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Training contract (England & Wales)

Join us on a direct training contract, with a two-week CMS Academy before you start. You’ll work across different practice groups, alongside our lawyers, covering at least three distinct areas of law.

About the training contract

Applications open 1 October 2026

Our training contract is designed to help you build the legal, commercial and professional skills needed to thrive as a solicitor. Through our direct route, you’ll join a firm that’s collaborative, ambitious and focused on delivering high-quality work for clients. Before you start, you’ll take part in CMS Academy – our pre-joining programme that introduces you to the business of law, our clients, our people and the way we work.

Once you start, you’ll typically complete four six-month seats over two years, gaining experience across different practice areas and working alongside lawyers at all levels. You’ll be trusted with meaningful work, expected to take ownership of your development, and supported to build the judgement, confidence and commercial awareness to make a strong contribution. Because here, your growth and the firm’s go hand in hand.

Duration

Two-year programme

Locations

Bristol, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield

Opportunities for international secondments (restrictions permitting).

Eligibility

Law students in their penultimate or final year of study

Non-law students in their final year of study

Graduates and postgraduate students from both law and non-law backgrounds

Career changers looking to build a career in the legal profession

Application deadlines

Applications open Thursday 1st October 2026.

Register your interest for future programmes, sign up here 

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What to expect

Broad legal experience

You’ll work across different practice groups, developing a rounded understanding of our sectors, clients and the role lawyers play in helping organisations navigate change.

Meaningful responsibility

From client meetings to live matters, you’ll gain practical experience that helps you build judgement, confidence and accountability.

Performance-focused development

Courses, lectures, technical workshops and on-the-job learning will help you build strong foundations and keep improving throughout the programme.

Support and feedback

You’ll have a seat supervisor, access to the Emerging Talent team and support from the trainee representative committee, with guidance and feedback to help you perform at your best.

Wider opportunities

There may be opportunities to undertake a client secondment, an international secondment or a secondment to another CMS office, subject to business need and availability.

About CMS Academy

CMS Academy is our flagship pre-joining programme and one of the ways we invest in our next generation of talent before the training contract begins. Across two weeks, you’ll take part in a Business of Law development programme and spend time within your chosen CMS office.

You’ll explore the commercial context in which we work, meet clients, work on live matters and build relationships with partners, colleagues and future trainees. CMS Academy is designed to help you understand the expectations of a high-performing legal environment and feel part of CMS from the beginning.

What's the next step?

Before you start your training contract, we will sponsor your studies and pay you a maintenance grant while you complete your Solicitors Qualification Examinations (SQE). If you are studying or have a non-law degree, we’ll sponsor your Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) and subsequent SQE. These will be completed prior to your Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).

Salary and benefits

Location

Salary

Bristol

First-year trainee (£43,000), Second-year trainee (£45,000), Newly-qualified (£76,500)

Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool

First-year trainee (£33,000), Second-year trainee (£35,000), Newly-qualified (£68,000)

London

First-year trainee (£50,000), Second-year trainee (£55,000), Newly-qualified (£120,000)

If you are offered a training contract with us, you will receive the following grants:

Contract

Grant

LPC or SQE

£15,000 (London) and £13,000 (studying outside London)

PGDL

£15,000 (London) and £13,000 (studying outside London)

Application process

The route to securing a training contract with CMS is through an assessment day. If successful, you’ll be offered a direct training contract and enrolled on CMS Academy before you start. The process is designed to understand your motivation, commercial awareness, judgement and potential to contribute in a collaborative, high-performing firm. Here’s what you can expect at each stage.

Online application form

Online application form

Tell us about your education, experience and motivation for applying to CMS. We’re looking for clear, considered answers that show you’ve researched the firm and understand the opportunity.

Critical thinking test

Critical thinking test

A short online test focused on analytical and problem solving skills. No legal knowledge is required, and a practice test is available.

Video interview

Video interview

A 15-minute video interview where you’ll respond to a set of pre recorded questions.

Assessment day

Assessment day

An in-person half day at one of our offices, including exercises designed to explore your motivation, judgement, collaboration and potential. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet people from across the firm and learn more about life at CMS.

Any other questions?

Take a look at our FAQs page