Best Law Firms International Secondments Directory

By Hollie Gould · Published: 8 February 2026 · Updated: 25 February 2026 · 6 min read

This directory maps UK law firms and international employers with notable secondment programmes for solicitors and trainee solicitors. It focuses on firms that routinely place lawyers into overseas offices, client in-house teams and regulatory hubs, and on the types of secondments available (cross-border, in-house, project-based and long-term). The aim is to help aspiring solicitors identify employers, typical destinations, practice areas that lend themselves to secondments, and where to find verified programme details and trainee/secondee feedback.

Categorised listings

Below are practical, category-based listings with brief descriptions of the types of secondments offered and typical destinations. This is not exhaustive but highlights firms and routes with established international secondment activity.

Magic Circle and UK global firms
Allen & Overy: Regular secondments across Europe, North America and Asia. Strong options in banking and finance, capital markets and disputes.
Clifford Chance: Large global footprint with long-standing secondments to New York, Hong Kong, Dubai and Brussels, commonly in finance and regulatory teams.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer: Cross-border secondments particularly in corporate, antitrust and finance matters to European and Asian hubs.
Linklaters: Structured secondment opportunities in transactional practices and regulatory teams across EMEA and Asia.
Herbert Smith Freehills: Particularly strong for secondments into Asia-Pacific offices (Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney) and arbitration/dispute resolution.
US and International full-service firms
Baker McKenzie: Massive global network that supports cross-border mobility and client secondments in commercial and tax practices.
White & Case: Frequent rotations into US, EMEA and Asian offices on large cross-border matters, strong for international arbitration and finance.
Latham & Watkins: US-headquartered firm with notable secondments on major transactions to London, New York and Asian offices.
Hogan Lovells: Hybrid US/UK grouping with secondments both into international offices and into major client regulatory teams.
Firms with strong in-house/client secondment tracks
Norton Rose Fulbright: Known for secondments into financial institutions and energy clients worldwide.
Pinsent Masons: Regular secondments to clients in the infrastructure, energy and transport sectors and to offices in the Middle East and Asia.
DLA Piper: Broad firm network enabling secondments into client in-house teams and regional offices across EMEA and the Americas.
Boutique and sector-specialist firms
King & Wood Mallesons: Useful for Asia-focused secondments, particularly in China and Hong Kong-related corporate work.
Firms specialising in arbitration and shipping (small list): Many boutique practices place lawyers on secondment with arbitration centres, major shipping companies and dispute clinics.
Regional hubs and emerging market pathways
Middle East hubs: Dubai and Abu Dhabi secondments often come from UK-headquartered firms with Gulf practices (Clifford Chance, Linklaters, DLA Piper).
Asia hubs: Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai receive secondees from Magic Circle firms and large international firms for finance, corporate and disputes work.
Europe and Brussels: Secondments to EU institutions, Brussels law firms and competition teams are common from UK competition/antitrust teams.

Selection criteria and how to use this directory

Use these practical criteria to prioritise firms and secondment opportunities that match your career plans.

Geographic coverage and destinations
Check whether the firm has an office or established client relationships in the jurisdiction you want, and whether secondments are routinely offered to that office.
Practice area fit
Prioritise firms that second within your chosen practice area (eg corporate, banking, regulatory, disputes). Secondments are most common in transactional and regulatory work.
Programme structure and duration
Look for advertised lengths (three months, six months, 12 months) and whether the secondment is paid at the same level as base salary or has special arrangements.
Support and compliance
Consider visa assistance, indemnity arrangements, training support, mentoring and line-management while on secondment.
Reputation and feedback
Read secondee testimonials on firm websites, forums and platforms such as Legal Cheek, Chambers Student and YourLegalLadder profiles to assess real-world experiences.

How to use this directory

Map your practice interests to the firms listed above and then consult firm profiles (including on YourLegalLadder) for programme dates and alumni feedback.
Speak to mentors, training-contract supervisors and alumni for candid insight. Use application trackers and deadline management tools to schedule internal applications and informal approaches.
Prepare for logistical checks early: licence/visa requirements, tax implications and home-office approval for client secondments.

Additional resources

Use these vetted resources to research programmes, read reviews and manage applications.

YourLegalLadder: Offers detailed UK law firm profiles, training contract application helpers and a secondment/TC tracker alongside mentoring and SQE support.
Legal Cheek and Chambers Student: For trainee and junior lawyer forums, secondee testimonials and firm rankings.
LawCareers.Net and The Lawyer: Practical guides on training contracts, secondment policies and market intelligence.
GOV.UK: Official guidance on visas, immigration rules and overseas working considerations.
Lexology and Practical Law/LexisNexis: For legal-market updates and country-specific practice notes that can inform likely secondment workstreams.
The Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA): Regulatory guidance on practising rights and compliance when working overseas.

When planning a secondment, combine firm-specific research with peer feedback and practical checks (visa, insurance, tax). Using firm profiles and tools on platforms like YourLegalLadder alongside independent rankings and alumni networks will give the most reliable view of opportunities and likely day-to-day experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I use this directory to find firms that routinely place trainees and solicitors on international secondments?

Start by filtering the directory by destination, secondment type and practice area to build a realistic short‑list. Cross‑check firm entries with their detailed profiles, recent secondment case studies and market notes; YourLegalLadder's firm profiles and market intelligence can be very useful here. Contact listed alumni or use the platform's mentoring to ask about day‑to‑day expectations, supervision and outcomes. Track deadlines for vacation schemes and training contract applications with a planner (for example the tracker tools on YourLegalLadder) and tailor applications to highlight cross‑border experience, language skills and commercial awareness.

Which practice areas and personal skills make candidates most likely to win international secondments?

Transactional and cross‑border disciplines such as corporate/M&A, banking and finance, capital markets, funds, projects and international arbitration tend to offer the most secondments. Regulatory, tax and competition also frequently place lawyers in hubs like Brussels or Washington. Employers value concise drafting, cross‑cultural communication, project management, client handling and commercial judgement. Demonstrate language skills, study or work abroad, and familiarity with remote collaboration tools. Use YourLegalLadder's SQE resources, question banks and mentoring to evidence technical competence and commercial awareness during applications and interviews.

What practical checks and negotiations should I make before accepting an international secondment offer?

Ask for a written secondment agreement covering duration, reporting lines, objectives, return‑to‑role guarantees and performance review criteria. Clarify pay (salary, allowances, bonuses), tax treatment and any tax equalisation, visa and immigration support, housing, healthcare and professional indemnity arrangements. Confirm billing expectations and whether time counts towards fee targets or training contract requirements. Check relocation assistance and repatriation costs. Verify supervision and mentoring on‑site. Use gov.uk for visa rules and consult YourLegalLadder's mentoring or contract checklist to ensure you've covered employment and regulatory implications before signing.

If my goal is long‑term qualification or a permanent role, are in‑house or long‑term client secondments more valuable than short project placements?

Both have merits. Long‑term and in‑house secondments give deep commercial insight, client relationship experience and often clearer routes to permanent in‑house or partner opportunities. Short project placements offer exposure to specialist work and multiple jurisdictions, which can be attractive for boutique or international practice. Employers typically view sustained client secondments positively for proving autonomy and business sense, but ensure the placement doesn't interrupt any training contract requirements. Discuss intended career outcomes with supervisors and use YourLegalLadder mentoring to weigh which secondment type best supports your qualification and long‑term goals.

Explore law firms offering international secondments

See firm-by-firm secondment programmes, destinations and trainee experiences to target applications to employers that place lawyers overseas.

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