How to Apply - Boodle Hatfield

Your lawyers since 1722

How to Apply

Applying for a Training Contract

You are now able to submit your application for our 2024 Vacation Scheme and 2026 Training Contract via the ‘Apply Here’ link below.

If you have additional needs and requirements due to a medical reason, disability or social economic reason that prevent you from completing the online application form in its current format please contact our graduate recruiter Jenny Sanghera, to discuss alternative arrangements or provisions for you.

The initial process for submitting an application for the Vacation Scheme and Training Contract is the same. This involves completing the application form which can be found below.

Apply here

For candidates who are interested in applying to both the Vacation Scheme and a Training Contract, you are very welcome to apply to this at the same time. If your Vacation Scheme application is not successful it will not impact your application for a Training Contract.

Should you apply for your Training Contract early to meet the Vacation Scheme deadline you are still able to log into your application form any time before the Training Contract deadline to add additional information. Please do this if you secure further work experience, attend additional industry events or receive additional academic results.

Please be aware that we do not recruit on a rolling basis and all interviews take place after the relevant deadline has passed.

Applications are welcome from students of all disciplines. The earliest an application can be made for a Training Contract is in your penultimate year of your Law degree or final year of your degree for non-law students, we do welcome applications from candidates who are past this stage too. We seek candidates who can evidence overall strong academics and our minimum entry requirement is an obtained or expected 2.1 in either a law or non-law degree. We do not have a minimum A-level grade requirement but we do ask that you submit this information so we can see your areas of interest at school and build a picture of your academic progress as you continued your studies.

We do not electronically pre-screen application forms, each form is considered on its own merit. Every candidate has a different journey and experience which has brought them to the point of submitting an application to us and we welcome this diversity. We ask that you take the time to add further information where applicable to help us better understand you as an individual and your pathway to us. This is particularly relevant if you are applying later than your penultimate year of your Law degree or final year of your degree for non-law students, if your academic results have been anything other than consistently high, or if you have not gained much legal work experience.

More information about a Training Contract at Boodle Hatfield can be found in our graduate recruitment brochure below.

Graduate Recruitment brochure

Training Contract 2026

Application deadlines
1 November 2023 to 31 January 2024 – 2024 Vacation Scheme
1 November 2023 to 19 June 2024 – Apply for 2026 Training Contract
15 to 25 July 2024 – Attend Summer Scheme
Up to August 2026 – Complete remaining legal studies
September 2026 – Training Contract Commences

Selection Process
The selection process for 2026 Training Contracts will be held during July/August 2024.

If your application has been shortlisted you will be invited to an assessment centre. This will involve a visit to the London office, an interview with two Partners, an interview with our HR Director, and an ability test in verbal reasoning. You will also have the opportunity to take a tour of our London office, meet some of our current trainees and ask them any questions about what it is like to train at Boodle Hatfield in a relaxed setting.

We feel that when our candidates are comfortable they perform at their best and we get to see the real individual. Our Partners and HR Director are experienced in graduate recruitment and set out to make the interview an enjoyable conversation for both parties from the outset. We are keen to get to know you and see how you will fit into our firm. We also want you to leave our offices with a clear idea about whether Boodle Hatfield is a firm you can see yourself training in and progressing though your career.

Study
Once you have been offered a Training Contract, you need to complete your studies.

PGDL
Students who have not completed a qualifying law degree will be required to complete the PGDL, we will sponsor future trainees who are still to complete their PGDL.

SQE
We will sponsor future trainees to complete the SQE exams and attend our preferred preparation courses. We recommend that our trainees attend the SQE preparation courses at BPP at any of their sites (London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Cambridge, Manchester).

Training Contract
You will join Boodle Hatfield in September 2026 and undertake your two year Training Contract.

If you have any queries on our Trainee Programme please contact Jenny Sanghera, Graduate Recruiter on jsanghera@boodlehatfield.com.