Morrison Foerster is a leading global firm, with over 1,000 lawyers in key technology and finance centres in the US, Europe and Asia. In Europe we have a team of over 150 lawyers in our strategic hubs of London, Berlin and Brussels. We work alongside our colleagues in the US and Asia, drawing on cultural, jurisdictional and market knowledge to deliver the best advice and client service.

Dynamic technology and life sciences companies, some of the largest financial investors and financial institutions, leading consumer product companies, and other market leaders come to MoFo for our expertise, knowledge, advice, and individually tailored client service. We handle some of the world’s largest cross-border transactions and resolve some of the biggest disputes across multiple jurisdictions.

Our firm was built on, and continues to succeed, because of the talent of our lawyers and their innovative approach in the practice of law. We practice in a collegial environment where we value teamwork, diverse perspectives and employee wellbeing. As our nickname MoFo suggests, we take our work seriously but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

We are looking for dynamic and driven individuals who can display a genuine enthusiasm for a career in law and interest in our core London practices. At MoFo, we couldn’t write our own success story without yours. We collaborate as one firm across borders, practice areas and business functions, and value fresh ideas and innovation over conformity and competition.

In 2024, we will be running two, two-week summer vacation schemes from 17 June to 28 June and from 1 July to 12 July. Our vacation schemes provide insight into life at MoFo and offer the opportunity to consider whether we are the right firm for you. Summer associates will gain a good picture of how much responsibility our trainees are given; it’s also a chance to meet and learn more about our London-based attorneys and staff. The vacation scheme is our sole method of recruiting future trainees.

Our approach at Morrison Foerster enables trainees to start strong in their legal careers, with an induction that is carefully crafted to enhance professional and practical skills developed during formal education. This equips trainees with the essential tools to meet the needs of our colleagues across the firm and clients.   Trainees have access to a variety of mentors to guide them through new experiences and ongoing learning and development opportunities required to underpin their legal skills; from the initial trainee orientation sessions, regular skills-based training, significant daily responsibility and autonomy and contributions to our culture and future of the firm. This combined approach stretches trainees to develop the core skills and behaviours and understand the business of law to deliver exceptional client service on complex global matters.

The training period consists of four six-month seats, with the potential to complete overseas secondments in our Singapore and Brussels offices or with our clients. Seat options are subject to business and client needs at the time of the rotations and trainees are invited to identify particular areas of interest during seat allocation discussions.

During your training contract, you’ll have the opportunity to work in at least three distinct areas of law. Corporate M&A and litigation and dispute resolution are two of our core areas of practice in London, but there’s also a wide range of specialised practice areas to get involved in. These include: data privacy; employment; finance and banking; intellectual property; tax; technology transactions and more! Trainees have numerous opportunities to work with colleagues across the firm on both matters and pro bono projects.

Partners and associates at the firm are committed to supporting trainees to succeed, so you will receive plenty of formal and informal support including a trainee buddy (a second-year trainee), trainee supervisor (for each of the four seats) and trainee liaison. Your liaison will be a senior associate who will act as your mentor throughout the training contract, helping you to identify strengths, areas for development and stretch opportunities and offer personalised career guidance. There is an active mentoring programme, a formal evaluation and feedback process every quarter and career development workshops tailored to individual needs and interests. Trainees also have access to our health and wellbeing resources, such as a free subscription to the Calm app and a wealth of online information on our portal. In addition to the above, the attorney talent and trainee leadership team are a constant source of resources, guidance and support.

We will sponsor future MoFo trainees who are completing non-law subjects through the PgDL with The University of Law and offer the SQE+ programme (in addition to SQE1 and 2 preparation programmes) for all future MoFo trainees completing the SQE route.

Intentionally chosen for the breadth and depth of teaching expertise, understanding of our key practice areas and wider industry and sector developments, the collaboration ensures that all future trainees have the essential knowledge and commercial awareness for the next steps of their legal career with the firm and provide our future trainees with a well-rounded introduction to the practice and business of law.

Morrison Foerster is a place where you can be your personal and professional best; belonging and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do, a core value of our culture and our ethos. We are an international firm with a global diversity and inclusion strategy that is tailored to regional and local needs, while maintaining a one-firm approach, reflective of our people and the communities we serve.

Diversity in action

For over 40 years, MoFo has been committed to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment where everyone’s contributions are valued. It is essential to who we are as a firm. By each bringing our diverse experiences to work, we strengthen the quality of the service that we provide to our clients, the legal profession, and our communities.

We’ve been a long-time champion for diversity within the legal profession and take pride in our diverse workplace. We believe that lawyers with different backgrounds, interests and experiences work together to create better solutions and offer innovative perspectives for our clients. We continuously work to attract, develop and retain talented lawyers from all backgrounds.

Our London attorneys Brian Bates (senior counsel) and Trevor James (partner) sit on the firmwide diversity strategy committee, founded in 2003. The primary mission of which is to recommend major diversity goals and objectives to our board of directors. We also have a number of active London affinity groups that collaborate with regional and global colleagues to deliver initiatives that are important to us.

Affinity groups

Globally, MoFo has over 30 affinity groups that provide support networks and programming for various employee groups. In the London office specifically, we have affinity groups for members and allies of LGBTQ+, for women, and MoFo Together, which focuses on raising awareness and addressing some of the barriers facing underrepresented communities in the legal profession and beyond. Our senior women lawyers in London also play a role in the firm’s global women’s strategy committee, which works closely with firm leadership, including the firm’s chair, firmwide managing partners and board of directors, to ensure that the advancement of women is a constant strategic priority.

MoFo London’s active LGBTQ+ affinity group, MoFo Proud, brings together members of that community as well as its supporters. The LGBTQ+ affinity group provides a forum to discuss issues of concern to the LGBTQ+ community and works to advance networking opportunities within the London office and the broader firm, with clients and across the broader London business community. We’re proud that our chair emeritus was the first openly gay managing partner of an international law firm.

MoFo Together aims to address the barriers facing underrepresented communities (including ethnic minorities) by raising awareness and providing dedicated support to help every individual at Morrison Foerster live their potential. Valuing, respecting and celebrating cultural differences are fundamental to growing and sustaining a diverse workforce and improving the experience of underrepresented groups, and looking at the role that each MoFo colleague has as allies to support. MoFo Together seeks to do this, and more, by spearheading initiatives to create an inclusive workplace for all through four pillars of inclusion, education, empowerment, and representation.

MoFo Women holds regularly events addressing global topics and regional ones with a packed agenda of programmes for women and allies. Based on the four pillars, their strategic approach ensures that topics facing women in the profession now and in the future are explored and openly discussed to enhance the support needed and available.

For future trainees being sponsored through the PgDL or SQE by MoFo, full course and exam fees will be covered by the firm as well as a £15,000 maintenance grant for the PgDL and £17,000 maintenance grant for SQE to assist with living costs during study.

• Bankruptcy & restructuring
• Capital markets
• Competition/ antitrust & national security
• Corporate/M&A
• Data privacy
• Employment
• Financial transactions
• High-yield
• Intellectual Property
• Litigation
• Private equity real estate
• Real estate finance
• Tax
• Technology transactions

• Corporate & Commercial

• Austin
• Beijing
• Berlin
• Boston
• Brussels
• Denver
• Hong Kong
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• New York
• Palo Alto
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• Shanghai
• Singapore
• Tokyo
• Washington DC

• A4ID
• Asylum Aid UK
• Center for Reproductive Rights
• Not Beyond Redemption
• PILnet (Public Interest Law)
• Prime Advocates
• Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre
• The Chancery Lane Project
• TrustLaw Connect
• UK collaborative pro bono plan
• UnLtd
• Zacchaeus 2000 Trust

• Aspiring Solicitors
• InterLaw Diversity Forum
• MyGWork
• The Switch