Our lawyers are specialists in four highly regulated sectors; asset management and investment funds; financial institutions; healthcare and life sciences; and technology, media and telecommunications. Using their specialist skills to understand business, and the forces at play around it. All grounded in exceptional knowledge of the legal detail.

We’re a place of energy. Of thinking differently. Of taking action and delivering smarter solutions. A place where you can be free to be you. Where inherent curiosity leads to positive enquiry, challenge and question; where a commitment to continuous learning helps to deepen your understanding of colleagues and broaden your perspective on the world.

A place for ideas, skills, ambition and innovation. For supercharging personal growth and professional challenge. For powering success through trust, respect, integrity and an unwavering commitment to quality.

In a complex, demanding world, Simmons is somewhere that cuts through the noise to build the future. We’re a place of progress where you’ll discover so much more than the practice of law.

Discover what it’s like to be a trainee lawyer with one of our vacation schemes. Over one or two weeks in either Bristol or London, you’ll experience the work, the reach and the day-to-day buzz of our international firm. Throw yourself into this full programme of social events and work experience, and you’ll get a taste for our firm and the work we do, from research to drafting, and meetings to departmental training. 

Winter vacation scheme (London): A one-week scheme aimed specifically at final-year students and graduates of all disciplines. Applications open in September 2023.

Spring insight scheme (London): A two-day workshop for first-year students of all disciplines, as well as penultimate year non-law students. Applications open in December 2023.

Summer vacation scheme (London): A two-week scheme open to penultimate and final-year students and graduates of all disciplines. Applications open in October 2023.

Summer vacation scheme (Bristol): A two-week scheme open to penultimate and final-year students and graduates of all disciplines. Applications close on 15 February 2024. 

We offer training contracts in London and Bristol, where you’ll spend two years discovering the innovation and collaborative approach we’re known for. Ideally placed to build a long-term career, you’ll uncover a world of high-end clients and gain immediate exposure to some of their most complex challenges. As well as moving through four six-month seats across our practice areas, you’ll also benefit from the Compass programme; our unique and progressive trainee skills academy that offers a combination of practical learning and online tools designed to support your journey through to qualification.

We want to hear from ambitious and curious future lawyers, who are ready to leave their mark. We’re looking for university students who are on course for at least a 2:1 in any degree subject. That said, academic performance isn’t everything: that’s why we look for raw talent and potential throughout our assessment process.

We will cover your full tuition fees for law school and provide you with a maintenance grant. Those joining our Bristol office will be offered the option of studying in Bristol or London and those joining the London office will study in London.

Non law graduates will study BPP’s law conversion course called the Law Conversion Course (LCC), for which we will provide a maintenance grant of £7,500 in Bristol and £10,000 in London.

Trainees will complete the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) route to qualification. The SQE involves a one year preparatory course. The course is designed to support you through the SQE exams and ensure you have all the skills you need to hit the ground running during your training contract. During the SQE course we provide a maintenance grant of £10,000 in Bristol and £15,000 in London.

• Banking
• Corporate
• Debt
• Capital markets
• Financial services funds
• Financial services regulatory
• Digital business
• Energy
• Natural resources & infrastructure (ENRI)
• Real estate
• Structured finance & derivatives
• Corporate tax
• Employment
• Pensions & incentives
• Intellectual property
• Disputes & investigations
• Insurance & construction

• Corporate & Commercial
• General Commercial

• Amsterdam
• Beijing
• Bristol
• Brussels
• Cambridge
• Doha
• Dubai
• Dublin
• Dusseldorf
• Frankfurt
• Hong Kong
• Jeddah*
• London
• Luxembourg
• Madrid
• Milan
• Munich
• Paris
• Riyadh*
• San Francisco
• Shanghai
• Shenzhen
• Singapore
• Tokyo
• *Associated offices

• A4ID
• London Legal Support Trust (LLST)
• Prisoners’ Advice Service
• Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre
• TrustLaw Connect

• #10000BlackInterns
• 10000 Able Interns
• Aspiring Solicitors
• Bright Network
• Rare Recruitment
• Stonewall