Watson Farley & Williams LLP

Overview

Watson Farley & Williams is an international, sector‑focused law firm specialising in energy, infrastructure and transport. Founded as an asset finance boutique for maritime and aviation in 1982, the firm has expanded into large cross‑border projects and transactional work while retaining deep sector expertise and integrated global teams. With an international network rooted in local knowledge, WFW is known for advising on high‑value, complex transactions and disputes across its core sectors and for investing in innovation tools (for example its GARI aviation analytics index).

• Headquarters: London, 15 Appold Street
• Founded: 1982
• Lawyers: 700+ lawyers (2023/24)
• Partners: 200+ partners
• Trainees: 19
• Offices: 19
• Revenue: £214.7m

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Energy & Natural Resources
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Transport & Logistics
• Shipping & Maritime
• Capital Markets
• Banking & Finance
• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Construction & Engineering
• Real Estate
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Employment
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Tax
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• ESG & Sustainability
• International Arbitration
• Intellectual Property

Geographic Focus: WFW operates through a network of 19 offices across 15 countries with particular strength in Europe (UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Greece), Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Hanoi, Bangkok), the US (New York), the Middle East (Dubai) and Australia (Sydney). The firm delivers cross-border, sector-focused advice in energy, infrastructure and transport, leveraging local market knowledge and integrated teams for pan‑jurisdictional transactions and disputes.

Training Contract

Two-year training contract comprising six four-month seats (rotations). At least one seat must be an international secondment to a qualifying WFW office with an English law practice. One seat is allocated in the largest practice group (assets and structured finance) and another in dispute resolution; remaining seats are chosen from a list of service lines with second-year options including a seat with the firm’s general counsel. The Early Careers team plans rotations to support professional growth and trainees receive hands-on work, direct client contact and structured feedback.

• Starting Salary: £51,000 (Year 1); £56,000 (Year 2)
• NQ Salary: £107,000
• Trainee Intake: 19
• Qualification Rate: 89% retention rate
• Academic Requirements: Minimum: 2:1 (actual or predicted) in bachelor’s degree or equivalent; PGDL/PGDL merit or distinction for conversion candidates; A-level requirement ABB (or IB 34 points) or equivalent. Applicants may provide context for other qualifications.
• Application Deadline: 2026-05-24

Seat Options

• Assets and structured finance
• Dispute resolution
• Capital markets
• Corporate
• Employment
• Projects
• Real estate
• Regulatory, public law and competition
• Tax
• General counsel (optional seat in second year)

Sponsorship

PGDL/GDL grant: £10,000 (published figure); SQE grant: £18,000 (published figure). Solicitor Apprenticeship: firm covers entire tuition fees for the six‑year apprenticeship and provides a £500 transition payment on joining.

SQE Support

SQE grant provided (£18,000); solicitor apprenticeship route uses BPP University Law School (apprenticeship study one day a week).

International Opportunities

All trainees undertake a four‑month international secondment (one of their six seats). Current overseas secondment destinations include Athens, Bangkok, Dubai, Frankfurt, Paris, Singapore and Tokyo. The programme emphasises international exposure as integral to training (high likelihood of an overseas secondment for trainees).

Client Secondments

Chances of client secondment: 0%

Mentorship

Structured mentoring and buddying: trainees are allocated a trainee buddy and supervised by lawyers on seat; the firm provides mentoring, coaching and training, support from an Early Careers team, and encourages involvement in trainee networks and D&I committees.

Apply on the Watson Farley & Williams LLP website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Watson Farley & Williams LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness (particularly in energy, infrastructure and transport)
• Sector interest and industry insight (energy, infrastructure, transport/shipping/aviation)
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Client-facing confidence and communication skills
• Academic rigour and attention to detail
• Resilience and adaptability (international/multi-jurisdictional work)
• Commitment to responsible business and sustainability

Evidence Signals

• Relevant sector internships or project experience in energy, infrastructure or transport
• Completion of the WFW Virtual Work Experience certificate
• International experience or language skills useful for secondments
• Participation in pro bono, mentoring or diversity networks (We Further Women, MOSAIC, PROUD)
• Strong academic record (2:1 and ABB at A-level / IB 34 or equivalent) and contextual explanations where relevant
• Demonstrable teamwork (sports teams, societies) and client-facing examples

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Training contract Year 1 salary £51,000
• Training contract Year 2 salary £56,000
• Newly qualified salary £107,000
• PGDL/GDL grant £10,000
• SQE grant £18,000
• 25 days' holiday plus public and bank holidays
• Holiday buy scheme (buy extra days)
• Group personal pension scheme
• Income protection scheme
• Life assurance
• Annual interest-free season ticket loan
• Employee assistance programme (international EAP)
• Health cash plan
• Annual flu vaccinations
• Eye test/glasses contribution
• Critical illness cover
• Private medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Travel insurance
• Give As You Earn
• Cycle to work scheme
• £250 contribution towards a sports club membership
• Tastecard
• Professional subscriptions paid
• Vacation scheme weekly allowance £450
• Annual target hours: undisclosed

Wellbeing

Comprehensive wellbeing strategy covering mental, physical and financial wellbeing. Initiatives include Mental Health Allies (trained listeners), International Employee Assistance programme providing counselling across offices, firm-wide wellbeing webinars, financial education, sports clubs, Athens Emotional Well-being Initiative offering group and one-to-one support, and participation in Mental Health Awareness Week and the Lord Mayor’s Green Ribbon campaign.

Awards & Recognition

• FT Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards 2022 – GARI shortlisted / 'Standout' in Digital Legal Services (2022)
• IJGlobal Asia-Pacific Innovation Deal of the Year (Da Mi floating solar project) (2019)
• IJGlobal Renewable Energy ESG Award – Europe (HKZ offshore wind financing) (2022)
• IJGlobal Awards – multiple deal wins (2024, 2025)
• Marine Money Deal of the Year honours – multiple (2024, 2025, 2026)
• Airline Economics 'Overall Deal of the Year' (Griffin ABS transaction) (2026)
• Legal Week Awards – Construction and Engineering Litigation Team of the Year (2019)
• The Oath Legal Awards – Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year (Dubai) (2022)
• Ishka Restructuring Deal of the Year (2019)
• Asia Business Law Journal / Japan Law Firm Awards – Aviation and Shipping & Maritime (2024)
• Multiple regional 'Law Firm of the Year' and sector awards (2024–2026)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Signatory to the Race at Work Charter with Board-level sponsorship and executive sponsors; use of contextual recruitment (Rare Recruitment) to identify high-potential candidates; commitments in the firm's five-year strategy to build a culture of diversity, empathy, fairness and inclusiveness.

• We Further Women (global women's initiative)
• PROUD (LGBT+ and allies network) with an APAC chapter
• MOSAIC (ethnic & racial diversity network)
• Mental Health Allies initiative
• Active Bystanders programme (MOSAIC workshops)
• Partnership with Bright Network and My Plus Recruiters’ Club
• Use of Rare Recruitment's contextual system in selection
• Partnership with Causeway Education (pro bono/mentoring)
• Signatory to the Race at Work Charter
• Membership / collaboration with Pride in Diversity (APAC)
• Participation in the Legal Apprenticeship Pledge / City Century solicitor apprenticeship initiative

Pro Bono

Pro bono is embedded across the firm: partnership with Causeway Education for mentoring; more than 300 hours of assistance to the Legal Advice Centre in East London (benefits claim work); global pro bono and voluntary hours reported (3,000+ in FY23; ~2,500 legal pro bono hours in 2023/24); lawyers supported clinical‑ and charity‑facing matters and fundraising activities (London Legal Walk, Graig100 Bike Ride, OSCAR Dragon Boat Race).

Innovation

WFW invests in digital legal services and sector-facing analytics (notably GARI, an online aviation restructuring index). The firm leverages technology and external partnerships (Giki, EcoVadis, WSP) to support sustainability, client advisory and internal engagement on carbon management. Innovation is positioned around sector-specialist tools and data-led legal products that support clients and reflect WFW’s sector focus.

• GARI (Global Aviation Restructuring Index) – interactive legal analytics tool for aviation restructuring and credit approval processes
• Partnership with Giki (B Corp) to give people access to a carbon-footprint management app
• EcoVadis partnership and silver EcoVadis medal for sustainability
• Firm-wide Carbon Reduction Plan and Global Environmental Charter developed with WSP

Quick Application Angles

• Lead with sector knowledge: reference a specific WFW deal or sector trend (e.g. offshore wind financings, aviation ABS deals or Simandou) to show commercial awareness and why you want to work in their sector‑focused practice.
• Highlight international readiness: emphasise language skills, study/work abroad or cross-border projects — the firm mandates a four‑month international secondment for every trainee.
• Use the firm’s innovation credentials: mention GARI or the firm’s sustainability/ESG work (HKZ, Pegasus Guidelines, carbon reduction commitments) to show you fit their data/sustainability‑driven culture.
• Demonstrate collaborative impact: give examples where you worked closely with senior stakeholders or clients in small teams (WFW stresses close partner contact and peer support).
• If you’ve completed WFW’s Virtual Work Experience or a vacation scheme, reference concrete outputs (certificate, tasks) in your application to show initiative and direct exposure to maritime/transport work.