The SPARK scheme

Over five days of paid work experience, you’ll experience an intensive schedule of classroom-based learning. You will learn about a range of practice areas through a series of presentations, learn about case studies and attend seminars that are designed to develop your legal knowledge and commercial awareness. These will be complemented by time spent shadowing lawyers in different practice areas, where you will gain hands-on work experience that will give you an insight into the firm and the legal industry. 

It’s a fast-paced, dynamic and exciting opportunity, offering you opportunities to meet lawyers from different backgrounds and with diverse interests. In addition, you’ll also receive a £450 per week salary.

What happens next?

By the end of the scheme, you may be invited to a bespoke SPARK assessment day to join Clifford Chance’s Training Contract, which will set you on the path to hone your unique skills, gain a breadth and depth of legal experience and shape you into an exceptional world-leading lawyer and business adviser of the future. 

If you’re successful in securing your Training Contract, you’ll be matched up with a trainee buddy, who will make sure that you’re connected with the firm throughout your university studies. This includes ensuring you continue your professional development, through the LIFT internship programme.

What is LIFT?

LIFT connects you to a selection of summer work experience placements with core Clifford Chance business teams and a select number of other organisations. This gives you the chance to develop valuable non-legal skills that will accelerate your development and enable you to excel when you start your Training Contract.

Skills you’ll have the opportunity to work on include marketing, product management or business operations. It’s a unique internship programme, designed to give you well-rounded business skills through hands-on work experience, so you’re prepared to hit the ground running when you start with Clifford Chance.