Gowling WLG
Overview
Gowling WLG is a sector-focused international full-service law firm with a pronounced cross-border platform across Canada, the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm positions itself on sector expertise (energy, financial services, life sciences, natural resources, infrastructure, real estate and technology) combined with a strong innovation agenda and client-facing technology solutions. The firm highlights more than 1,500 legal professionals globally, significant directory recognition (individual rankings in Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500) and a large pro bono and responsible-business programme that underpins its market reputation.
- Lawyers: 1,500+ legal professionals
- Trainees: 25
- Offices: 20
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Banking & Finance
- Capital Markets
- Commercial Contracts
- Competition & Antitrust
- Construction & Engineering
- Corporate & M&A
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Employment
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Environment & Planning
- ESG & Sustainability
- Financial Services & Regulation
- Fraud & Investigations
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Infrastructure & Projects
- Insolvency & Restructuring
- Insurance & Reinsurance
- Intellectual Property
- International Arbitration
- Investment Funds
- Pensions
- Public Law
- Real Estate
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Retail & Consumer
- Tax
- Technology & Digital
- Transport & Logistics
Geographic Focus: A cross‑border firm with deep roots in Canada and a major UK presence (notably London, Birmingham and Leeds), Gowling WLG services clients across Europe (offices/coverage in Brussels, France, Germany and wider continental networks), the Middle East (UAE), Asia and global markets. The firm leverages on‑the‑ground sector specialists supplemented by alliances, 'best friend' firms and regional desks to execute large multi-jurisdictional transactions and projects.
Training Contract
A two‑year training contract (qualifying work experience under the SQE route) comprised of four six‑month rotations (‘seats’) across core practice groups. Seats combine contentious and non‑contentious experience; trainees receive structured mid‑seat and end‑seat reviews, a partner principal who coordinates development and regular cohort-based enrichment and feedback sessions.
- Starting Salary: Year 1: £48,500 (London) / £33,000 (Birmingham); Year 2: £53,500 (London) / £36,000 (Birmingham)
- NQ Salary: £105,000
- Trainee Intake: 25
- Academic Requirements: No minimum A‑Level requirement. No minimum degree requirement.
- Application Deadline: 19 November 2025
Seat Options
- Housing Development and Regeneration
- Commercial Development and Investment
- Planning
- Banking
- Corporate
- Financial Services and Funds
- Public Companies and Capital Markets
- Commercial Litigation
- Intellectual Property
- Non-contentious Construction
- Contentious Construction
- Energy Transition
- Infrastructure and Projects
- Pensions
Sponsorship
PGDL/PGDL grant: £7,000. SQE grant: £7,000. (Figures taken from supplementary data reported alongside the firm pages.)
SQE Support
The firm provides SQE financial support (SQE grant indicated at £7,000) alongside study support; further specific provider names are not listed on the pages provided.
International Opportunities
The firm offers international secondment opportunities and highlights international experience as part of career progression. (LegalCheek figures indicate ~10% chance of an overseas secondment.)
Mentorship
Each trainee is assigned a partner principal for ongoing review and career guidance plus seat supervisors. The programme uses structured feedback forms at mid‑seat and end‑seat with input from multiple team members; trainees also have cohort peer support and enrichment activities.
Programmes & Schemes
Immersive vacation schemes run in the London and Birmingham offices, placing participants in core practice areas (Real Estate Group, Corporate, Finance & Tax, Dispute Resolution Group and Commercial, Employment & Pensions) with assessment for training contracts. The selection process includes application form, online task assessment, video interview and an immersive assessment centre (held January/February). Applications open in September and close in November each year.
- Deadline: TBC
Progression route from Paralegal Apprenticeship to Solicitor Apprenticeship leading to a Law degree (LLB) and completion of the SQE exams; allows candidates to qualify as solicitors without incurring university debt. The programme combines workplace learning, formal study and SQE preparation.
- Deadline: TBC
One‑day insight event (London) welcoming around 40 Year 12 students as part of King's College London's K+ outreach programme to widen participation in law; includes office experience, routes into law and engagement with lawyers across the firm.
- Duration: 1 day
- Places: Around 40
As a PRIME signatory the firm offers a week's work experience in Birmingham and London for Year 12 students from lower socio‑economic backgrounds (typically 10 students in each office) as part of social mobility commitments.
- Duration: 1 week
- Places: 10 (per office)
Notable Matters
Advised Royal London Asset Management Property on the acquisition of a 50% stake (via a joint venture with British Land) in the 1 Triton Square office development, a £192.5 million transaction to transform the Regent's Place scheme.
Real Estate
Advised the Government Property Agency and the Department for Science Innovation and Technology on the acquisition and development of a new headquarters for the ECMWF at the University of Reading, covering the project's acquisition and development documentation and associated public-sector interfaces.
Real Estate
Advised on the acquisition of a c.250,000 sq. ft. Central London office building (executed by share purchase of the Lux s.a.r.l owning the asset) – recorded as the largest Central London office transaction in 2024.
Real Estate
Acted as lead international legal adviser to the IFC advising the governments of Kenya and Uganda on the joint concessioning of their railway systems, a major infrastructure mandate recognised in market awards.
Infrastructure & Projects
Advising the EEHC and the IFC on the development, design, construction, financing and maintenance aspects of a US$2.5 billion, 2,250MW combined‑cycle gas turbine power generation project in Dairut, Egypt.
Energy & Natural Resources
Advising Virtus Data Centres on customer relationships including agreements with hyperscalers, drafting standard colocation terms and negotiating outsourcing and facilities management arrangements.
Technology & Digital
Advised Lloyd's Register on outsourcing core business functions (IT managed services, payroll, accounting) to create a shared services function for the group, addressing regulatory and commercial considerations.
Commercial Contracts
Advised lenders (HSBC, Standard Chartered, Nedbank and the IFC) on the US$500 million financing of Petroceltic plc, including multi‑jurisdictional project and asset considerations.
Banking & Finance
What Gowling WLG Looks For
Key Competencies
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Commercial awareness and sector focus
- Attention to detail
- Resilience and adaptability
- Client service and communication skills
- Intellectual curiosity and drive
- Innovation and willingness to engage with legal tech
Evidence Signals
- Relevant commercial or sector work experience (e.g., internships, paralegal work)
- Pro bono involvement or community engagement
- Participation in apprenticeships or alternative qualification routes
- Demonstrable commercial awareness (deal commentary or sector insight)
- Evidence of teamwork (group projects, team sports, societies) and client-facing experience
- Technical/IT or legal-tech exposure for technology-focused teams
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Year 1 trainee salary: £48,500 (London) / £33,000 (Birmingham)
- Year 2 trainee salary: £53,500 (London) / £36,000 (Birmingham)
- NQ salary: £105,000
- PGDL/PGDL grant: £7,000
- SQE grant: £7,000
- Competitive employer pension contribution
- Private medical insurance
- Permanent health insurance (income protection)
- Life assurance (four times annual salary)
- Option to purchase an extra week's leave
- Paid volunteering leave
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
- Access to virtual GP appointments
- Wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives
- Agile and flexible working policy (Agile+)
- Paid volunteering leave
Wellbeing
Wide-ranging wellbeing initiatives including virtual GP appointments, paid volunteering leave, health and wellbeing programmes and dedicated L&D support; the firm also highlights resilience and career‑development workshops in its launch and milestone programmes.
Awards & Recognition
- 1,500+ legal professionals in seven countries (firm statement)
- 141 individual rankings in Chambers & Partners (firm statement)
- 109 individual rankings in The Legal 500 (firm statement)
- Great Place to Work Institute's Best Workplaces (listed for 25 years on firm pages)
- The Legal Charter 1.5 – 'Best Environmental / Sustainability Strategy' (2025)
- Featured in The Legal 500 UK Green Guide (2025)
- Fiona Nicholls listed in The Lawyer Hot 100
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Signatory to PRIME; long‑standing KIND partnership; apprenticeship pipeline to improve socio‑economic access and representation; firm‑wide DEI strategies focused on education, community building and advancement.
- PRIME (signatory) – social mobility work placements
- KCL K+ insight day
- KIND (Kids‑In‑Need of‑Defense) partnership
- Windrush compensation project (with United Legal Access and Southwark Law Centre)
- Paralegal & Solicitor Apprenticeship programmes (widening access)
- Professional skills volunteering for charities and non‑profits
Pro Bono
Structured pro bono programme (7,406 hours in FY2024/25) with key partnerships including KIND and local law centres; projects include immigration/citizenship work for undocumented children, Windrush compensation claims, and professional skills volunteering for charities.
Innovation
The firm operates cross‑disciplinary client solutions and innovation teams that use design thinking and technologies (AI, natural language processing, machine learning, document assembly and workflow automation) to build both partnerships with start‑ups and bespoke internal solutions. Examples include Saturn for brand protection and a competition‑law dawn‑raid app; lawyers are encouraged to ideate practical tools to solve client problems and these are scaled through the firm's development capability.
- Saturn (online brand protection platform)
- Competition law dawn raid web app
- ThinkHouse (in‑house lawyer programme)
- Internal software development capabilities and client solutions teams
- Use of AI, NLP and workflow automation across client solutions
Quick Application Angles
- Reference the firm's sector focus (energy, infrastructure, tech, real estate) in your application and cite a recent firm matter or insight (for example BNG or energy transactions) to show commercial awareness.
- Highlight collaboration and team examples: the firm emphasises teamwork and partner supervision (partner principal model) — use concrete examples of working in multidisciplinary teams.
- Show interest in innovation and tech: mention Gowling WLG’s client solutions such as Saturn or the dawn‑raid app and explain how you would engage with legal‑tech tools.
- If applying for a UK seat, mention experience or interest in cross‑border work (Canada/Europe/Middle East) and international secondments — the firm values global mobility.
- Emphasise commitment to social mobility/DEI or pro bono (PRIME, KCL K+ or KIND) if you have relevant outreach/volunteering experience; the firm prioritises responsible business.
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