The LMA’s Legal Trainee Wordings Scheme is a two-year programme for those looking to qualify as a solicitor and build a career in the Lloyd’s and wider London insurance market. It offers a clear route into specialist legal work at the centre of a global market for complex risk.
The programme is open to candidates who have completed their LPC or SQE. It combines structured legal training with practical experience across the Lloyd’s market. Trainees develop a strong foundation in insurance law, regulation and policy wordings through project work at the LMA, exposure to the market and targeted training.
These skills are highly valued and our trainees have a strong track record of securing roles across the insurance market on qualification.
Trainees contribute to high‑impact projects, participate in technical discussions and gain a clear understanding of how products are developed, regulated and governed within the Lloyd’s market through:
This blend of technical learning, real‑world application and secondment experience enables trainees to develop deep, market‑relevant expertise.
| Year one | Year two |
| For up to 12 months of the scheme, you will support the LMA Legal and Regulatory team across legal input, wordings development, member support and committee participation. | The second half of the scheme will involve multiple secondments to managing agents, insurance law firms and the Corporation of Lloyd’s. |
As a trainee, you will support a variety of workstreams as part of the Legal and Regulatory team.
This work provides a strong understanding of how legal, regulatory, underwriting and claims considerations intersect in practice.
• supporting the LMA Legal and Regulatory teams in all aspects of their work
• providing legal input to LMA teams, in particular underwriting and claims
• preparing regulatory and legal consultation responses on behalf of the Lloyd’s market
• conducting horizon scanning across all jurisdictions where the Lloyd’s market operates
• instructing counsel and external lawyers.
• reviewing insurance and reinsurance contracts
• drafting, refining and aligning policy wordings in collaboration with LMA specialists
• contributing to the Wordings Committee and cross market drafting groups
• developing an understanding of what makes an insurance product clear, robust and enforceable.
• preparing legal and regulatory updates for managing agents
• responding to member queries
• liaising with insurance market bodies
• building strong professional relationships across the market.
• running or supporting LMA committees, particularly Legal and Regulatory and their NextGen groups, providing insight into real issues facing the market across underwriting, claims, regulatory and legal areas.
Insurance policies are contracts that determine what is covered and excluded, how claims are handled and how disputes are resolved.
In a global, complex market like Lloyd’s, precision in drafting is essential to:
• ensure regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions
• give policyholders clarity and certainty over their coverage
• protect Lloyd’s syndicates from unexpected legal and financial exposure
• avoid disputes.
For trainees, understanding wordings is foundational. It develops analytical rigour, sharpens legal judgement and equips them to contribute meaningfully across underwriting, claims and regulatory work. This is why wordings expertise is highly valued across the market.
We welcome candidates who are intellectually curious with good awareness of global matters impacting the insurance market and motivated to build specialist insurance expertise. No prior insurance experience is required – just a willingness to learn, ask questions and engage with technical material.
Successful applicants usually demonstrate the following, both at interview and over their two years with us:
The scheme equips trainees with the technical and commercial skills needed for legal roles across the Lloyd’s and London insurance market.
Since the scheme began in 2022, all former trainees have progressed into Legal Counsel and specialist positions within leading insurers or law firms.
Trainees are well placed to pursue careers in:
In-house or private practice insurance roles: Advising on insurance, reinsurance, commercial and corporate matters. These roles involve interpreting and applying the law, managing legal and regulatory risk, supporting transactions and disputes and helping organisations achieve their strategic objectives.
Wordings: Drafting and reviewing complex insurance and reinsurance contracts, advising on policy development and working closely with underwriters and brokers.
Claims: Advising on complex, high‑value and multi‑jurisdictional matters, including coverage disputes, litigation, arbitration and settlements. This area combines legal analysis with commercial decision making.
Regulatory and compliance: Interpreting UK and international regulatory requirements, supporting compliance with FCA/PRA rules and Lloyd’s byelaws and helping build effective governance frameworks.
Risk and governance: Advising on operational risk, delegated authority, outsourcing and audit matters. These roles offer strategic visibility and contribute to shaping how managing agents operate.
We recruit twice a year for March and September start dates. The process is structured to learn more about candidates’ approach to legal work, their analytical skills and their ability to engage with technical material.
Learn more about the scheme through reflections from our current trainees, who share their experiences, development journeys and insights into the work they have undertaken.
Visit our vacancies page to apply
Our vacancies page will help guide you when we have roles available.