Frequently asked questions

Deadlines

Q: When are the application dates and deadlines for a placement?

Date of placement	Office location	Application opens	Application deadline
8 April 2024	Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, London	11 January 2024	31 January 2024
12 August 2024	Belfast	1 May 2024	30 June 2024

Q: When are the application dates and deadlines for a training contract?

Start date of training contract	Office location	Application opens	Application deadline
September 2026	Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester	1 February 2024	31 March 2024

Q: When are the application dates and deadlines for an insight evening?

Role	Event date	Location focus	Registration opens	Assessment
Virtual Insight evening	17 April 2024	Northern Ireland	1 January 2024	Registration only (no other assessments)
Virtual Insight evening	18 September 2024	England	1 February 2024	Application form
Virtual Insight evening	19 September 2024	Scotland	1 February 2024	Application form
Virtual Insight evening	January 2025	England & Scotland	TBC	Application form

Locations

Q: Which locations do you offer to complete a placement or training contract?

England - We offer placements and training contracts in four of our English offices, these are Birmingham, Leeds, London, Manchester. You will qualify as a solicitor under the Law Society of England and Wales.

Scotland - We offer placements and training contracts in Edinburgh and Glasgow. You will likely spend your 24-month training contract across both office locations, depending on which area of law you are training in, but you will be assigned a base office. The graduate programme here is known as a traineeship, you will qualify as a solicitor under the Law Society of Scotland.

Northern Ireland - We offer placements and a training contracts in Belfast. The graduate programme here is known as a trainee solicitor apprenticeship, you will qualify as a solicitor under the Law Society of Northern Ireland. Unlike our other offices, in NI, your two-year training contract will be split between spending time in the office working, and studying at IPLS.

Q: Can I apply for a placement in a different location to where I would like to apply for a training contract?

We recommend applying for the same location for your placement and the training contract. The placement offers you the opportunity to build relationships with the people you will be working with during your training contract.

Q: During my placement and training contract, can I request what areas of law I train in?

You are invited to share your preference with the emerging talent team when you are offered your placement. We will endeavour to match your preference, but this will be balanced against the areas of law available in each office location.

Eligibility to apply

Q: Who can apply for this placement?

The Discover Placement & Mentoring Programme is a diversity access scheme which is part of our recruitment for the 2026 training contract.

It is open to those who are a penultimate year undergraduate, a final year law or non-law undergraduate student, a postgraduate or career changer.

To apply for the Discover placement & mentoring programme opportunity, you must:

Be an aspiring solicitor interested in qualifying in England or Scotland.
Be a penultimate year law undergraduate, or a final year law or non-law undergraduate student. GDL, LPC and SQE students are welcome to apply, as are graduates and career changers.
Not have accepted a training contract with any law firm or legal team
Be eligible to work in the UK

You should also be from at least one of our under-represented groups:

Black, Asian or minority ethnic
LGBTQ+
Disabled, neurodivergent or have a long-term health condition
Socially mobile (given this is not a defined characteristic in the Equalities Act 2010, there are multiple variations of this meaning but we consider this to include (but not limited to) candidates who:

v) attended a non-selective state school comprehensive educated and first generation of their family to attend university
vi) spent time in local authority care
vii) came to this country as a refugee
viii) have been looked after or in care

Q: Am I eligible to apply for an insight evening?

Shoosmiths insight evenings are open to applicants in any year of study at university, in any discipline, graduates and postgraduate students interested in a career as a solicitor.

Q: What year should I be in to apply?

If you are an English or Scots Law degree student, you can apply in your penultimate or final year, or as a graduate. If you are an English Non-Law degree student, you can apply in your final year, or as a graduate. If you are a Scottish non-law degree student, and intend to convert to Scots Law, you can apply from your first year of the accelerated LLB or after. If you are a degree student in Northern Ireland, you can apply in your final year.

To be eligible to apply, you must be able to commence a training contract in September of the year you apply for and have completed your postgraduate studies by that date (e.g. LPC, Diploma, SQE). Please get in touch with us if you are unsure whether you are applying during the correct year.

Q: What are the minimum requirements to apply for the placement and training contract?

We want to recruit the very best talent, but we know that academics aren’t the only measure of success. Law requires a high level of intellect, but we look for candidates with strengths in other areas too, which is why our minimum academic criteria is CCC at 'A' level and a degree in any subject (or equivalents).

The application form for a vacation placement and training contract is divided into different sections, e.g. personal details, academic details, work experience and competency questions which are based on our values and expected behaviours. Scores are allotted to your application based on your responses throughout the application form and to the competency questions. All candidates must achieve the minimum academic requirements and a minimum criteria score on the competency questions to be invited to the next stage of the process. By assessing the application in this way, we are able to look at the whole you, without focusing on simply one part of your history.

Minimum academic requirements to apply to Shoosmiths:

CCC at A-Level (or equivalent)
Any degree in any discipline (or equivalent)

Minimum requirements of the role of a trainee solicitor at Shoosmiths, demonstrated throughout the application process, including:

Achieving a minimum score on the competency questions
Achieving a minimum overall application form score
Achieving a minimum score on the strengths based assessment

Shoosmiths reserve the right to determine the minimum criteria based on applications received this year.

For clarity, please note that the minimum criteria for our roles is not based on academics alone, but also considers the application in full.

Q: Will you withdraw my offer if I do not receive a 2:1 degree?

You should aim for the best grades as you can, we will consider all degree grades if you are able to show strengths in other areas your application.

Q: If I initially studied a non-law degree will this put me at a disadvantage compared to someone with a law degree?

Studying a non-law undergraduate degree does not put you at a disadvantage. We accept applications from all undergraduate students and welcome applicants with diverse knowledge and skill sets.

You can read more about our commitment to non-law students here.

Q: I am an international student, can I apply?

Yes, providing you are eligible to work within the UK. We have recently been granted a license to sponsor successful applicants for a skilled worker visa.

Application form

Q: Must I complete a Shoosmiths online application form?

In order for your application to be assessed you must complete our online application form, as we do not accept a cover letter and a CV as an application.

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to and usable by everyone. If you have a disability or long-term condition and would like to receive information in a different way, or need us to make any adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Emerging Talent Team on +44 (0)3700 864 098 or by emailing [email protected]. We can have a conversation about your needs and requirements, and how we can assist you to apply for our roles. For example we can provide a copy of our application via email so that you can complete it using your own accessibility software.

Q: Do you screen applications on a rolling basis?

Yes, we do assess applications on a rolling basis within the application window, but every application that reaches us by the application deadline will be assessed. Where possible we encourage you to submit your application at least a week before the actual deadline, this is to prevent you from having any last-minute technical issues or delays, and also enables us to manage our capacity to assess.

Q: I would like to add supplementary information to my application once I have submitted it, for example exam results or work experience:

Email [email protected] with your additional content, we can then attach this to your application.

Q: Do you use any psychometric, numerical, or verbal reasoning tests as part of your selection process?

In October 2022 we introduced a brand-new online strengths-based assessment which measures your potential to succeed in the role of a trainee solicitor.

The process of implementing this new assessment has included an in-depth analysis to identify the attributes needed for high performance in a trainee solicitor’s role specifically at Shoosmiths.

The online assessment will explore your strengths as well as what you enjoy doing in a blend of behaviour and cognitive assessments, while providing you with an immersive candidate experience and real-job profile.

If you apply for a placement or training contract from October 2022, you will be asked to complete this online assessment following the submission of your application form.

More guidance about the new assessment will be shared on our careers blog, but you can also learn more about it here.

Q: Can I request feedback if I was not accepted onto the placement or training contract?

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications, it is not possible to provide all applicants with individual feedback. Applicants who attend an assessment day are given thorough feedback.

All applicants may find it useful to watch this video recorded in 2018 with our Performance & Development Manager, Yvonne Oakenfull. Although it was recorded a few years ago, the advice shared about how to use feedback for professional development is really useful.

Q: What if I have mitigating circumstances?

If you have sufficient evidence to suggest that your exam results did not fully reflect your abilities, then please complete the mitigating circumstances section on the application form. We may contact you for additional information when assessing the application forms, but you do not need to send any additional information to us at the time of submission.

Q: The application form asks if I require any reasonable adjustments. What does this mean?

If you require any reasonable adjustments for your attendance at an insight evening, on a placement or assessment day, or in the workplace, for example wheelchair access or extra time for any written assessments, please do let us know so we can accommodate your request.

Q: You mention you are a Disability Confident Employer. What does this mean?

Shoosmiths is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with health conditions. The Disability Confident scheme replaced the Two Ticks Positive about Disabled People scheme. We had been accredited as a two tick employer for many years - Disability Confident broadens and develops that original commitment, and demonstrates we have adopted a proactive approach to employing disabled people and developing their abilities.

As part of our accreditation, we commit to interviewing any disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for each vacancy.

The application form for a vacation placement and training contract is divided into different sections, e.g. personal details, academic details, work experience and competency questions which are based on our values and expected behaviours. Scores are allotted to your application based on your responses throughout the application form and to the competency questions. All candidates must achieve the minimum academic requirements and a minimum criteria score on the competency questions to be invited to the next stage of the process. By assessing the application in this way, we are able to look at the whole you, without focusing on simply one part of your history.

Minimum academic requirements to apply to Shoosmiths:

CCC at A-Level (or equivalent)
Any degree in any discipline (or equivalent)

Minimum requirements of the role of a trainee solicitor at Shoosmiths, demonstrated on the application by

Achieving a minimum score on the competency questions
Achieving a minimum overall application form score

Shoosmiths reserve the right to determine the minimum criteria based on applications received this year.

For clarity, please note that the minimum criteria for our roles is not based on academics alone, but also considers the application in full.

You can read more about Shoosmiths’ commitments to equality and inclusion here.

Q: Is the recruitment process different for applicants who already work at Shoosmiths?

Internal applicants follow the same recruitment and selection process as external applicants.

Q: Do you have contextual recruitment?

In January 2024, we introduced contextual recruitment to our application screening. RealRating (created by upReach, a social mobility charity) gives us a better indication of your academic capabilities creating a fairer measure of your academic achievements than A-Level grades alone.

The methodology is based on a comprehensive review of the published research into how background and school type influence academic performance and analysis of how universities and employers are using contextualised data to inform admissions and recruitment.

There is nothing you need to do in addition to completing your application form.

Placement

Q: How long is a placement?

The placement is one-week in length in one location. Our placements take place in-person.

Q: Am I still in with a chance to secure a training contract if I wasn't offered a placement?

Yes, our placement numbers are limited, and places are highly competitive. Your application for a training contract will still be considered even if you were not offered a placement.

Q: Do you offer work experience other than the placement?

We do work with some external organisations to offer additional work placements. These are usually organisations with a focus on social mobility, diversity, and inclusion.

Aside from these we do not offer any other work experience opportunities. But you can find lots of useful resources on the careers blog, and we recommend attending an insight evening so that you can meet people and get to know whether Shoosmiths is the right firm for you.

Q: Do you offer apprenticeships?

Shoosmiths is committed to nurturing talent and developing expertise through providing relevant vocational and professional apprenticeships across all its divisions and directorates.

We’re pleased to offer a level 7 solicitor apprenticeship for the first time in our Birmingham office, commencing in September 2024.

Apprenticeships can be offered to new or existing members of Shoosmiths staff and are for individuals over the age of 16, living in England who are not in full time education.

You can apply for a solicitor apprenticeship between 1 February – 10 March 2024 here.

You can also find more information about opportunities for school leavers here.

Q: When are the exact dates of the placement?

Our placement will commence on Monday, 8 April 2024 for one week.

Q: Can I apply just for placement, without also applying for a training contract?

No, the placement opportunity is only available to candidates who are also applying for a Training Contract. You will submit one application when applying for both.

Assessment centre

Q: Is the assessment centre in-person or virtual?

From 2023, we will be hosting our assessment centres in-person. The exact locations and dates for the assessment centres can be found on the training contract page on our website.

Q: What happens at a Shoosmiths assessment centre?

You will be assessed in five core tasks including a pair conversation, group discussion, a written task, an interview, and an oral presentation, as well as being asked some reflective questions about your performance eon the day.

There is also some time for networking, a Q&A session with our trainee solicitors, and a chance to see more of the workspace.

Q: Is there any time to learn more about Shoosmiths on the assessment centre?

As part of the assessment day, there will be time to get to know our people during networking sessions. These parts of the day aren’t assessed, but you'll still want to make the best first impression.

Q: How many vacancies are there, and how many candidates will you assess?

We typically have around 20-25 vacancies for training contracts each year, and we’ll see around 100 candidates at the assessment centres. We host a number of assessment centres in different locations, each with a varying number of candidates attending each day, from 12 per day, to 32 per day.

Q: Can I find out more about your application statistics?

We are currently working on a report which will include information about our applicants throughout the stages of marketing, selection and recruitment. This will include anonymous demographic and diversity data.

Q: What does CV blind interviewing mean to Shoosmiths?

We want to assess candidates fairly and without discrimination, so we introduced CV Blind Interviewing into our assessment centre more than 15 years ago.

When your application is assessed, the assessor cannot see any of your personal details (name, address etc). Application assessors follow strict screening guidelines to assign a score to the parts of the application that they can see (your answers to the competency questions, for example).

We operate a tiered selection process, which means each stage gets you to the next stage. So, in practice, this means that if you are successful at application stage and at the strengths based assessment stage, you will then be assessed on your performance on the assessment centre tasks, and we do not reference back to your application form.

At the assessment centre, you will be interviewed, but the interviewers will not know anything about you, and will not have seen your application form. Your application form will not be seen by interviewers for any part of their decision making process at the assessment centre.

Q: If I am not successful, can I apply again?

We think everyone deserves a second chance so we welcome your application again, even if you have been unsuccessful at an assessment centre the first time around. Think about taking some time to develop yourself personally and professionally to consider how your application or assessment centre may be different this time.

Often you are unsuccessful, not because we think you wouldn't be a great solicitor, but that you didn’t quite demonstrate the right experience, strengths or values at this moment in time, or that the competition this year was particularly high.

We recognise the high pressure that assessment centres can bring, therefore after attending our assessment centre twice with an unsuccessful outcome, you will no longer be eligible to apply to the same role.

Postgraduate studies

Q: Do Shoosmiths offer financial assistance with my studies?

Shoosmiths will offer financial support towards the cost of your future postgraduate studies (PGDL, SQE, Diploma, IPLS or equivalent) and exam fees, plus provide a living allowance for those studying in England or Scotland.

Full details are provided at the time of offer.

Q: Do Shoosmiths have a preferred postgraduate provider?

Shoosmiths are proud to partner with BPP University to provide PGDL and SQE training in England. However we do not have a specific postgraduate provider in Scotland for the Diploma. In Northern Ireland, you will study at IPLS, Queens University Belfast.

Q: Will Shoosmiths want me to do the LPC or SQE?

If you receive a training contract offer for one of our English offices, and you are a law candidate you will need to complete the LLM SQE before your training contract (QWE) commences. (You do not need to have completed this at the point of application).

If you receive a training contract offer for one of our English offices, and you are a non-law candidate you will need to complete the PGDL and the LLM SQE before your training contract (QWE) commences.

If you have already completed the LPC, then you are still eligible to apply to us, and you will not need to completed the SQE in addition.

Salary

Q: What is the salary for a placement candidate?

Shoosmiths is a real living wage employer. You will receive a payment of £450 (£495 in London) (2024 rate) for your one-week placement at Shoosmiths

Q: What is the salary for a trainee solicitor at Shoosmiths?

Shoosmiths trainee salaries are set in accordance with extensive market research. As of 1 November 2023, they are:

Location	First year trainee	Second year trainee
London	£43,000	£45,000
Regions	£32,000	£34,000
Thames Valley	£34,000	£36,000
Scotland	£30,000	£32,000
Belfast	£23,500	£25,500

Q: What is the salary for an NQ at Shoosmiths?

Our new NQ salary bands for the core commercial disciplines*, from 1 November 2023 are as follows:

Location	NQ
London	90,000
Thames Valley	63,800
Regions	60,000
Scotland	55,000
Belfast	36,500

*Please note - Market conditions for some teams do vary and as such dictate a different structure of reward. Consequentially a different NQ salary will be applied as appropriate for the location in such areas.

Q: How many trainees are kept at Shoosmiths after qualification?

It is our intention to retain all of our trainee solicitors when they qualify. We often have far more NQ roles available than the number of trainees who are qualifying each year.

In recent years our retention rates have been:

	March	September	Overall
2019	100% (9/9)	77% (17/22)	84% (26/31)
2020	100% (4/4)	79% (15/19)	83% (19/23)
2021	100% (4/4)	76% (19/25)	79% (23/29)
2022	100% (8/8)	65% (15/23)	71% (22/31)
2023	88% (7/8)	72% (21/29)	76% (28/37)

Useful links

Q: How do I contact the emerging talent team at Shoosmiths?

Send an email to: [email protected].

Follow us on social media:

Q: Where can I read even more about emerging talent at Shoosmiths?

https://www.lawcareers.net/Solicitors/Shoosmiths

https://www.allaboutlaw.co.uk/law-careers/law-firms/regional-employers-shoosmiths

https://www.legalcheek.com/firm/shoosmiths/

https://www.ratemyplacement.co.uk/company-profile/1507/shoosmiths

https://www.brightnetwork.co.uk/graduate-employer-company/shoosmiths/

https://targetjobs.co.uk/organisations/shoosmiths

Q: Do you have any current vacancies to join the firm as a paralegal?

Yes, you can find all of our current vacancies here.