Burges Salmon opportunities
Burges Salmon is an ambitious, sustainable and inclusive firm that ensures its clients, people and wider communities flourish.
Burges Salmon have been named the RollOnFriday ‘Best Law Firm to Work at 2024’, for the third year in a row.
Expert guidance. High profile clients. Cutting-edge work. Join their award-winning training programme and you can have it all.
Finding a training contract that’s right for you is a critical step in your legal career. At Burges Salmon, you don’t have to choose between top quality work and quality of life, high profile clients or first-class training – you can have it all.
Most law firms will give you a four seat rotation. But at Burges Salmon, that’s just a drop in the ocean. Start your career in law with us, and you’ll explore six rotations. This means more exposure to different types of law, and more opportunities to make an impact when you qualify.
Based in Bristol and Edinburgh – two of the top places to live and work in the UK – Burges Salmon is an independent law firm with an enviable range of national and international clients. Energised by their collaborative culture, cutting-edge training and inspiring colleagues, you’re guaranteed to make a splash as you gain quality experience across a broad range of legal practices.
Edinburgh-based events
Edinburgh presentation evening in the Edinburgh office is taking place on Thursday, 28 November.
Bristol-based events
Bristol presentation evening in the Bristol office is taking place on Monday, 19 November.
Virtual events
Burges Salmon ‘food for thought’ sessions focus on application tips and will offer advice on other key topics too. There will also be a Q&A session with trainees and the recruitment team. The lunchtime events will be held online only.
Register for the events, including the Edinburgh Insight evening, via the link below.
Presentation evenings and insight days [external site]
Other events may be added throughout the year, so keep an eye on their website for the latest events!
Registrations for all events open 1 October via the Presentation evenings and insight days on their website.
Burges Salmon [external site]
Bristol office
Every year Burges Salmon run a winter vacation scheme (one week), spring vacation scheme (two weeks) and two summer vacation schemes (two weeks each), which are open to anyone who is eligible to apply for a training contract - regardless of your degree discipline or the length of time since you graduated.
Successful applicants will be invited back for a training contract interview after the scheme has taken place, and if you both decide that you're right for each other, you'll be offered a training contract.
Edinburgh office
Burges Salmon run two vacation schemes in their Edinburgh office; one in April and one in June.
The spring vacation scheme (two weeks) will take place in our their Edinburgh office between 7 – 18 April 2025.
The summer vacation scheme (two weeks) will take place in their Edinburgh office between 16 – 27 June 2025.
Burges Salmon will be recruiting trainees to be based from the Edinburgh office for September 2025, September 2026 and September 2027 start dates. 2025 applicants should apply for their spring vacation scheme and 2026 & 2027 applicants should apply for their summer vacation scheme.
Successful applicants will be invited back for a training contract interview after the scheme has taken place, and if you both decide that you're right for each other, you'll be offered a training contract.
Trainees in our Edinburgh office will become qualified in Scotland.
Deadline to apply: 10 January 2025.
Key dates & deadlines:
Bristol
Winter vacation scheme 2024
Deadline: 28 October 2024
Scheme runs: 2 – 6 December 2024
Spring/summer vacation schemes 2025
Deadline: 10 January 2025
Spring scheme runs: 7 – 18 April 2025
Summer #1 scheme runs: 2 – 13 June 2025
Summer #2 scheme runs: 16 – 27 June 2025
Edinburgh
Spring/summer vacation scheme 2025
Deadline: 10 January 2025
Spring scheme runs: 7 – 18 April 2025
Summer scheme runs: 16 – 27 June 2025
Applications for vacation schemes open on 1 October and can be submitted via the website. Links below.
Spring vacation scheme (Edinburgh) 2025 [external site]
Summer vacation scheme (Edinburgh) 2025 [external site]
General information Vacation schemes [external link]
Interested in an Edinburgh traineeship?
Burges Salmon are recruiting for trainee solicitors to join their Edinburgh office in September 2025, September 2026, and September 2027.
Interested in a Bristol training contract?
Burges Salmon are recruiting trainee solicitors to join their Bristol office in September 2027. They offer a direct training contract process in their Bristol office.
Applications open on 1 October.
Deadline to apply: 20 June 2025.
Application cycle for traineeships opens on 1 October 2024.
Become a trainee solicitor [external link]
Working at Burges Salmon [external link]
Burges Salmon marks five years of success and growth in Scotland [external link]
Inclusive Careers [external link]
Expertise [external link]
Burges Salmon named best law firm to work at for the third year in a row [external link]