A career builton the right foundations
Newly Qualified
Real work, a partner mentor and genuine responsibility from day one. Build the foundations of a remarkable career inside a top-20 UK firm.
Associates
A structured route to building your own practice and a route to full partnership — with the infrastructure and mentorship to do it properly.
Begin well. Learn fast. Build something real.
Most newly qualified lawyers spend their first years doing low-complexity tasks at arm’s length from the real work. At gunnercooke, NQs are treated as contributors from their very first day.
Because our partners run their own practices, they genuinely need talented lawyers who are motivated, curious and growing fast. That means real responsibility, honest feedback and a mentor who has the expertise to support your development.
If you want a career that starts in earnest, this is where to start it.
Genuine responsibility from day one
You will not be filing and formatting. You will be drafting, advising and attending client meetings — with support, but without the layers of hierarchy that slow learning elsewhere.
Mentoring from partners who lead
You will be matched with a senior partner in your practice area — not a line manager, but a practitioner who has built their own practice. Their investment in your progress is genuine and direct.
Breadth across 40+ practice areasOur firm spans just about every commercial discipline. As an NQ, you will be exposed to a breadth of expertise that allows you to find and define your own specialism with confidence.
600+
Partners
40+
Practice Areas
16
Global Offices
2010
Founded
Where ambition is met with opportunity
gunnercooke is not a conventional firm — and that is deliberate. We have built an environment where associates and paralegals are treated as essential contributors.
Because our partners are entrepreneurial and independent, they value talent that takes initiative. You will work on matters that matter, gain exposure across specific practice areas and build relationships with some of the most commercially minded lawyers in the country.
If you want a career where your contribution is seen — and where that visibility translates into real progression — gunnercooke is where that happens.
High-quality, complex work
Our partners bring sophisticated mandates from a wide range of industries. You will not spend your career on routine tasks — you will work on matters that stretch and develop you.
Direct access to senior lawyers
At gunnercooke, hierarchy is flat by design. You will work directly with partners, not through layers of seniority. That proximity accelerates your learning like nothing else can.
Structured professional development
A dedicated development programme, CPD support and clear progression criteria ensure that your growth is planned — not left to chance or the whims of a busy partner.
Your path at gunnercooke
Your first twelve months are structured, supported and designed to accelerate your development. We map out clear milestones so that you always know where you are and what you are working towards.
Join — Paralegal / Junior Associate
Inducted into your practice area. Matched with a partner mentor. Client work from week one.
Grow — Mid-level Associate
Building your practice portfolio. Leading on transactions and disputes. Expanding your peer network.
Lead — Senior Associate
Running client relationships independently. Contributing to business development. Mentoring junior colleagues.
Beyond — Partnership & beyond
A transparent route to partnership for those who want it — or a highly respected senior role within your chosen specialism.
Qualifying into gunnercooke was the best decision I made. By month three I had done things that friends at other firms told me they didn’t do until their third or fourth year. The pace of learning here is extraordinary.
A newly qualified lawyer — Dispute Resolution · Joined 2022
The breadth of work I have been exposed to in two years here would have taken a decade at a traditional firm. The partners genuinely want you to grow — they make time for it.
A newly qualified lawyer — Corporate Team · Joined 2023
The Symposium showed me the scale of this firm and the quality of the people in it. Being part of that community at an early stage of my career has been genuinely invaluable.
A newly qualified lawyer — Corporate Team · Joined 2023
Hear from people building careers here
I joined as an associate and within six months I was running client calls independently. The trust placed in you here is unlike any firm I have worked at before — it accelerates you.
A gunnercooke Associate Dispute Resolution · Joined 2022
The breadth of work I have been exposed to in two years here would have taken a decade at a traditional firm. The partners genuinely want you to grow — they make time for it.
A gunnercooke Paralegal Corporate Team · Joined 2023
The Symposium showed me the scale of this firm and the quality of the people in it. Being part of that community at an early stage of my career has been genuinely invaluable.
A gunnercooke Associate Employment & Pensions · Joined 2023
Everything you need to do your best work
At gunnercooke, your development is taken seriously from the moment you join. We invest in our associates and paralegals — because our partners know that exceptional support makes exceptional practice.
Development Programme
A clear framework of skills, milestones and objectives — so you always know where you stand and what you are working towards.
Partner Mentorship
Each associate and paralegal is matched with a senior mentor in their practice area — providing guidance, sponsorship and honest feedback throughout their career.
Technology & Resources
Enterprise-grade legal technology, research tools and IT support — wherever you choose to work from, you will have everything you need.
CPD & Training Support
Fully funded CPD, access to internal knowledge sessions, external training programmes and practice group seminars to keep you at the forefront of your field.
Wellbeing & Flexibility
Hybrid working, wellbeing support and a firm that respects you as a person — not just as a fee earner. We believe balance enables better work, not the other way around.
London & Manchester Offices
Premium office space in both cities, with meeting facilities and collaborative areas designed to support how you actually work.
A straightforward, human process
We keep our recruitment process as clear and respectful as possible. We want to understand you as a lawyer and as a person — not to put you through unnecessary hoops.
Express your interest
Submit a brief enquiry via the form below or send us your CV directly. A member of our talent team will respond within one working day — not a recruiter, but someone who knows the firm.
An introductory conversation
We start with a relaxed call to understand your background, your interests and what you are looking for. This is as much about us listening as it is about you answering questions.
Meeting your potential partners
You will be introduced to the relevant practice group — the people you would be working with. We want you to know the team before you make any decisions.
An offer built around you
If there is a strong mutual fit, we will put together a package and development plan that reflects your experience, your goals and your value to the team.
Take the first step today.
Whether you are actively exploring a move or simply want to learn more about life at gunnercooke, we would love to hear from you.
There is no obligation and no pressure.
Just an honest conversation about your career.
- Your enquiry is treated with complete discretion.
- You will hear from our talent team — not a third-party recruiter.
- We welcome enquiries at all associate and paralegal levels.
- We will respond within one working day.