Arnold & Porter is a US headquartered firm with a deserved reputation for its quality of service and expertise in handling the most complex legal and business problems, which require innovative and practical solutions.

Main areas of work

Arnold & Porter’s London lawyers advise on a full range of regulatory, transactional and litigation matters, with a particular focus on pharmaceuticals and medical device regulation and litigation, intellectual property and technology transactions and litigation, employment, competition and trade regulation, international arbitration, white collar crime UK enforcement and dispute resolution, corporate and securities, investment management and product liability advice and commercial litigation. Providing clients with an excellent service is Arnold & Porter’s number one priority, and the firm’s lawyers need to be commercially minded, approachable and able to work with clients as part of a team on complex and often high-profile legal issues.

Training opportunities

The firm looks for talented law and non-law graduates from all backgrounds who share the firm’s commitment to excellence, and want to be part of the continued growth of its London office. Candidates need to demonstrate a high academic background with mitigating circumstances considered; the firm looks for well-rounded individuals who can demonstrate their participation in a range of extra-curricular activities and achievements. Four six-month seats: life sciences and healthcare regulatory, IP, Corporate, competition, international arbitration or white collar crime.

The firm encourages individuals to work across specialisms and emphasises teamwork, so trainees may find that whilst they are working in one group, they undertake work in a variety of different areas throughout the firm. Trainees will be expected to work on several matters at once, and assume responsibility at an early stage.

For more information please go to the Careers section on the website and select London Trainees and review our graduate brochure.

Corporate Social Responsibility

We are looking for enthusiastic and talented graduates from all backgrounds and cultures who share our commitment to excellence, want to be part of the continued growth of our London office and want to become part of the next generation of leaders at our firm.

We currently partner with upReach to integrate REAL (relative education attainment level) Rating (contextualised recruitment) into our application process. Real Rating is an innovative tool that provides additional context to applicants’ academic achievements by considering their socio-economic background. This helps us to better understand each applicant’s potential and performance, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable recruitment process.

As well as our commitment to pro bono, we are passionate about social mobility. Recognising that entering the profession can be difficult, especially for those from less privileged backgrounds, the firm was a founding member of the Social Mobility Business Partnership and a PRIME member. We also encourage our people to volunteer their time and skills for the charities we support, and each year everyone is given one day a year of paid leave to volunteer in the community. In addition, employees are encouraged to fundraise for or donate to charities of their choice through the firms matched funding and payroll giving schemes. Diversity and inclusion are core values for Arnold & Porter. The London office is a vigorous supporter in every aspect to promote an inclusive, fair, and ethical work place, and we are committed to several initiatives to encourage and maintain Arnold & Porter’s diverse community of professionals.

‘The firm has a long commitment to public service and the advancement of social justice. Through our pro bono programme and work in the local community, we are proud of the contribution we make. We pride ourselves on having a welcoming and inclusive workplace, where everyone is comfortable being themselves.’ — Kathleen Harris, Head of the London office and co-chair of the firm’s Anti-Corruption practice and member of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Insight Day

We will be hosting a two day insight scheme in 2027, taking place on the 6 and 7 July. Please note you need to be available to attend both of the days to apply.

Throughout the two days you will participate in several interactive sessions and skills workshops to gain practical legal experience. There will also be an opportunity to network with our lawyers and current trainees who can provide you with an insight into what it’s like to work at Arnold & Porter, an introduction to our core practice areas alongside advice from our graduate recruitment team.

Vacation scheme

Spring Vacation Scheme

We will be running a spring vacation scheme 12 April – 23 April 2027. Students will spend up to two weeks working on a variety of projects and workshops with partners and associates throughout the office. You will have the opportunity to do tasks for partners and associates across our practice groups. You will also gain first-hand insights from our senior leaders about the culture of the firm, including presentations on the pro bono and D&I work we do. There will also be training in presentation skills and the chance to use them by completing a firmwide presentation with other vacation scheme students at the end of the scheme.

We recommend you apply for the vacation scheme as a way for us to get to know you, as well as a way for you to see if you like us as a firm. The direct training route is available, however, as we recognise not everyone will be able to do a two week scheme due to work/ other commitments.

Useful documents:

Arnold & Porter Graduate Brochure

Arnold & Porter jobs

London Office - Insight Day