Peters and Peters Training Contract Profile

Peters & Peters specialises in heavyweight dispute work with a clear focus on international criminal and civil disputes, business crime and investigations, civil fraud and commercial litigation. The firm is regularly instructed in matters that require cross-border coordination, asset-tracing and complex evidential work, reflecting its stated global geographic focus. Trainees and junior lawyers frequently gain exposure to multi-jurisdictional cases where English civil procedure and criminal investigation strategy intersect with foreign law issues.

Notable practice strengths give an indication of training opportunities: Business Crime & Investigations involves advising clients during formal investigations, developing interview strategy and disclosure management; Fraud & Commercial Disputes and Civil Fraud require early responsibility for witness statements, document review and forensic accounting liaison; Commercial Litigation seats provide courtroom advocacy, case management and interlocutory strategy experience. The firm's compact trainee intake means supervision is hands-on and partners are accessible - a practical advantage for trainees who want rapid responsibility on high-profile files.

For aspiring solicitors, this environment suits those who want to specialise in contentious work rather than transactional practice. Expect steep learning curves in advocacy, litigation drafting, evidence handling and public inquiry-style matters. Keeping up with litigation-focused journals, YourLegalLadder's weekly commercial awareness updates and appellate decisions will be useful when demonstrating genuine interest in the disputes the firm handles.

Peters & Peters' recent matters illustrate the firm's appetite for high-profile, sensitive disputes. The firm advised Post Office Limited on the unprecedented review of criminal appeals arising from the Horizon IT scandal, work that involves managing voluminous case records, client vulnerability issues and interaction with public inquiries and appellate courts. This matter shows the firm's capacity for long-running, systemic litigation support.

Other notable instructions include acting for the Republic of Mozambique in the multi-billion dollar tuna bond scandal and involvement in corruption litigation linked to the sale of Formula One concerning Bernie Ecclestone. The firm has also represented former owners of Liverpool Football Club in a significant £300 million sale dispute and acted for British Virgin Islands companies in proceedings about breaches of directors' duties. These matters exemplify cross-border dispute management, public scrutiny and high-value financial litigation where forensic analysis and complex client counselling are central.

Peters & Peters runs a deliberately small annual trainee intake, which the firm says enables focused development and early responsibility. While the firm does not publish a full seat list publicly, trainees can expect rotations that reflect the firm's dispute-led practice: Business Crime & Investigations, Fraud & Commercial Disputes, Civil Fraud and Commercial Litigation are likely options. The small cohort size means trainees typically receive significant partner contact and meaningful file work from early on.

Support structures are geared towards converting trainees into firm specialists; over half of current partners began as trainees at the firm, indicating a clear progression route. Typical support you should expect includes day-to-day supervision on files, formal feedback at seat changes and opportunities for advocacy experience in court. Peters & Peters' materials do not detail SQE-specific support or guaranteed secondments publicly; applicants should ask about SQE tutoring, mentoring and secondment opportunities during interviews.

Applications open through the firm's portal with a current closing date of 28 February 2026 (https://petersandpeters.grad.allhires.com/app/). Because the intake is small, successful applicants often combine strong academic and extracurricular evidence with demonstrable litigation experience, courtroom observation and commercial awareness. Use YourLegalLadder and similar platforms to track deadlines, refine applications and prepare for competency-based interviews and case-study assessments.

The firm promotes a collegiate, informal environment where individual contribution is visible. Peters & Peters emphasises early exposure to high-profile, fast-paced disputes, and positions itself as a place where trainees can "stand out" - gaining quality client and partner contact earlier than at larger, less specialist firms. The training ethos and small cohort size suggest open-door supervision and easier access to senior lawyers for mentoring and technical guidance.

Work at the firm is litigation-heavy, with frequent courtroom action and case-focused teamwork. That creates a culture used to high-pressure deadlines, detailed evidence work and public-facing advocacy. Informality in day-to-day interactions is balanced by a strong ethic of justice and professional responsibility: the firm underlines serving clients, communities and future generations in its core values. For applicants this means the social environment is likely collaborative, but the substantive work demands resilience, attention to detail and comfort with confrontation in court and negotiation settings.

Peters & Peters seeks high-calibre candidates with litigation aptitude and demonstrable experience or potential in dispute resolution. The firm emphasises recruiting and promoting on experience and skills alone, favouring candidates who can show:

• Strong academic, practical or vocational grounding relevant to contentious work.

• Comfort with courtroom settings and oral advocacy, or clear evidence of aspiration to develop advocacy skills.

• Ability to manage complex factual materials, draft precisely and produce persuasive written arguments.

• Commercial awareness of cross-border disputes and investigatory procedures.

When preparing applications, highlight experience in international criminal or civil disputes, client-facing roles, and any exposure to forensic accounting, disclosure or regulatory investigations - these map directly to the firm's practice areas.

Apply early and tailor every element of your application to dispute resolution: reference specific Peters & Peters matters (for example the Post Office review or the Mozambique instructions) to show your commercial awareness. Use concrete examples of advocacy, courtroom observation, mooting, or client-facing work - briefly explain the situation, your actions and measurable outcomes.

Prepare for competency-based interviews and case studies by practising written submissions and skeleton arguments; ask about seat structure and SQE support at interview. Use resources such as YourLegalLadder for application tracking, TC/CV reviews, mock interviews and commercial awareness briefs. Keep a single document of evidence points and be ready to link each to the firm's quick angles: international disputes, fast-paced environments, courtroom comfort and collaborative working.

Peters & Peters states a commitment to justice across clients, people, communities and the planet. The firm's public commitments include recruiting and promoting based on experience and skills alone, which indicates a merit-based approach to progression. The firm also appoints a firm charity every two years as part of its pro bono and community engagement activity.

Specific diversity initiatives are not detailed in the available public material, but the firm's emphasis on meritocratic recruitment and a rotating charity suggests some institutional focus on social responsibility. Applicants wanting to discuss diversity and pro bono at interview should ask for examples of recent charity partnerships, internal networks, and pro bono case work. For supplementary research and to prepare questions, resources such as YourLegalLadder, law firm equality reports and firm press releases are useful references.