White & Case LLP

Overview

White & Case is a top-ranked global law firm focused on complex cross-border transactions, arbitration and litigation. The Firm emphasises international reach and deep multi-jurisdictional capability, working for many of the world’s largest corporate clients from a platform of 43 offices in 29 countries. Its London hub (5 Old Broad Street) provides trainees with significant international exposure (including a guaranteed six-month overseas seat) and access to high-value, precedent-setting work across banking & finance, capital markets, private equity, energy and infrastructure.

• Headquarters: London, 5 Old Broad Street
• Lawyers: 420 (London lawyers)
• Trainees: 90
• Offices: 43
• Revenue: US$584M (London 2025 revenue)

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Banking & Finance
• Capital Markets
• Corporate & M&A
• Financial Services & Regulation
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Technology & Digital
• Intellectual Property
• Data Protection & Privacy
• International Arbitration
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Real Estate
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Investment Funds

Geographic Focus: Global, with a major City of London hub and a network of 43 offices across 29 countries. The Firm focuses on cross-border work for multinational corporates, financial institutions and sponsors, leveraging local law teams and US/English law capability. London is the primary trainee base, with guaranteed overseas seats and frequent international secondments to grow global legal experience.

Training Contract

Two-year training contract. Trainees typically complete multiple six-month seats across different practice groups, including one guaranteed six-month overseas seat. The Firm emphasises international rotations and cross-office collaboration; the training combines on-the-job responsibility, formal learning and mentoring from partners and senior associates. The Firm partners with the University of Law to deliver a tailored SQE and SQE Plus pathway culminating in an LLM in Legal Practice.

• Starting Salary: £62,000 (first-year trainee salary)
• NQ Salary: £175,000 (newly qualified salary)
• Trainee Intake: 50 (training contracts offered per year, as reported in supplementary data)
• Qualification Rate: 100% (latest trainee retention rate as reported in supplementary data)
• Academic Requirements: Minimum degree: 2:1 (LegalCheek). A-level requirement for apprenticeships: AAB (or equivalent). The Firm accepts law and non-law graduates and targets penultimate and final-year students as well as graduates from any discipline for its training contracts.
• Application Deadline: 2026-10-18

Seat Options

• Banking & Finance
• Capital Markets
• Corporate & M&A
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Private Equity & Venture Capital
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Technology & Digital
• Intellectual Property
• International Arbitration
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Real Estate
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Investment Funds

Sponsorship

LegalCheek supplementary data indicates a PGDL/PGDL-equivalent grant of £17,000 and an SQE grant of £20,000. The Firm states it partners with the University of Law to deliver the SQE pathway and awards an LLM on completion.

SQE Support

White & Case partners with the University of Law to design and deliver a tailored SQE offering, including SQE 1 and SQE 2 preparation and a dedicated SQE Plus programme tailored to the Firm (leading to an LLM in Legal Practice). LegalCheek supplementary data lists an SQE grant of £20,000.

International Opportunities

A guaranteed six-month overseas seat is part of the two-year training contract; international secondments are an established feature of the programme and the Firm states strong opportunities for overseas experience (LegalCheek data: 100% chance of secondment abroad).

Client Secondments

LegalCheek data records 0% chance of client secondment.

Mentorship

Trainees have a dedicated supervisor and a buddy for day-to-day guidance; the Firm highlights mentoring, coaching, trainee networks and structured engagement & development programmes.

Apply on the White & Case LLP website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What White & Case LLP Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness
• International and cross-border mindset
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Academic ability and analytical rigour
• Resilience and adaptability
• Curiosity and innovation (interest in legal tech/AI)
• Clear communication and client focus

Evidence Signals

• Vacation scheme performance (casework and assessed tasks)
• Commercial or international work experience
• Pro bono or mooting experience
• Completion of the Firm’s virtual learning programme
• Strong academic record (minimum 2:1 degree; apprenticeships: AAB at A-level)
• Language skills and overseas experience

Benefits & Wellbeing

• First-year trainee salary: £62,000
• Second-year trainee salary: £67,000
• NQ salary: £175,000
• PGDL / GDL grant: £17,000
• SQE grant: £20,000
• Annual leave: 25 days
• Annual target/billable hours: No targets
• Guaranteed six-month overseas seat during the two-year training contract
• Partnership with the University of Law for SQE and LLM in Legal Practice
• Dedicated supervisor and buddy scheme for trainees

Awards & Recognition

• White & Case wins “Legal Advisor of the Year (Transactions)” at Mergermarket European Private Equity Awards 2026
• White & Case tops Mergermarket’s global and regional M&A H1 2026 league tables for legal advisors (2026)
• Two Financial Times Innovative Lawyers awards (2025)
• Who’s Who Legal: Pro Bono Firm of the Year (2022)
• Multiple Deals of the Year and regional awards across 2025–2026 (IFN, GBM Saudi Arabia Awards, Infra Global MENA)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Signatory to the UN Global Compact since 2016; publishes Responsible Business review and Communication on Progress reports (e.g., 2025 Communication on Progress report).

• Elevate campaign (volunteering and charitable giving focused on educating and developing employability skills for young people)
• Pro bono programmes and Pro Bono Leaders network
• Educating future leaders programmes (Jessup, Vis Moot, scholarships and fellowships)
• UN Global Compact signatory since 2016

Pro Bono

Firm-wide pro bono programme recognised as 'Pro Bono Firm of the Year' in 2022; legal education programmes reaching more than 5,000 students, lawyers and judges worldwide; Elevate campaign focused on youth education and employability.

Innovation

White & Case runs a multi-layered AI & innovation programme covering organisation, technology, culture and governance: a cross-functional AI & Innovation team and Innovation Champions in each global practice drive adoption; the Firm deploys AI-powered tools (including a proprietary AI platform and Atlas assistant) while maintaining responsible-AI policies and training. Trainees are exposed to legal tech initiatives and upskilling opportunities as part of the Firm’s innovation culture.

• Atlas AI (the Firm’s AI assistant)
• Proprietary AI platform and buy-and-build approach to legal tech
• AI & Innovation team led by Chief Innovation Officer Isabel Parker
• Innovation Champions across global practices
• Firm-wide AI & Innovation Roadmap and responsible AI governance

Quick Application Angles

• Highlight international ambition: emphasise any cross-border experience and why a guaranteed six‑month overseas seat matters to your development.
• Reference the Firm’s legal tech/AI agenda (Atlas AI and the AI & Innovation programme) and give a concrete example of how you’ve used or engaged with technology to solve a problem.
• Use the virtual learning programme or vacation scheme to show tangible tasks you completed and lessons learned; White & Case recruits around 80% of London trainees from its vacation schemes, so strong performance there is a direct route in.
• Demonstrate commercial awareness with reference to large financing and M&A work (for example the Delivery Hero US$1.3bn term loan repricing) and explain business implications, not just legal points.
• Show evidence of teamwork and approachability – the Firm scores highly for peer support and partner approachability, so examples of collaborative impact resonate well.