Sheridans Training Contract Profile

Sheridans is a sector-focused firm concentrating on media, entertainment, leisure and technology. Its core strength lies in Intellectual Property and Branding/Trade Marks work, supporting publishing, music, film, television and visual arts clients alongside advertising and fashion businesses. The Interactive & Creative Media team is a particular destination for lawyers interested in games, VR/AR, esports, VFX and digital production; the team advises on development, publishing, IP commercialisation and emerging technologies such as AI.

Corporate work sits alongside specialist technology and venture-capital capability, covering early-stage funding, angel/seed rounds and exits. Dispute Resolution, Employment and Cyber Risk sit within the full-service offering for creative and tech sector clients, while a Real Estate capability supports both private client and commercial needs for media businesses.

For trainees and junior solicitors the firm offers meaningful client contact in sector-specialist teams. Typical training opportunities include drafting and negotiating commercial licences and publishing agreements, trade mark filing and portfolio management, IP enforcement and cross-jurisdictional disputes, and transactional work for VC-backed businesses. Exposure to European trade mark matters and occasional support for the firm's Berlin connections adds international breadth to practice-focused development.

Recent and representative matters underline Sheridans' sector orientation. The disputes team managed a cross-jurisdictional intellectual property dispute for a world-renowned entertainment company - work that demonstrates the firm's capacity to co-ordinate multi-jurisdiction strategy and liaise with foreign counsel on IP enforcement and rights protection.

In technology and gaming, Sheridans advises leading game developers and publishers on commercialisation, development and publishing arrangements, and on legal issues arising from the use of AI in games. These matters typically involve bespoke drafting of licence and publishing agreements and advising on IP ownership in collaborative creative projects.

On the corporate side, the firm acts for early-stage and fast-growth companies and their investors across the lifecycle, from angel and seed rounds through to exits. Trainees observing or assisting on these deals will see shareholder agreements, investment documentation and due diligence tailored to digital-first businesses.

Sheridans' training model is heavily on-the-job. The firm prefers to recruit trainees from its existing paralegal cohort, making the internal paralegal-to-training contract pathway an important route for those already employed there. Day-to-day learning happens in departments with senior associates and Partners providing hands-on supervision and feedback.

Complementing practical experience is an in-house Associate Development Programme that encourages self-study and runs periodic seminars on legal, business and personal development topics. The firm also operates a mentor scheme: each trainee or associate has an appointed mentor and is entitled to one formal, confidential meeting a year to discuss personal development and career planning without paperwork.

Seat structure is practice-led rather than a rigid rotation schedule; trainees typically undertake seats in IP/Branding, Interactive & Creative Media, and Corporate or Dispute Resolution to build a sector-specialist foundation. Sheridans offers support on European trade mark work and references support for Berlin-based matters, providing some international exposure. Public detail on SQE support is limited; applicants should clarify current SQE policies during recruitment conversations.

Sheridans projects a collegiate, collaborative culture driven by sector expertise. Teams are small enough that trainees and junior lawyers gain direct client contact and visible responsibility, but large enough to offer varied work across creative and tech industries. The firm emphasises flexibility: hybrid working is common, with a typical pattern of around three days per week in the Soho, London office, which suits client-facing roles in media and entertainment.

Partners and senior fee-earners are described as accessible and mentoring-focused. The firm encourages a pragmatic, client-centred approach rather than formality, and expects lawyers to balance attention to detail with commercial judgment. For aspiring solicitors this means being proactive in seeking work, demonstrating commercial awareness in sector contexts and contributing to team business development when appropriate.

Sheridans seeks ambitious self-starters with commercial awareness and strong drafting and negotiation skills. Candidates should be methodical, accurate and professional, with excellent written and verbal communication and a clear client-service ethic. Collaboration is important: the firm values team players who are resilient and willing to contribute to business development.

Evidence that stands out includes sector experience in media, games, advertising, fashion or technology; direct trade mark or IP portfolio work for Branding roles; prior paralegal experience (especially internal candidates); and concrete examples of drafting, negotiation or client advisory work.

Tailor your application to Sheridans' sector focus: include specific projects or roles in games, VR/AR, advertising, music, sport or tech. For Branding/Trade Marks roles, detail trade mark filings, oppositions or portfolio management experience and knowledge of EU/UK systems. For Interactive & Creative Media, explain practical familiarity with game development pipelines, AI issues, VFX/VR production or related contracts.

If you are a paralegal at the firm, highlight internal contributions and familiarity with team processes. Use tools such as YourLegalLadder to track deadlines, practise answering competency questions, and get TC/CV feedback. Prepare examples that show drafting, negotiation and commercial judgement, and be ready to discuss a recent industry development relevant to the firm's sectors.

Sheridans states an explicit commitment to inclusion and diversity, promoting equal opportunities for clients, candidates and staff and supporting people with Protected Characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. The firm highlights a diverse and inclusive culture and invites candidates to request reasonable adjustments during application or interview stages.

Public information on pro bono programmes is limited in the source data; applicants interested in pro bono or specific DEI initiatives should ask for detail during recruitment or use resources such as YourLegalLadder, The Law Society and LawCare to research the firm's activities. The mentor scheme and Associate Development Programme are further mechanisms the firm uses to support personal development across diverse backgrounds.