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    1. Home
    2. Vacation Schemes
    3. Law
    4. Summer Vacation Scheme 2024
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    Our award-winning summer placement scheme is the ideal introduction to Mills & Reeve. We recruit the majority of our trainees through our summer vacation scheme and candidates are strongly encouraged to apply to us for a place on this scheme.

    You will enjoy two weeks' work experience at one of our offices in Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, London, Manchester or Norwich. A competitive allowance will be provided to help with the cost of accommodation, travel and other expenses.

    During your time with us, you will work with a variety of lawyers, moving to different parts of our practice every two or three days. You will be placed in situations where you can do real work, such as undertaking legal research, preparing or checking draft documents, attending court, meeting clients or serving proceedings.

    We will pair you with one of our trainees who will answer your questions and help you make the most of your experience. Presentations, lectures and social events will help you get to know our culture.

    Who should apply?

    We want people who are ready for early responsibility because that is what we will give you. You will be driven, have a positive attitude and an agile approach. You will enjoy untangling complicated issues and thrive on building relationships with clients and colleagues.

    Although we do not have academic grade requirements, we look for candidates who have the key competencies to be excellent trainee solicitors and the potential to be our lawyers of the future. These competencies include:

    • Collaboration
    • Growth Mindset
    • Getting things done
    • Resilience
    • Client Focus
    • Business & Commercial Mindset
    • Analysis & Problem Solving 

    We are recruiting the following positions from our 2024 summer vacation scheme:

    • Training contracts to start in 2026 - c.30 positions across Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, London, Manchester and Norwich.

    For 2026, we will sponsor candidates to qualify via the SQE route and we will welcome applications from penultimate-year/final-year law students, final-year non-law students and graduates (any discipline). We will sponsor non-law candidates to undertake the PGDL before the SQE prep course.

    What is the selection process?

    • Fill in the application form here.
    • Online blended assessment that explores your motivations for joining Mills & Reeve, your thinking style, ability to embrace change and your ability to creatively problem solve. You will be asked a mix of situational judgment questions, verbal and numerical reasoning questions and one long answer question.
    • Shortlisted applicants are invited to an in person assessment centre, including an opportunity to meet trainees. You undertake a group exercise, an individual exercise, a written exercise and an interview with a partner and principal associate.
    • You will be assessed during your summer vacation scheme for a training contract and will be notified of the outcome within 3-4 weeks of the scheme.