Trainee Solicitor - 2027 Intake

JMW Solicitors LLP; Manchester; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

24/7 employee assistance programme

Income protection

SMART pension scheme

Annual travel insurance

25 days annual leave

Job summary

JMW Solicitors LLP invites applications for the 2027 Trainee Intake in Manchester. The fixed-term, full-time contract offers a structured two-year training with rotations across at least three specialist areas and a shared funding model for SQE exams.

First-year trainee salaries are £34,750 in Manchester and Liverpool and £41,750 in London, with annual salary reviews. The firm provides 25 days of annual leave, private medical insurance, SMART pension, travel insurance and comprehensive wellbeing

Qualifications

• Eligibility to apply by July 2027 with a minimum 2:1
• A GCSE pass in Maths and English (grades 9-4 / A-C)
• Desirable: strong A-Level results or prior legal work experience

Education

Law degree or equivalent Level 6 qualification

Non-law degree + law conversion course (e.g. GDL)

Postgraduate law qualification (e.g. LLM or LPC)

Job description

Trainee Solicitor - 2027 Intake

Application Deadline: 26 October 2026

Department: Emerging Talent

Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time

Location: Manchester

Description

We are passionate about developing the next generation of legal talent by providing our Trainee solicitors the support, opportunities and experience needed to build a successful and rewarding career.

We are therefore delighted to announce that applications for our 2027 Trainee Intake are now open until Monday 26 October.

Why apply to train at JMW?

We believe in providing our trainees with a high-quality training experience and a path to qualification over the course of two-years.

Additionally, we provide the following core benefits to our trainees:

• The opportunity to work in at least three of our specialist areas. Typically, this is achieved by rotating departments every six months, so that trainees undertake four seats in total.
• Access to a shared funding model that is tailored to the needs of trainees who are required to undertake any SQE exams during their training contract.
• A first-year trainee salary of: £34,750 in Liverpool and Manchester and £41,750 in London (Salaries are reviewed annually and any increase to these rates will be effective from September 2027)
• A comprehensive learning and development curriculum aligned to key milestones in our training contracts.
• 25 days’ annual leave, plus all public holidays and up to 3 days’ additional paid leave when the office closes between Christmas and New Year
• Access to a SMART pension scheme and annual travel insurance
• A range of health and wellbeing benefits including, private medical insurance, 24/7 access to an employee assistance programme, and income protection cover.

Eligibility Requirements

We welcome applications from candidates who:

By July 2027, applicants must have completed, or be on track to complete, one of the following with a minimum 2:1 classification:

• A law degree (or equivalent Level 6 qualification)
• A non-law degree and a law conversion course (e.g. GDL)
• A postgraduate law qualification (e.g. LLM or LPC)

Applicants must also have achieved five GCSEs (or equivalent) at grades 9-4 (A-C), including Maths and English. JMW will consider applications from candidates who may not meet the required academic requirements but have mitigating circumstances.

Desirable criteria

• Achieved strong A-Level grades (or equivalent qualifications, excluding EPQ)
• Evidence of prior legal work experience (such as participation in a work experience/vacation scheme and/or time spent working in a law firm in roles such as a paralegal or legal assistant)

Additional Information

A full overview of our 2027 intake, including the recruitment and selection process, key dates and FAQs can be found here.