Osborne Clarke

Overview

Osborne Clarke is a future-focused international legal practice advising clients across technology, media & telecommunications, energy & energy transition, life sciences & healthcare and other industry sectors. The firm combines a strong cross-border platform (with major hubs in the UK, continental Europe, the US and Asia) and market-leading sector teams in digital regulation, TMT, ESG and energy. Its offering is supported by a dedicated transformation/solutions capability (Osborne Clarke Solutions) and subscription/horizon-scanning products for clients navigating fast-moving regulatory change.

• Headquarters: London
• Lawyers: 1690+
• Trainees: 30
• Offices: 26

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Technology & Digital
• Media & Entertainment
• Corporate & M&A
• Banking & Finance
• Energy & Natural Resources
• ESG & Sustainability
• Intellectual Property
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Real Estate
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Employment
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Environment & Planning
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• Tax
• Financial Services & Regulation

Geographic Focus: Osborne Clarke operates across the UK, continental Europe, the US and Asia with a sector-led approach. The firm’s strategy targets technology and digital hubs (including the US West Coast and European tech centres) while providing local-market legal capability across 25–26 offices. International work is delivered via national member firms and specialist international groups, with dedicated teams for EU regulatory work, digital regulation and ESG across major jurisdictions.

Training Contract

Information on formal seat rotation specifics (number of seats and seat lengths) is not listed in the provided material. The firm's training pipeline is fed by structured vacation schemes and insight programmes; apprenticeships and solutions roles combine formal study with workplace placements. Trainees and apprentices receive a dedicated line manager and buddy support and access the firm's HR and career development resources.)

• Starting Salary: Year 1: £55,000; Year 2: £57,500
• NQ Salary: £97,000
• Trainee Intake: 30
• Academic Requirements: Minimum A-level requirement: No minimum. Minimum degree requirement: No minimum. (Apprenticeship routes specify ABB at A level for the Solutions apprenticeship intake; many graduate routes accept non-law graduates and the firm emphasises inclusive recruitment and accessibility.)
• Application Deadline: 15 January 2026

Sponsorship

PGDL/PGDL grant: £11,000; SQE grant: £15,000. (Apprenticeship and Solutions programmes may also cover tuition: e.g., the Legal Technology Apprenticeship covers BPP tuition fees.)

SQE Support

SQE grant: £15,000 (published trainee support figure).

International Opportunities

Chance of secondment abroad: 4% (reported trainee secondment percentage). The firm highlights international opportunities across its member firms in Europe, the US and Asia; Solutions and international client teams offer overseas project and career mobility.

Client Secondments

Reported chance of client secondment: 19% (percentage from trainee survey data).

Mentorship

Apprenticeship and Solutions pages describe a dedicated line manager and a paired 'buddy' to support day-to-day integration, plus a Student Manager and Personal Tutor at the training-provider for degree apprenticeships. Trainees are supported by internal networks, Mental Health Champions and structured HR/career development programmes.

Apply on the Osborne Clarke website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Osborne Clarke Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness
• Effective communication
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Curiosity and creativity
• Resilience and willingness to learn from failure
• Attention to detail
• Client focus and service orientation
• Interest in technology and digital regulation (for TMT / Solutions roles)

Evidence Signals

• Commercial internships or work experience (including vacation schemes and insight days)
• Technology, data or engineering projects for Solutions and legal tech roles
• Pro bono and volunteering (refugee/charity experience is relevant given the firm's partnerships)
• Sector-specific exposure (TMT, energy, ESG or life sciences experience)
• International experience or language skills for cross-border work
• Academic performance and relevant apprenticeship/degree programme outcomes (e.g., BPP apprenticeship applicants: ABB at A Level preferred for the Solutions apprenticeship)

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Trainee salary Year 1: £55,000
• Trainee salary Year 2: £57,500
• NQ salary: £97,000
• PGDL/PGDL grant: £11,000
• SQE grant: £15,000
• Annual leave: 26 days (plus option to buy or sell up to one working week)
• Performance bonus scheme and eligibility for LTIP
• Profit share scheme (when financial targets are hit)
• Recognition awards and long-service rewards (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 years)
• Octopus Money coaching (1:1 money coach session) and optional paid 12-month programme
• Workplace ISAs via Cushon
• Free mortgage advisory service (London & Country Mortgages)
• Company-funded life assurance of 4x salary; optional spouse/partner cover
• Pension contributions start at 3% with a 5% employer contribution (up to a maximum employer contribution of 8%)
• Company-funded cancer pre-screening via Reframe and access to Check4Cancer tests
• Critical illness cover: company-provided £10,000 lump-sum
• Private medical insurance (company-funded single cover; options to extend to family/couple)
• Dental cover options at preferential rates
• Eye tests every two years (contribution up to £49 for PC glasses)
• Health assessments via Bupa at reduced corporate rates
• Virtual GP access for employees and family
• Employee assistance programme (EAP) and HelloSelf therapy sessions
• Fertility and family-forming support via Fertifa (up to 3 company-funded consultations; hormone test/gender affirmation assessment; interest-free loan up to £10,000 for eligible treatment)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Car leasing scheme (salary sacrifice model) including electric cars
• Season ticket loans (6–12 months repayment via payroll)
• Retail and lifestyle discounts via Boostworks
• ThermaFY energy efficiency discounts for home surveys
• Give As You Earn payroll giving

Wellbeing

Comprehensive wellbeing support including an independent employee assistance programme (24/7), HelloSelf therapy sessions, Mental Health Champions in UK offices, virtual GP, cancer screening/support, health assessments, financial wellbeing coaching, parental coaching for family leave and access to WorkLife Central wellbeing content and pulse surveys.

Awards & Recognition

• LexisNexis Legal Awards 2024 - Award for Diversity and Inclusion (winner)
• azur Awards 2024 - Innovation Award (Germany)
• Legal Cheek Awards 2024 - Firm of the Year (winner)
• Legal 500 ESG Awards 2024 - Two trophies including Women in Law: Best Initiative and LGBTQ+ Initiative of the Year (winner)
• Mindful Business Charter wellbeing award - Sustained Commitment to Meaningful Change (winner)
• GDR 100 2024 - Ranked number one European-headquartered legal practice for data work and number six overall
• The Times Best Law Firms 2024 - Commended in eight practice areas
• Apprenticeship Awards - Shortlisted for Apprentice Employer of the Year
• British Diversity Awards 2024 - Shortlisted for Diversity Team of the Year

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Osborne Clarke For Good (firm responsible business programme); PRIME membership; SBTi validation for near- and long-term commitments; public commitments on D&I through Race and Gender Action Plans; Age-Friendly Employer Pledge; active charity and pro bono partnerships.

• Refugee Aid Action Group
• Partnership with SolidariTee
• Race Action Plan
• OC5050 (Gender Action Plan)
• Wellbeing at Work Strategy
• Age-Friendly Employer Pledge
• OC Pride (LGBTIQ+ network)
• Women in Partnership
• Mental Health Champions
• Breaking Barriers (refugee employment support)
• Care 4 Calais partnership
• PRIME membership (access and socio-economic diversity initiatives)
• Responsible Business team / Osborne Clarke For Good

Pro Bono

The firm runs an active Refugee Aid Action Group and works with SolidariTee, Care 4 Calais and Breaking Barriers to provide legal aid, mentorship and funding for NGOs supporting refugees and asylum seekers. The partnership with SolidariTee includes events, volunteer coaching and direct funding to legal aid NGOs; the firm promotes pro bono via internal action groups and encourages varied levels of volunteering involvement.

Innovation

The firm invests in a dedicated solutions and legal engineering team (Osborne Clarke Solutions) to design technology-enabled legal products and client delivery tools. It offers horizon-scanning and subscription platforms (OC Futurescape) to track regulatory change, hosts topic-specific programmes and webinars (Digital Regulation Download, WAVE) and develops client-facing tools to operationalise legal obligations. Apprentices and Solutions team members work on product development, data and software-enabled projects with exposure to AI and product delivery methodologies.

• Osborne Clarke Solutions (OCS)
• OC Futurescape (subscription/horizon-scanning product)
• WAVE (emerging legal trends in digitalisation publication)
• Digital Regulation Download webinars and Digital Regulatory Timeline
• UPC decision tracker
• Use of AI and legal-technology toolkits within Solutions and client projects

Quick Application Angles

• Demonstrate commercial awareness of digital regulation (mentioning the Digital Omnibus / AI Omnibus themes or the firm’s Digital Regulation Timeline) — the firm is heavily focused on digital regulatory work in TMT.
• If applying to Solutions or Legal Technology roles, highlight practical tech skills and outcomes (coding, data projects, product work or BPP degree/apprenticeship evidence) — the firm runs an in-house Solutions team and a Legal Technology Apprenticeship.
• Reference the firm's ESG and responsible-business credentials (Osborne Clarke For Good, SBTi validation and carbon/nature work) and explain how you would help clients navigate ESG law or greenwashing risk.
• Mention engagement with pro bono or refugee-focused work (SolidariTee, Refugee Aid Action Group) if relevant — the firm values demonstrable social-impact involvement.
• Show that you can thrive in a collaborative, international environment: give examples of teamwork, cross-border projects or language skills and cite experience working with regulators or in highly regulated sectors.