Discover Vacation Placement & Mentoring Programme 2026

Gordons; Greater London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK law firm is offering a Discover Vacation Placement & Mentoring Programme for aspiring solicitors from under-represented backgrounds. During this one-week placement, participants will gain hands-on experience, work alongside solicitors, and benefit from mentoring. Eligible candidates must be in their penultimate year of study, interested in a career in law, and identify with at least one under-represented group. Applications open on 4 December 2025, with a deadline of 31 January 2026.

Benefits

Paid placement

Mentoring support

Networking opportunities

Qualifications

• Aspiring solicitor interested in qualifying in England or Scotland.
• Eligibility to work in the UK and not currently hold a training contract.
• Identify with at least one under-represented group in law.

Responsibilities

• Experience handling real case files and attending meetings.
• Participate in a business development challenge.

Skills

Interest in law

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Penultimate-year law undergraduate or final-year law/non-law student

GDL, LPC or SQE completed

Job description

Your legal career starts here

Get real experience, real mentoring and real insight into life as a solicitor through our one-week Vacation Placement & Mentoring Programme.

What is the discover programme?

The Discover Vacation Placement & Mentoring Programme offers aspiring solicitors from under-represented backgrounds the opportunity to experience life at a leading law firm.

You’ll spend one week in one of our offices — Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, London or Manchester — working alongside solicitors, contributing to projects and immersing yourself in our culture.

Before your placement, you’ll be paired with a professional mentor who’ll help you prepare, guide you throughout the week, and continue supporting you as you move towards our training contract assessment centre.

This is more than just work experience. It’s a chance to gain confidence, make meaningful connections and be supported every step of the way.

"The most valuable thing I gained was absolute certainty Shoosmiths is a firm I would love to work for. It was clear from the moment I arrived that the culture and values which first attracted me were reflected in everyday working life", Ella Davis, former Shoosmiths Trainee.

What you’ll experience

Discover supports our diversity, equity and inclusion goals by helping to widen access to the profession and build a more diverse future generation of lawyers.

You’ll be paid for your time — details of the current rate can be found on our FAQ page.

During the week, you’ll:

• experience the work of a trainee solicitor, from handling real case files to attending meetings
• take part in a business development challenge that showcases your ideas and creativity

learn from your mentor, trainees and lawyers who will support you every step of the way

join social activities that give you a genuine feel for our people and our culture.

Mentoring is at the heart of the discover programme — and of Shoosmiths. That’s why we’re also proud to partner with GROW Mentoring, a charity with diversity, inclusion and social mobility at its core. Over 40 of our legal advisors currently mentor GROW mentees every year, helping the next generation of legal professionals build confidence and thrive.

Who can apply & what happens next

The Discover Vacation Placement & Mentoring Programme is a diversity access scheme and forms part of recruitment for Shoosmiths’ 2028 training contracts.

To apply, you must:

• be an aspiring solicitor interested in qualifying in England or Scotland
• be a penultimate-year law undergraduate, final-year law or non-law student, or have completed the GDL, LPC or SQE
• be eligible to work in the UK and not currently hold a training contract
• identify with at least one under-represented group in law:
  • Black, Asian or minority ethnic
  • LGBTQ+
  • disabled, neurodivergent or have a long-term health condition
  • socially mobile (for example, first in your family to attend university, educated at a non-selective state school, care-experienced, or came to the UK as a refugee)

You’ll be assessed throughout your placement, and if successful, you’ll be invited to our in-person training contract assessment centre. There’s no need to apply separately — by applying for discover, you’re already being considered for a training contract.

Locations: Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester & London

Applications open: 4 December 2025

Deadline: 31 January 2026

How to apply

Ready to take the next step? Submit your application for the Discover Vacation Placement & Mentoring Programme, or join our mailing list to hear about upcoming opportunities.

What if I’m not eligible?

If you’re not eligible or can’t attend the placement this time, there are plenty of other ways to connect with us. We run a full programme of virtual insight evenings and in-person events throughout the year to help you learn more about life as a Shoosmiths trainee. You can also apply directly for a training contract without completing a placement.

If you’re not ready to apply yet, sign up to our mailing list to stay up to date with future opportunities.