King & Spalding

Overview

King & Spalding is a top-tier global law firm with a strong US base and an international platform, known for high-value cross-border transactional and disputes work. Founded in Atlanta in 1885, the firm emphasises an uncompromising approach to quality and services clients from industry-leading practices in key business and financial centres. With market-leading offerings across corporate, finance, disputes, IP and regulatory practices, the firm positions itself “on the ground where our clients need us to be,” deploying integrated, multi-office teams on complex matters.

• Headquarters: Atlanta, 1180 Peachtree Street NE
• Founded: 1885
• Lawyers: 1,300
• Offices: 26

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Capital Markets
• Corporate & M&A
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• Investment Funds
• Banking & Finance
• Employment
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Real Estate
• Tax
• Technology & Digital
• Intellectual Property
• Competition & Antitrust
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• International Arbitration
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• ESG & Sustainability
• Financial Services & Regulation
• Pensions

Geographic Focus: Deeply rooted in the United States with a flagship Atlanta office and a broad international platform of 26 offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The firm focuses on major financial and business centres and deploys multi-office teams on cross-border work, positioning itself to serve global corporate clients in complex transactions, litigation, regulatory and industry-specific matters.

Training Contract

London-based trainee programme with multiple seats across practice areas; trainees gain experience in London and can take seats in other offices. The firm emphasises rotational seat exposure and hands-on training paired with advisors and structured professional development (seminars, retreats, practice meetings).

• Academic Requirements: Welcomes applications from law graduates and non-law graduates (the firm funds MA conversion for non-law graduates). Applicants should demonstrate motivation, intellectual curiosity, innovative thinking and initiative.
• Application Deadline: 2026-03-30

Seat Options

• Banking & Finance
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Finance
• International Arbitration
• International Trade
• Islamic Finance (Middle East practice)
• Corporate & M&A
• Real Estate
• Tax
• Employment

Sponsorship

Financial sponsorship of the MA conversion (for non-law graduates) and SQE, plus maintenance, will be offered to successful London trainee candidates.

SQE Support

Financial sponsorship of SQE is offered to successful London trainee candidates (the firm confirms SQE support will be provided but does not publish amounts).

International Opportunities

London trainees may take seats in other offices; the programme explicitly states trainees gain experience in London and other offices and that summer associates have opportunities to visit other offices to leverage the firm's global platform.

Mentorship

Trainees and summer associates are paired with advisors and receive hands-on coaching; the summer programme pairs participants with advisors and includes weekly professional development and a Summer Summit. The firm also runs formal mentoring and leadership development programmes (associate retreats, mid-level leadership coaching, partner leadership development).

Apply on the King & Spalding website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What King & Spalding Looks For

Key Competencies

• Intellectual curiosity
• Commercial awareness
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Initiative and drive
• Communication skills (clear, business-focused advice)
• Resilience and willingness to handle high-value work
• International mindset / cross-border adaptability

Evidence Signals

• Relevant commercial or transactional work experience (including summer associate placements)
• Pro bono involvement and community engagement
• Demonstrable commercial awareness referencing client sectors (e.g., fintech, energy, healthcare)
• International experience or interest in working across offices
• Demonstrable leadership in extracurricular or affinity-group activities

Benefits & Wellbeing

• MA conversion and SQE sponsorship and maintenance for successful London trainee candidates
• Summer associate pay: $4,326 per week (US Summer Program)
• Global platform with opportunities to visit and take seats in other offices
• Structured mentoring and advisor pairing for trainees and summer associates
• Formal professional development (seminars, retreats, academies, Summer Summit)
• Affinity groups and inclusion networks across 26 offices
• Pro bono and community service programmes (thousands of community service hours firmwide)

Wellbeing

Firmwide wellbeing and inclusion activity is supported through affinity groups, training on allyship and firm seminars; many offices emphasise pro bono engagement and community support.

Awards & Recognition

• A Top 15 “Global Elite” Firm - The American Lawyer
• King & Spalding Earns 230 Lawyer Rankings, 106 Practice Group Rankings in Chambers USA Guide (June 4, 2026)
• Legal 500 EMEA 2026 Ranks King & Spalding among the Top Firms in Europe, the Middle East and Africa
• Fintech Practice Group of the Year - Law360
• California Tech Litigation Department of the Year - The Recorder 2024
• Top-ranked Fintech Law Firm – Chambers USA FinTech Legal Guide 2025
• Recommended in Managing IP Annual Guide (2024)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Public equal employment statement committing to equal opportunity and non-discrimination; financial support for MA conversion and SQE for successful London trainee candidates as part of recruitment commitments.

• Affinity Groups (examples include African American Attorneys, Armed Forces Attorney Coalition, Asian Attorneys, First Generation Professionals, Flex-Time/Part-Time Attorneys, LGBTQ+ Attorneys, Differently Abled Attorneys, Firmwide Women’s Alliance)
• Firmwide programmes on allyship, leadership development and inclusive career progression

Pro Bono

The firm emphasises a strong pro bono and community focus: pro bono work advances fundamental human rights and the firm contributes thousands of community service hours annually. The Houston office reports more than 7,000 hours of legal services donated since 2001; firmwide pro bono initiatives support immigrants, indigent clients and other vulnerable groups.

Innovation

The firm invests in practice-led innovation, combining market-facing Innovation Protection and Technology Transactions teams to support commercialization, IP enforcement and tech-enabled deals. The Innovation Protection practice provides innovation management and litigation services (including alternative fee arrangements and a resource ecosystem) and the Technology Transactions team advises on licensing, SaaS, infrastructure and digital deals; trainees and lawyers engage through cross-practice teams on AI, blockchain and data-centre matters.

• Innovation Protection practice (innovation management and litigation services)
• Technology Transactions team advising on commercialisation, licensing, cloud, cybersecurity, AI and blockchain matters
• Cross-office tech-enabled teams supporting data centre, AI and fintech work

Quick Application Angles

• Reference the firm’s values and client-service principles (e.g., “Uncompromising Quality. Excellent Service. Respect for Others.”) and give examples of how you deliver high-quality, client-focused outcomes.
• Demonstrate commercial awareness of a recent K&S matter (for example, the HCM IV $250m IPO, Weatherford acquisition work, or the Skillz Lanham Act victory) and explain what legal/commercial issues you would prioritise.
• Emphasise cross-office mobility and global teamwork—highlight any international experience and willingness to take seats in other offices, aligning with the firm’s ‘on the ground where our clients need us to be’ approach.
• If applying in the UK, note the firm’s training sponsorship (MA conversion and SQE support) and explain how you will use that support to contribute to practice quickly; this signals both commitment and fit.
• Use concrete examples of mentorship and collaboration (e.g., times you coached or were coached, multi-person projects) to match the firm’s emphasis on advisor pairing and structured development.