good at what they do here, but they also listen to feedback and are extremely supportive.”

Most trainees are in the office three times a week, but those we spoke to suggested that it’s helpful to go in as much as possible. It certainly doesn’t hurt that a trip to the office comes with subsidised breakfasts and lunches, and nice scenery. “We’re right on the doorstep of Moorgate station,” a trainee explained, “It’s big but not a maze, and on multiple floors but doesn’t feel like a haunted house!” Others relished the fact that it’s a listed building, so “feels different compared to a lot of other firms which are glass-front skyscrapers.”

For those who do go in, there’s a fair number of social events to join, such as monthly firm-sponsored drinks which are reportedly very well attended. Other events include bake offs, puppy therapy, theatre trips, and the classic Christmas and summer parties. Trainees also organise their own fun and found that “there’s usually something happening every Thursday, whether that’s a trip to the pub or something – we’re very social.”

A number of the events at the firm centre around DEI, with week-long celebrations for festivals such as Diwali, or dinners and speaker events with affinity groups. These were certainly appreciated by trainees, who noted that “there’s recognition of different cultures and religions, and it’s really nice that the firm embraces them all.” While interviewees also recognised that there’s a way to go when it comes to representation, many were optimistic about how “it’s a lot more diverse than it used to be. You can see that the firm is really trying with recruitment, and that especially shows in the junior ranks.” Support was also mentioned as part of this, with insiders discussing mental health support options, such as an allowance of six free therapy sessions, and more informal support from senior lawyers: “For women in particular, there’s a network of female partners who have an open-door policy and are happy to discuss anything from parenting to climbing the career ladder.”

“When I make mistakes, they’ll assure me that they’ve made the same mistakes, too.”

Supervisors were another important source of support for trainees, who explained that “it’s a solid and transparent working relationship. You can have open conversations about what you’re doing, and they make an effort to give honest feedback so that you don’t feel blindsided.” Although individual experiences will naturally vary depending on the supervisor, most found that “as long as you have a good attitude, you’ll get along well. I can casually ask mine for work and feedback and, when I make mistakes, they’ll assure me that they’ve made the same mistakes, too.” One trainee even went so far as to say, “my supervisor and I are good friends! They understand that tasks aren’t always straightforward, so they’re really patient with me.”

Trainees are also invited to a number of training sessions to guide them through their TC. These include both department-specific and trainee-specific events: “There are sessions for the entire corporate group, for example, where you see people from adjacent practice areas. Then you have training sessions for your specific practice area, which has been every week or two for me. And, at the start of each seat, you’ll get more trainee-specific training – it’s packed.”

Interviewees were clear that qualification depends on their overall performance: “They rate you based on how you do across all four seats, not just the one you’re qualifying into.” First, a jobs list is released, with qualifiers invited to submit a CV and cover letter to the department they’d like to join. Insiders advised that “you can apply to as many as you like but be wary that if you apply to too many differing seats, you’d have to justify why.” After this, applications are reviewed and interviews take place, before final offers are made.

How to get a Stephenson Harwood training contract

Applications 

Stephenson Harwood receives around 1,700 applications for its placement scheme and another 1,650 direct training contract applications. Both types of application begin with the same online form, which asks candidates to list their academic credentials and other achievements.

Tests and assessment day 

The first stage is an online application form. Applicants will be asked about their education, any previous work experience and some longer answer questions that will delve into the motivations for applying and the skills they will bring to the role.

If the applicant passes the application form stage, they will be invited to complete the firm’s Future Potential Assessment. The Future Potential Assessment involves some numerical and verbal questions, as well as scenario-based reasoning. This is followed by an online video interview. It is noted that these assessments are not testing specific legal knowledge as applicants can have any degree background and level of prior legal experience. Instead, applicants are given scenarios that look at respondents' intellect and creativity to typical trainee scenarios.

The final stage is the assessment centre which consists of a half-day spent at the firm. The day’s agenda consists of a written activity, interview and a commercial awareness exercise – all of which is assessed by a partner and a member of HR.

The vacation scheme 

Stephenson Harwood runs three vacation schemes:, a two-week scheme in the spring, and two two-week placements over June and July. There's room for approximately twelve candidates on each, and participants are automatically considered for a training contract. Virtual open days are taking place in January 2026, with open days in the London office planned for December 2025. 

Each vacation scheme attendee is allocated a partner or associate supervisor, plus a trainee buddy they can approach for help or with questions. Alongside their assigned responsibilities, vacation scheme students attend presentations and strategy talks and take part in the aforementioned assessment day tasks. Attendees are also invited to various social events. 

The firm takes these assessments into account when deciding who gets a training contract offer, as well as feedback from candidates' supervisors and buddies.

The number of vacation scheme students who receive training contract offers varies year by year, , and the firm doesn't prioritise those who have taken part in a vacation scheme over other applicants.