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Scotland

Vacation placement

Based in our Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen offices

Introduction

Our vacation placement programme is the perfect introduction to Pinsent Masons and a route to securing a training contract at the firm. 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.

If you gain a placement, it’s because we already see you as a potential trainee. During your time with us, we’ll do our best to give you every chance to prove us right. That’s why our vacation placement students don’t need to make a separate application for our training contract programme. In our eyes you’re already in the running. During your placement we’ll provide you with the opportunity to develop your knowledge, skills and confidence. We’ll gather feedback from your team which, together with the results of your assessments, will help us determine the outcome of your application.

Programme Structure

For many people, our two-week programme offers the first opportunity to work in a professional environment. We support you in that first step through a centralised, day-one induction where you’ll be welcomed to the firm and encouraged to make the most of every opportunity.

If you join us for an in-house placement, you’ll gain full exposure to one practice area, allowing you to form strong relationships and get really involved in the team’s work. You will be assigned a dedicated supervisor and buddy who will support you through the placement, assign hands-on tasks, provide feedback, and answer your questions about the firm.

The aim of our programme is to give you an opportunity to experience what it’s like to be part of the Pinsent Masons team and get the chance to develop transferable professional skills, building your confidence along the way. It’s also a great opportunity to get a feel for the social scene, make friends and start building a useful network of contacts.

Candidates typically make applications for a vacation placement programme taking place two years ahead of when they would like to commence a training contract.

The firm has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, and work with organisations such as the 10,000 Interns Foundation, Aspiring Solicitors and Bright Network to encourage and support applications from individuals of all backgrounds.

Eligibility requirements

Key dates

What we look for

Salary expectations

Sponsorships

120+ UCAS points

120 UCAS points or above from your Scottish Highers or equivalent.

2.1 degree or above

2.1 degree or above already gained or predicted to achieve.

You must also meet one of the following:

You have reached the penultimate year of your LLB in Scots Law or beyond
You have completed a non-law degree and you are now in the 1st or 2nd year of your accelerated LLB in Scots Law or beyond

If you don’t meet the above minimum academic criteria but you have mitigating circumstances, there’s an opportunity for you to include this information in your registration form.

Applications open: Monday 02 September 2024
Applications close: Thursday 13 February 2025
Programme start: Monday 02 June 2025
Programme duration: 2 weeks

We do not offer ad hoc placements, so you must make sure you’re available for the full placement during the above dates.

A focus on detail

With a conscientious approach, you’ll have the ability to read and absorb large amounts of reference material and spot errors quickly.

An interest in business

We’re a purpose-led, professional services firm, with law at the core, so you’ll have a genuine interest in how business works.

Intellectual capability

You're able to learn new skills and concepts quickly and apply them effectively. You're curious and open-minded, seeking feedback and opportunities for improvement.

Social adaptability

You’re comfortable engaging and openly communicating with people from different backgrounds and experiences to your own.

Drive

You have a genuine passion for excellence, and the drive, determination and positivity to go above and beyond to achieve your goals.

Personal responsibility

You understand that taking responsibility for your successes and acknowledging when things go wrong helps you improve and develop.

Positive impact

With the confidence to express your own opinions and assert your point of view when necessary, you’ll be a compelling and persuasive communicator.

Organisation

You have a clear sense of what is important and plan your tasks and activities, prioritising the most important ones, and managing your time and resources efficiently.

We believe placements should be paid as you will be making a valuable contribution to our business. We also recognise that undertaking placements can mean incurring costs for travel and accommodation. That is why we pay our vacation placement students a competitive rate of pay while at the firm.

Our salaries are subject to review on an annual basis. The salary rates as of June 2024 are as follows:

Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen: £400 per week

Visa sponsorship

Our placements are full time i.e. 35 hours per week and may not be suitable for candidates with restricted work permits. If you are not sure about your individual circumstances, please contact us.

What is the application process?

The below shows the typical recruitment process for our Early Talent programmes in our UK, Dublin, Johannesburg and Dubai offices.

01. Registration & application form

Tell us about yourself, your academic history and your employment history where applicable. We also gather information about you to support our contextualized recruitment approach.
02. Online blended assessment

The next stage of the recruitment process will involve completing our online blended assessment. This blended assessment incorporates situational judgment questions, a written case study and a short recorded video interview allowing us to see how well you would perform in different scenarios.
03. Assessment centre

If you pass the online blended assessment, we’ll ask you to book a place at one of our in-person assessment centres. You will complete three exercises over the day – This will include a one-to-one interview, a business simulation exercise and a case study.
04. Offer

Whatever the outcome, we’ll let you know as soon as we can after the assessment centre. If you display the key attributes we are looking for and perform well throughout the assessment, we’ll send you an offer and talk you through the onboarding process.

How to apply

To start your application, please click on apply now. Once you have registered an account, you will need to complete the following before the application closing date:

Registration form
Application form
Online blended assessment

Once you have submitted all of the above, our recruitment team will review your application alongside your online blended assessment and will be in touch in due course regarding your outcome.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need legal work experience to apply?

Legal work experience is not mandatory. Our application form allows you to provide up to 5 of your most relevant experiences. This can be anything you've done, such as employment, work experience, placement, volunteering, sports activities, positions of responsibility etc.
Can I apply for a vacation placement and training contract at the same time?

You can only submit one application per intake (September 2024 - August 2025 recruitment cycle). If we offer you a position on our vacation placement programme, we'll automatically consider you for a training contract.
Can I apply if I'm a first year student?

No, unfortunately we don’t offer in-house placements to first year students. If you’re a first-year student, we’d encourage you to develop your legal knowledge by attending law fairs and insight events. We also have a free virtual work experience programme that is open to all students.
Is the vacation placement the same as the 10,000 Interns programme?

Pinsent Masons partners with the 10,000 Interns Foundation to support diverse candidates by offering 6-week internship programmes for candidates from black-heritage, mixed-heritage, or disabled backgrounds. These opportunities run alongside our Vacation Placement programme.

Eligible candidates must register via 10,000 Interns Foundation within their allocated deadline, which may be different than our application deadline. The interns are then matched with suitable employers and, if you are allocated to Pinsent Masons, we will be in touch to advise you of the next steps.

Similarly to the vacation placement, the 10K programme is a path to securing a training contract with the firm and selected interns will be invited to undertake the same assessments as our vacation placement candidates.
Do you recruit on a rolling basis?

No, we recruit as per recruitment cycle and we deliver all outcomes after the application closing date.
Do I get to choose which practice area I sit in?

If you are offered a position, we’ll ask you to tell us your top three practice group preferences and we’ll do our best to place you in one of these. However, this is subject to business requirements at the time of the placement.
Can I complete my placement at a different time?

We believe our interns benefit from completing the placement together, partaking in the same activities and building their network of support whilst they’re at the firm. For this reason, we do not offer ad hoc placements outside the core dates.
I'm a career changer, can I still apply?

Yes, we welcome applications from individuals who have had previous careers. We often find career changers bring significant transferable skills and a unique perspective.

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