Trainee Solicitor Pathway

Your journey to qualification starts here. Our Trainee Solicitor Pathway sets you up for success by providing you with practical experience and excellent training as you work towards becoming a qualified solicitor.

Why train with us?

Your choice of career

You might already be passionate about a specific area of law and are eager to expand your expertise. Alternatively, you might be unsure where you’d like to specialise and would like to learn more about different areas of law to better understand where your passion lies. This enables you to obtain an overview of our practice whilst gaining valuable qualifying work experience in a commercial law firm.

Seat rotations

Every six months, you'll have the opportunity to rotate into different teams, ensuring a broad mix of experience.

Location, location, location

We offer opportunities each year at all our UK office locations.

Inclusivity

This is at the heart of everything we do, and we want everyone to feel that they have equal access to opportunities. This is why we offer part-time opportunities on our Trainee Solicitor Pathway.

The level of work you’ll receive aims to prepare you to qualify as a solicitor 

This puts you in good stead for the realities and expectations of working as a qualified solicitor.

Pro bono work

We give back to our community and many of our trainee solicitors are on our Community Action Committee.

You'll receive all the support you need

As the first law firm to partner with O Shaped we’re proud to create a safe and productive learning environment where you’ll be comfortable to give and receive feedback, discuss your progress, and address the challenges you face (we all have challenges) to ensure we set you up for success. Throughout this journey, you won't be alone. The emerging talent team alongside your supervisor will be there to guide and support you.

Sponsorship of SQE

We sponsor the SQE1 and SQE2 preparation courses and assessment fees. You will be required to pass SQE1 and SQE2 before starting on the Trainee Solicitor Pathway.

How to apply

There are two main routes to join our Trainee Solicitor Pathway

Our summer vacation scheme: A two-week placement that takes place in the last two weeks of June. Assessment centres usually take place in April/May.
Summer vacation scheme
Direct application for the trainee solicitor pathway: Assessment centres usually take place in July.

You can only make one application to either the summer vacation scheme or via the direct route per calendar year, and the application process is the same for both routes. The majority of Trainee Solicitor Pathway offers are made to candidates who have been on our summer vacation scheme, so we encourage applications via this route. However, we also understand that not everyone can attend our summer vacation scheme so if this is the case, please do apply via the direct route.

How to apply: Applications open

After submitting your online application, you’ll be invited to take our online tests. These include situational judgement assessments and three written response questions. Our assessments are not timed, but please ensure you complete them by the deadline.

The next stage for successful candidates is a telephone interview – your chance to show us why you want to work for us, how your values align with ours and why you’d thrive as a trainee solicitor at our firm. The final stage is an assessment centre which includes:

Face-to-face interview
Case study exercise (which involves a presentation)
In-tray exercise

Our assessment centres will take place in-person at one of our offices or virtually. Our emerging talent team will provide you with all the information you’ll need to attend an assessment centre nearer the time. Learn how to prepare for an assessment via our guide.

Below are some of our frequently asked questions. If you still have any further questions, contact our emerging talent team - we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now via our careers page

The earliest you can apply is in the penultimate year of your law degree (or equivalent), or the final year of a non-law degree (or equivalent). We welcome applications from graduates and career changers.

Applications open in the Autumn (usually in November/December) and close on 1 March.

Yes, you will study the SQE with the University of Law.

Yes. If you have a non-law degree we will sponsor you through the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL). You will be required to do this course prior to starting SQE.

Once you’ve submitted an online application you won’t be able to add to/amend it, but you will be able to edit your contact details.

If you'd like to add additional information to your application, please email the details to emerging talent team before the closing date.

No, taking a gap year is fine.

If you're interested in paralegal/ legal assistant opportunities at Browne Jacobson, you may wish to apply for our Paralegal Excellence Pool. Through the Paralegal Excellence Pool, we're able to offer legal work on project specific contracts, typically fixed term contracts ranging from 2 months to 12 months. As this is a 'pool' of talent, we'll review your application on a monthly basis and be in touch when a suitable position arises.

Visit our Paralegal Excellence Pool for more information.

We are a Skilled Worker visa sponsor. We can sponsor candidates under the Skilled Worker route, provided they meet the specific eligibility requirements for the role. Please refer to the Home Office guidelines to check eligibility requirements.

We don’t have a minimum grade requirement for A levels or degree: we look at people, not grades.

Yes, you can apply. All our trainee solicitors will qualify through the SQE route, so you will be required to complete SQE2. Please note, we will sponsor both the preparation course and the assessment costs.

Yes, you can apply. We’ll sponsor both the preparation course and the assessment cost for SQE2. Please note we do not cover retrospective costs.

Yes, you can apply. You’ll need to complete two years of qualifying work experience with us. Should you have any prior qualifying work experience, we’ll evaluate it on a case-by-case basis.

Take a look at our ‘ Future Lawyer blog’.

If you’re unable to find the information you need on our website, please feel free to reach out to our emerging talent team.