Stewarts
Elite litigation-only boutique. Unusually, trainees are recruited exclusively from the firm's own paralegal pool rather than via open training contract applications.
Firm overview
At a glance
A clear starting point for understanding the firm, its opportunities and the information students should check before applying.
Available routes
How can students join?
Student opportunities
Opportunities
Vacation schemes, training contracts, apprenticeships, insight programmes, work experience and other application routes.
United Kingdom - Daniel Turnbull Memorial Scholarship
Type: Scholarship / Bursary
Location: United Kingdom
- Applications open: 2026-05-13
- Closing date: 2026-06-28 23:59:00 Europe/London
- Application timing: Opened 13 May 2026; closed Sunday 28 June 2026 at 11:59pm.
- Places: 1 scholarship
- Status: closed
Published application and programme dates
- Opened 13 May 2026; closed Sunday 28 June 2026 at 11:59pm.
- Who can apply: A disabled individual as defined by the Equality Act 2010.
- Eligibility: Disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010; evidence required. Must hold an offer for the specified University of Law course.
- Academic requirements: Minimum 2:2 undergraduate degree and evidence of knowledge of the seven foundation subjects of law.
- Application process: Apply through the University of Law external scholarships process and complete the online assessment by the deadline.
- Progression: Completion of the LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) and progression towards qualification as a solicitor.
- Funding: Scholarship support for the LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) at any University of Law UK campus; the public page does not state a cash amount.
United Kingdom - Work experience programme
Type: Work Experience
Location: United Kingdom: Leeds, London
- Programme dates: Normally held during the summer; current exact dates are not published.
- Duration: 1 week
- Status: variable
Published application and programme dates
- Programme: Normally held during the summer; current exact dates are not published.
- Who can apply: 16 and 17-year-olds introduced through the Social Mobility Foundation.
- Eligibility: direct applications accepted: false social mobility foundation referral required: true
- Application process: Apply to or participate through Social Mobility Foundation
- Progression: Future education and legal-career applications.
United Kingdom - Paralegal-to-Trainee-Solicitor pathway
Type: Training Contract
Location: United Kingdom: Leeds, London
- Applications open: 2027-03-01
- Closing date: 2027-03-31
- Application timing: External entry is through advertised paralegal vacancies. Existing Stewarts paralegals may apply internally from 1 to 31 March each year.
- Programme dates: 1 October following the successful internal cycle; exact offer-year linkage is not separately stated.
- Duration: 24 months
- Places: Approximately 8 each year
- Status: no_application
Published application and programme dates
- External entry is through advertised paralegal vacancies. Existing Stewarts paralegals may apply internally from 1 to 31 March each year.
- Programme: 1 October following the successful internal cycle; exact offer-year linkage is not separately stated.
- Who can apply: External applicants seeking the only published route into a Stewarts training contract, followed by existing Stewarts paralegals at the internal application stage.
- Eligibility: internal paralegal only: true minimum service: false
- Application process: Apply for a paralegal vacancy when advertised. Once employed as a Stewarts paralegal, apply internally between 1 and 31 March.
- Assessments: In Tray exercise Blind points-based marking Drafting exercise Partner-panel interview
- Progression: Approximately eight two-year training contracts each year, beginning on 1 October.
- Disability support: Applicants should contact Stewarts HR about individual reasonable adjustments; no detailed trainee-specific process is published.
United Kingdom support
UK Visa and Funding
UK qualification funding, maintenance support and published visa-sponsorship or right-to-work information for joining the firm in the United Kingdom.
UK visa sponsorship and right to work
No early-career policy is published. No specific Skilled Worker sponsorship policy was found for paralegals or trainees. Any live vacancy wording must control and the absence of a policy must not be presented as a refusal to sponsor.
View official source for UK visa sponsorship and right to work (opens in new tab)
Qualification funding
A specific self-funding rule is published.
View official source for Qualification funding (opens in new tab)
Daniel Turnbull Scholarship
The 2026 disability scholarship is closed.
View official source for Daniel Turnbull Scholarship (opens in new tab)
Areas of work
Practice areas
The legal services and capabilities listed by the firm.
Litigation
The firm's exclusive focus — commercial, personal injury, clinical negligence, divorce and family, and professional negligence disputes
Offices
Locations
Office locations and the student opportunities available in each location where confirmed.
United Kingdom, Leeds
Office
United Kingdom, London
Headquarters
Career paths
Roles
Early-career routes, legal careers, knowledge and innovation roles, legal support and specialist leadership titles.
Barrister
Confirmed via the firm's own Chambers UK profile: the Tax Litigation and Resolution team "comprises solicitors and barristers"
Paralegal
The firm employs an unusually high number of paralegals relative to solicitors — a distinctive feature of its structure
Partner
Trainee Solicitor
Two-year training contract, recruited exclusively from the firm's paralegal pool — a genuinely unusual route worth knowing about if considering Stewarts
View official information for Trainee Solicitor (opens in new tab)
Solicitor
Access and inclusion
EDI
Recruitment adjustments, disability support, disability-specific programmes, mentoring, networks, partnerships and wider inclusion work.
Social Mobility Foundation Work Experience
Direct applications are not accepted.
View official source for Social Mobility Foundation Work Experience (opens in new tab)
Future Frontiers Coaching
Four weekly 90-minute sessions delivered by Stewarts volunteers.
View official source for Future Frontiers Coaching (opens in new tab)
Contextual Recruitment Questionnaire
Applications are blindly marked using points.
View official source for Contextual Recruitment Questionnaire (opens in new tab)
Daniel Turnbull Memorial Scholarship
Annual scholarship supporting LPC or SQE study.
View official source for Daniel Turnbull Memorial Scholarship (opens in new tab)
Recruitment Reasonable Adjustments
Individual recruitment adjustments should be discussed with HR.
View official source for Recruitment Reasonable Adjustments (opens in new tab)
Disability and Wellbeing Focus Group
Internal disability and wellbeing focus group.
View official source for Disability and Wellbeing Focus Group (opens in new tab)
Community and legal access
Pro bono
The firm’s published pro bono work, community projects, access-to-justice programmes and official partnerships.
Firm research
Firm highlights
Published awards, sectors, notable work, clients and other information that helps students understand the firm.
Official firm platforms
Links & Socials
Verified official websites, careers and application platforms, office directories and social-media accounts.
Contact
Official Stewarts resource.
Official website
Official Stewarts resource.
Careers
Official Stewarts resource.
Trainee solicitors
Official Stewarts resource.
Paralegals
Official Stewarts resource.
Work experience
Official Stewarts resource.
Vacancies
Official Stewarts resource.
Working for Stewarts
Official Stewarts resource.
Diversity and inclusion
Official Stewarts resource.
D&I focus groups
Official Stewarts resource.
London office
Official Stewarts resource.
Leeds office
Official Stewarts resource.
Daniel Turnbull Scholarship
Official Stewarts resource.
Official Stewarts resource.
YouTube
Official Stewarts resource.