Trainee - Disputes

Roles at this level provide relevant legal work experience to support admission as a qualified lawyer. Their primary focus is on learning and developing essential legal skills while contributing to the overall matter resolution and day-to-day operations of the team. They do this by supporting qualified lawyers with straightforward legal tasks, as below.

• Conducts research on legal issues, applicable law, and statutes to support case preparation and strategy
• Produces first drafts of basic legal documents
• Organizes and maintains case files, ensuring proper filing of required documents so that they are up-to-date and readily accessible
• Handles basic day-to-day communication with clients to gather information and respond to inquiries
• Handles administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings and filing documents
• No supervisory responsibility
• Works under supervision
• Requisite legal education
• Strong analytical skills to support on legal matters
• Experience delivering quality work whilst managing competing deadlines
• Good communication skills

White & Case is an elite global law firm serving leading companies, financial institutions and governments worldwide. Our long history as an international firm means we are perfectly placed to help our clients resolve their most complex legal challenges wherever they may be.

With lawyers operating from more than 40 locations, working in virtually every country of the world, we have invested heavily in building a high-quality full-service practice competing at the top of the market. We are distinguished by our on-the-ground presence in the world’s key financial markets and our strengths in handling complex cross-border work. It’s not just about our global network of offices; it’s the global interconnectedness of the Firm that our people, and our clients, value most. We work well together across geographic and practice boundaries. It’s one of the reasons we attract and retain cross-border work. And why we attract a diverse group of people.

Our lawyers are globally minded, enterprising, collaborative and committed to excellence. Diversity is a core value of our Firm and it has been recognized with numerous awards and top rankings around the world. Our people represent 90 nationalities and speak 80 languages.

Position Summary

We are seeking a motivated trainee to join our Disputes team for a paid, full-time internship from September 2027 to January 2028. The role is intended for law graduates enrolled in the Master’s Degree for Access to the Legal Profession ( Máster Universitario de Acceso a la Abogacía ).

The trainee will work closely with partners, associates and other members of the Disputes team, supporting a broad range of domestic and cross-border litigation and arbitration matters. This may include commercial, corporate and civil disputes, as well as the preparation of legal research, procedural submissions and case-management materials.

From day one, you will be immersed in high-profile and complex disputes, with meaningful exposure to client work that will help shape your professional capabilities for years to come. On a daily basis, you will address complex legal and commercial issues and gain experience across established and fast-growth markets, where legal and business frameworks continue to evolve.

Qualifications

We are looking to recruit an outstanding trainee with a proactive approach and a genuine interest in gaining hands-on experience from day one. The successful candidate will be eager to work on sophisticated, high-value cross-border transactions in an international environment.

Candidates should hold a Law degree, demonstrate a solid academic background and be fluent in English, with the ability to work in English on a daily basis. They should show initiative, enthusiasm, a positive and collaborative attitude and the ability to work effectively as part of small, high-performing teams.

At White & Case, we value individuality, intellectual curiosity and the energy candidates bring to challenging work. The trainee will have the opportunity to contribute to complex and cutting-edge matters while developing practical legal skills alongside our partners, senior associates and the wider Litigation team.

This role is based in Madrid and reports to the partners of the Disputes - Litigation practice. We don´t offer a rotation program across practice areas, so it is important that you have a genuine interest in Disputes.

How to Apply

You must apply online and upload your CV and academic records. Your academic records must state your overall grade average. Optional to attach a cover letter to the application.

Applications without academic records or without overall grade average will be automatically rejected.

A selected group of candidates will be invited by the Madrid Recruitment Team to sit a technical test session at the White & Case offices in late October 2026.

Successful candidates will be invited to attend a round of in-person interviews at our offices with our partners, senior associates and HR team .

Equal Opportunities

White & Case is committed to creating a fair workplace. It is our Firm’s policy to recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.

If you require assistance and/or adjustment to participate in our application and/or interview process, please email us . We will be happy to work with you.

The Firm may modify and amend any job description at any time in its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or otherwise modifies the at-will nature of employment.

The above is only a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.

Note to Recruitment Agencies

Our internal Recruitment team manages all aspects of lateral hiring. All agencies must have signed terms of business—specific to the relevant office—before submitting any candidates. CVs or applications sent directly to White & Case partners or employees will also not be considered formal introductions. If you have questions, please contact the relevant Recruitment team. We work with our preferred suppliers when engaging agencies.