Business & Legal Operations Graduate Scheme 2027

Practice Group / Department:

Job Description

We're Norton Rose Fulbright - a global law firm with over 50 offices and 7,000 employees worldwide. We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service.

As well as the relevant skills and experience, we're looking for people who are innovative, commercial and value the work that they do. We celebrate multiple approaches and points of view and believe diversity drives innovation, so we're building a culture where difference is valued.

What is the Business and Legal Operations Graduate Scheme?

Our Business and Legal Operations Graduate Scheme is a two-year programme encompassing every aspect of the rapid changes currently underway in the delivery of high-end legal services. This doesn't just involve the emergence of new technology. It involves the increasingly crucial role played by other technical disciplines in providing more complex and sophisticated client solutions and optimising our performance as a business.  

Legal services are changing. Clients want more than sound legal advice. They also want efficient delivery, useful data, practical technology and solutions that respond to their wider business needs. The Business and Legal Operations Graduate Scheme develops people who can help turn those expectations into action.

What can you expect?

Graduates will have the opportunity to complete four six-month rotations across various teams and programme areas. Throughout the programme, graduates will gain experience across a broad range of work supporting both clients and the firm.

This may include:

• Helping teams improve how legal matters are planned and delivered through project management, process improvement, technology adoption, reporting and legal service design;

• Working with lawyers, consultants and technology specialists to understand client needs and help develop practical services, products and solutions;

• Supporting the business operations of legal teams through a client secondment opportunity, gaining first-hand insight into client priorities and ways of working; and

• Supporting projects that help shape the future of Norton Rose Fulbright, from AI adoption and business transformation programmes to process improvement and change initiatives.

No two rotations will be the same. Graduates could be:

• Uncovering a business or client challenge and identifying opportunities for improvement;

• Designing and testing a new legal product or tool;

• Delivering training sessions on new technology;

• Running workshops with clients' in-house legal teams;

• Turning raw data into insights that shape decision-making;

• Coordinating projects from scoping through to completion;

• Creating proposals, presentations and training materials; or

• Working alongside lawyers, technologists and consultants.

All rotations will be based in our London office, except for the client secondment opportunity, which is also London based.

What you need to know

Those gaining places on the scheme will be given extensive support and expected to perform at a high level. Permanent roles at the end of the two years are earned through the skills, commitment and growth demonstrated during the programme, Graduates will receive regular feedback, guidance and support throughout. Our aim is to help participants succeed and build a long-term career with us.

• The scheme does not lead to a legal qualification.

• Start date: August / September 2027.

• Starting salary: £38,000 plus award-winning benefits.

• Application deadline: 1 January 2027.

• Applicants should be available to attend an in-person assessment day in February 2027

To strengthen your application, learn more about the Business and Legal Operations Graduate Scheme here. You can familiarise yourself with the Early Careers recruitment process here. 

For a deeper insight into life at NRF, listen to our Early Careers podcast, Jump Start and make sure you’re following us on Instagram (@nortonrosefulbright.emea).

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

To attract the best people, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work, have a sense of belonging, and realize their full career potential. 

Our new enabled work model allows our people to have more flexibility in the way they choose to work from both the office and a remote location, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of service. We offer a range of family friendly and inclusive employment policies and provide access to programmes and services aimed at nurturing our people’s health and overall wellbeing. Find more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion here.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any tailored adjustments or accommodations, please let us know via EMEARecruitment@nortonrosefulbright.com