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Applications for 2023 vacation placements are currently open with a deadline of Thursday 12 January 2023.
Applications for our 2025 training contracts are currently open with a deadline of Thursday 12 January 2023. We do not recruit on a rolling basis, all applications will be reviewed after the closing date.
Whether you would like to join us on a vacation placement or as a trainee solicitor, there are eight key qualities that we look for. These are attributes our clients expect from our lawyers, so if we invite you to join us, it means you already have what it takes to build a successful legal career here. Our eight qualities are:
An interest in business
We are a commercial law firm, so you will have a genuine interest in how business works. That means keeping up-to-date with the latest business issues, as well as appreciating how legal expertise can support and steer commercial organisations.
Personal drive
You will need to combine a real desire to be the best with the energy, ambition and enthusiasm to go the extra mile to succeed. With a can-do attitude, you are always open to learning from your experience, so you can be better next time.
Confidence
With the self-assurance to voice your own opinions and defend your point of view when you need to, you will be a convincing and persuasive communicator. However you will also have the self-awareness to ask for help when you need it.
A focus on detail
With a conscientious approach you will have the ability to read and absorb large amounts of reference material and spot errors quickly. You will be a stickler for detail when it comes to your own writing too, ensuring it is always clear and accurate.
Intellectual capability
You have the intellectual curiosity to explore new approaches and ask others' opinions. With an analytical approach, you think things through and weigh up the implications, but also have the capacity to think on your feet to find solutions.
Personal responsibility
You understand that taking responsibility for your successes and acknowledging when things go wrong will help you to constantly improve and achieve your career aims. By knowing your strengths and weaknesses you give others confidence in your abilities.
Self-organisation
You understand priorities and monitor your progress towards set objectives. Being well-organised and planning and managing your work efficiently you make sure you always deliver quality work on time.
Openness
You will be approachable, outgoing and confident engaging with people from different background and experiences to your own. Whether you are communicating with colleagues or clients you will understand the need to adapt your message to suit your audience.
Our recruitment process consists of the following stages:
An online application form
Apply through our online application system. Read the questions, think about your responses and double-check everything before submitting.
Online assessment
After the deadline we will review all applications. If you are one of the ones who best meet our requirements, we will ask you to take an online psychometric assessment.
Assessment centre
If you pass the online psychometric assessment, we will invite you to book to attend one of our assessment centres. This will include an interview with a partner or senior associate, a business simulation exercise, a SWOT analysis and presentation. You will also have the opportunity to spend some time with our current trainees.
Review and offer
Whatever the outcome we will let you know after the assessment centre. If you meet our core capabilities and perform well we will make you an offer.
How to apply
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Applications to
Graduate recruitment
Method of application
Online Application FormMethod of assessment
- Assessment centre
- Partner interview
- Presentation
- Psychometric testing
- Written exercise
At Pinsent Masons we are a purpose-led professional services business with law at its core. We recognise that our clients rarely have legal problems; they have commercial challenges and opportunities. That's why we combine legal expertise with a wide range of complementary professional disciplines – enabled by process and technology – to address our clients' most pressing needs. With over 470 partners and more than 3500 people operating globally from 28 locations around the world, our people champion change, promote progress and enable everyone to make business work better for people.
The world has changed and profitability can no longer be the only measure of success in the legal industry. We have sought to expand and grow profitably, but to do so in a way that recognises the wider value and impact that we as a business can drive in collaboration with the clients and communities we work with.
This means putting a different concept at the heart of our business: that to be relevant and valued by our clients, you need to make a profile – but you also need to do business in the right way, and for the right reasons.
Our vacation placements, whether hybrid or in-house, are the perfect introduction to Pinsent Masons if you would like to be considered for one of our training contracts. We design, structure and develop the placement programme to give you an experience which is practical and enjoyable whilst authentically reflecting the trainee solicitor experience. Working alongside trainees and qualified solicitors on real client projects, you’ll enjoy structured work-based learning, skills training and presentations.
The facts speak for themselves. A good 60% of our trainees regularly join us after experiencing our work environment first-hand over a summer placement. It’s by far the best way for you to get to know us, and for us to get to know you. Don’t just take our word for it have a look at some of our stories to hear from those who have completed a placement with us.
The programme is available across all our UK offices (London, Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester). Applications are open from early September to early January. Successful candidates are invited to complete a psychometric assessment online before attending an assessment centre (consisting of an interview and a written exercise). All vacation placement participants are considered for a training contract at the end of the scheme.
On our tailored programme, we give you the best training experience possible, with a full, balanced introduction to the legal profession. As well as high quality work and unique levels of responsibility and client exposure, you’ll enjoy personalised development that takes your individual interests, ambitions and needs into account.
It all starts from the moment you accept our offer, with a programme of events and communications leading up to when you join the firm and take your first steps to becoming a qualified lawyer.
Your training starts on day one at our Crown Place headquarters, where you’ll have the chance to meet your fellow trainees and begin to build a network of contacts across the firm.
Our residential trainee conference in your second week is when your intensive legal and skills training really starts. With a series of social events, it also gives you the chance to strengthen your bonds with other trainees.
On our two-year training programme, you’ll enjoy the chance to build both the technical legal skills and complementary skills you need to become a newly-qualified solicitor and business advisor.
Throughout the programme you’ll gain broad exposure to different areas of the firm by moving seat every six months. The training in each seat is ‘front loaded’ to enable you to quickly develop legal knowledge of each area and take on real responsibility. When you qualify, you’ll have fully informed idea of which practice areas interest you and can take your career to the next level in your chosen specialism.
Our graduate development team will support you throughout your training contract, from liaising with the wider business on seat allocation, to meeting with you regularly to offer personal or professional support and guidance.
During the second year of your training contract, you may have the chance to take a secondment with one of our clients or another of our UK offices.
A number of client organisations offer secondments to our trainees and each time you move seat, you’ll find different, exciting opportunities are available. For example, some of our trainees have had the chance to work at AXA, Google, Heathrow Airport and Royal London.
The programme is available across our London, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester offices. Applications are open from early September to early January. Successful candidates are invited to complete a psychometric assessment online before attending an assessment centre (consisting of interview, written exercise and SWOT analysis).
Pinsent Masons plan to transition to the new SQE route to qualification for our September 2024 English qualifying trainee intake. For trainees joining our business in 2024, subject to any mitigating or exceptional circumstances, students will have studied for, taken and passed all of SQE1 and 2 before starting their training contract with us.
Pinsent Masons has long believed in creating an inclusive and supportive workplace that enables its people to feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. The firm is proud of its rewards and recognition to support this. A few of these include a global champion for LGBT+, named as the UK's most LGBT+ inclusive employer, amongst the top global LGBT+ employers by Stonewall, included in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women, 'Law Firm of the Year' at the Legal Business Awards and included in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.
In England, full sponsorship is offered for the PGDL and SQE1 and 2.
In Scotland, full sponsorship is offered for PEAT1 fees, together with a maintenance grant.
In Northern Ireland the firm will pay your IPLS/GSPLE fees.
- Banking
- Advanced delivery team
- Restructuring
- Financial regulation
- Insurance
- Investment funds
- Pensions
- Construction & projects solutions
- Energy transition
- Regulatory & finance
- Property development & investment
- Planning & environment
- Energy & infrastructure
- Property dispute resolution
- Construction
- Advisory & disputes
- Intellectual property
- Litigation & regulatory
- Contentious tax
- TMT
- TMT litigation
- Commercial
- Corporate
- Non contentious tax
- Employment
- Competition
- EU & trade
- Procurement
- Corporate & Commercial
- General Commercial
Practice Areas
Extra info
Phone: 0141 567 8495
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.pinsentmasons.com/careers/graduate
| Work placement: | Yes |
| Number of work placements: | 65 |
| Minimum qualification: | All applications are reviewed as a whole and we use a 2.1 degree as a guide, whilst taking account of mitigating circumstances |
| Start salary: | Dependent upon location (see website for details) |
| Fees paid for: |
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| Turnover: | £531,100,000 (2021) |
| Profit per partner: | £400,000 (2012) |
| Training contract applications: | 1,471 (2022) |
| Retention rate: | 87% (2021) |
| Partner diversity: |
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| Lawyer diversity: |
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| Has client secondments: | Yes |
| Client secondments: |
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- London
- Aberdeen
- Belfast
- Birmingham
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
- Leeds
- Manchester
- Amicus
- Prince’s Trust
- #10000BlackInterns
- 10000 Able Interns
- Ahead Partnership
- Aspiring Solicitors
- BITC
- Black Professionals Scotland
- Bridge Group
- Business Disability Forum
- Disability Confident Leader
- Impressive People
- Legal Apprenticeships
- Pathways to Law
- PRIME
- Rare Recruitment
- Social Mobility Foundation
- Stonewall
- StreetLaw
- Sutton Trust
- The 5% Club
- The Valuable 500
- Working Families
