Remember to cite LawCareers.Net on your application form if you apply to Irwin Mitchell LLP.
More info
To apply for a training contract please apply online through our website.
Irwin Mitchell have opportunities in our legal services for businesses or legal services for individuals stream.
Legal services for businesses covers our business services group which as a stand-alone group is a £60 million business with 350+ employees, based across six locations (Birmingham, Gatwick, Leeds, london, mancehster, Sheffield), and covers 13 different business teams. They look for 10-15 trainees each year and offer an excellent training contract expereince covering four seats and exposure to all areas as we offer clients a one stop shop for all legal needs.
The legal services for individuals offers exposure to award winning and leading teams across medical negligence, court of protection, serious injury, will, trust and estate disuptes, private client, family, asbestos and industrial disease, and public law. These interconnected departments give you excellent training in all areas that a client might need. They are based across our 13 offices with Reading and Chichester focusing on our private client work. A full list of which departments are in which office is on our website.
We're looking for trainees to start in 2027 or 2028.
The first stage is an online questionnaire and video interview. This intitally involves a short online form where you will provide your personal information and academic record. This is for reporting purposes only; we use a blind screening approach throughout our recruitment process so your personal and academic information isn't shared with any of our assessors. You will then be invited to complete a strengths-based online assessment. The assessment is an opportunity to learn more about you and your skills. You will also complete a strengths-based video interview with five to six questions with two minutes to answer each question. This usually takes around 90 minutes to go through and you have a seven days to complete it so make sure you've done your research before you register.
Our second stage assessment is a virtual assessment centre which includes a written exercise, group exercise, and partner interview.
If you are successful at the assessment centre then you will be invited to stage three, our one-day in-person insight day. This allows you to discover what the office is like you've applied to, meet the people you'll be working with, and understand more about IM and the trainee role. There will be some assessed elements to this last stage but also a chance for you to assess us and ask questions to ensure you feel Irwin Mitchell is the right place for your career.
We are looking for candidates who show an understanding of what the firm does and are able to demonstrate their passion for joining Irwin Mitchell.
How to apply
www.irwinmitchell.comFollow us on
Applications to
Mrs Rebecca Farr
Method of application
Online application formMethod of assessment
- Assessment centre
- Partner interview
- Video interview
- Written exercise
As one of the largest full-service law firms in the UK, we are market leaders. Whether it’s settling a case before trial, or succeeding at the Supreme Court, we deliver for our clients when they really need us. We’re the leading personal injury and medical negligence practice in the UK, whereby we help thousands of families whose lives have been turned upside down.
Supported by a national public law team and the UK’s leading Court of Protection practice, we offer help and reassurance during the hardest of times. Our private client offering specialises in residential property, family, wills, tax, as well as trusts and estate disputes. We protect high and ultra-high net worth individuals, including business owners and entrepreneurs, corporate executives, investors, and multi-generational families.
This is supported by a full suite of business services for corporate clients and institutions such as litigation, corporate, commercial, international property, and employment law. We offer tailored guidance to mid-corporate businesses when it comes to navigating environmental, social and governance and are part of First Law International – a global network of more than 80 law firms.
In 2025 our retention rate was 91% which demonstrates our commitment to your career with the firm and your long term development with us.
Going forward IM is no longer having a vacation scheme. Instead, everyone who passes the assessment centre will need to attend a one-day insight day so everyone can expereince life at IM in-person.
We offer 45-50 training contracts across 12 of our offices within the UK. As a full-service law firm, we have a wide range of seats available for you to train in. You'll undertake four seats over two years, giving you a breadth of experience within your stream, either:
Legal services for indivduals – medical negligence; personal injury; Court of Protection; public law; or private client
Legal services for businesses – banking and finance; construction; commercial and intellectual property; corporate; employment; litigation; pensions; planning; real estate; real estate disuptes; or restructuring and insolvency
Each office offers different seat options dependent on departments available and business need. Please see our website for further details of which seats are available in which office.
Trainees need to be flexible in their approach to everything, be resilient to change, and have a drive to solve problems. We are looking for ambitious and well-motivated individuals who have a real commitment to the law and who can demonstrate a positive approach to their work. We recruit both law and non-law graduates and view social ability as important as academic achievement.
Since 2024 all candidates, who don't have the LPC, will undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) and we no longer offer funding for the LPC. We will continue to accept applications for those that have already completed their LPC, as there is a grace period of up to 10 years in which the old route can be followed.
If you have already attained your LPC qualification upon securing a training contract with us, you will join the firm in your respective year and complete a two year training contract.
Candidates who have not completed their LPC will follow our SQE approach. Please see our website for futher details.
Whether you’re leaving school or changing career, our apprenticeships are a fantastic alternative to studying at university.
You can get straight into work, years earlier, and without thousands of pounds of debt. You’ll get invaluable real-life experience working with experts in their fields, along with a guided course of academic training.
You can become an apprentice solicitor or paralegal, or train to work in business administration, tax, or accounting.
Applications open in January 2025 across a variety of departments and locations – please see our website for further details.
It’s in our DNA to value people for who they are and what they bring. We’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture where our people can flourish. We have a strong network to celebrate and support our colleagues, clients and communities covering sexuality, disability, age, gender, race, social background and culture.
We’re passionate about continued progress which is why we have over 100 Healthy Mind advocates trained by Mental Health First Aid England, our HR team are trained in suicide prevention, we’re members of the Mindful Business and Suicide Prevention Charters, and we have a wellbeing hub with a focus on a holistic approach to wellbeing. Our wellbeing approach is aligned to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
We have one of the lowest gender pay gaps in our industry and we’re proud to the UK’s number one law firm for female partners. We’ve developed policies to help us attract, support and retain transgender colleagues and our LGBTQ+ networking group was highly commended by Stonewall.
Our diversity board continues to help shape our diversity and inclusion strategy in a way which means we build an inclusive business for everyone.
If you are a non-law student and your application is successful, we will meet all the fees associated with your Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) if you have not started or completed your studies when offered a training contract with us. We also provide a maintenance grant to help you through your studies.
We pay for SQE1 and 2.
Please see our website for further details regarding our maintenenace grant.
- Banking
- Corporate
- Insolvency
- Real estate
- Real estate disputes
- Construction
- Planning
- Commercial & Intellectual Property
- Employment
- Litigation
- Pensions
- Serious injury
- Medical negligence
- Asbestos & occupational disease
- Family
- Public law
- Court of Protection
- Private client advisory
- Wills, trust & estate disputes
- International & High Net Worth
- Corporate & Commercial
- General Commercial
- General Practice
Practice Areas
Extra info
Phone: 0370 1500 100
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.irwinmitchell.com/recruitment/early-careers
| Work placement: | Yes |
| Number of vacation schemes: | 0 |
| Minimum qualification: | No minimum academic requirements |
| First-year trainee salary: | £31,500 (outside London); £43,500 (London) |
| Second-year trainee salary: | £33,500 (outside London); £45,500 (London) |
| NQ salary: | £45,000-£57,000 (outside London); £59,500-£78,000 (London) |
| Fees paid for: |
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| Turnover: | £329,000,000 (2024) |
| Training programme applications: | 5,100 (2025) |
| Retention rate: | 91% (2025) |
| Partner diversity: |
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| Lawyer diversity: |
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- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Chichester
- Gatwick
- Leeds
- London
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Reading
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Chichester
- Gatwick
- Leeds
- London
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Reading
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
- Business in the Community
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Help for Heroes
- Inspiring the Future
- Legal Advice Centres
- Prince’s Trust
- ProHelp
- The National Pro Bono Centre
- Tower Hamlets Law Centre
- University of Manchester Legal Advice Centre
- Aspiring Solicitors
- Black Solicitors Network
- Bright Network
- City Horizons
- Diversity Access Scheme - Law Society
- Evenbreak
- Halo Code
- Legal Apprenticeships
- Mindful Business Charter
- Pathways to Law
- PRIME
- Social Mobility Foundation
- Speakers for Schools
- Stonewall
- Sutton Trust
