NQ Salary
~£107,000
TC Salary
~£51,000 / £56,000 (year 1 / year 2)
Annual Intake
19 per year (UK)
Seats
6 seats
This profile is compiled from publicly available sources and may not reflect the latest changes. Always check the firm's official careers page for current deadlines, application processes, and programme details.
Watson Farley & Williams' London office has 67 partners and 130 associates, and the firm has 19 offices elsewhere. Chambers UK 2027 ranks it Band 1 for shipping finance and Band 2 for aviation finance, shipping, and power and renewables, and Legal 500 puts it in the top tier for transport finance and leasing.
The training contract
Generated by Folio · folioapp.co.uk · 29 October 2026
Folio is independent and not affiliated with any firm listed. Salary and deadline information is approximate. Always verify with the firm's official graduate recruitment page.
Every trainee does a seat abroad, in Athens, Bangkok, Dubai, Frankfurt, Paris, Singapore or Tokyo
Solicitor Apprenticeship (September 2027 intake)
9 Oct 2026 – 28 Feb 2027
Opens 9 October · Closes 28 February · Applications are reviewed before the deadline
Summer Vacation Scheme
9 Oct 2026 – 6 Jan 2027
Opens 9 October · Closes 6 January
Training Contract (direct)
9 Oct 2026 – 8 Jun 2027
Opens 9 October · Closes 8 June 2027 · 2029 intake
Spring Vacation Scheme 2027
9 Oct 2026 – 6 Jan 2027
Opens 9 October · Closes 6 January
Assessment processes change annually. Always check the firm's website for current details.
Deals and announcements in the firm's own words. Naming a recent matter is the fastest way to show you have paid attention.
Watson Farley & Williams newsroomUnlock the full interview pack for WFW
Practice questions built around WFW's actual assessment stages, with “Why this firm?” evidence traced to verified facts.
Sign up free →Vacation Scheme / Training Contract
Method
Four stages on the firm's selection page: the online application (checked with an AI-detection tool), a video interview of four questions with 30 seconds to prepare and 90 to 120 seconds to answer each, an assessment centre built around a client scenario with written and group exercises, then an in-person interview. No online test.
Tests
Explore the firm's work before you apply: free simulations on Forage, built to mirror real trainee tasks.
WFW joined City Century in June 2023, the City of London Law Society's collaboration of 50 or more firms to increase the number of solicitor apprentices in the City. The route students apply to is the firm's own six-year solicitor apprenticeship, open to school leavers with at least ABB at A level and seven GCSEs at grades 5 to 9; students who have completed more than a year of a degree are not eligible.
Applications for the 2027 intake open on 9 October 2026 and close on 28 February 2027.
Independent Resource
Folio is an independent student project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Watson Farley & Williams. All information is compiled from publicly available sources and may not reflect the most current data. Salary and deadline figures are approximate, based on prior recruitment cycles. Always check the firm's official graduate recruitment page for confirmed details.