Graduate Trainee Solicitor Scheme

People are the key to our success. With our graduate trainee solicitor recruitment scheme we are looking for our partners of the future.

Gordons takes on up to four graduate trainee solicitors each year. Successful candidates benefit from close supervision working alongside experienced lawyers.

We expect our trainees to get involved in client work straight away and to make valuable contributions to the firm and our success. We also often have opportunities for future trainees to join us as paralegals before their training so that they can really hit the ground running. Gordons trainees can expect training and support from across the firm throughout.

There is always fierce competition for our graduate trainee solicitor places. Although we do look for academic achievement, we also place strong emphasis on character and are looking for people with a great attitude who can forge their career with us.

 

Apply

Applications for our 2024 summer vacation scheme our now closed but we are still accepting applications for our 2026 training contract.  Click the button below to link to our online application form:

Key dates for the forthcoming years application process are:

  • Summer vacation scheme application deadline: 31 December 2023
  • Summer vacation scheme interviews: w/c 19 February 2024
  • Summer vacation scheme: 17 – 21 June 2024
  • Training contract only application deadline: 30 April 2024
  • Training contract only, first stage interviews: w/c 1 July 2024
  • Training contract only, second stage assessment day: w/c 8 July 2024

If you have any questions about the process, please email recruitment@gordonsllp.com.

Employment Applicant Privacy Notice

 

Top Tips for Securing a Training Contract

We take on up to four graduate trainee solicitors each year. Successful candidates benefit from close supervision working alongside experienced lawyers.

There is always fierce competition for our graduate trainee solicitor places. To give you the best chance of standing out we asked our recruitment panel for their top tips.

> Learn More

Training Principal Q&A: Amy Pierechod

We sat down Amy Pierechod, a partner in our corporate team, who acts as the firm’s training principal to find out what her job involves and what she looks for in a trainee.

> Read More

What can you expect from us?

Two Year Contract

The training contract lasts two years, during which you will complete four six-month spells learning different specialisms including:

Training & Support

Each trainee is allocated a mentor for the length of the training contract and, for each specialism you experience, a supervisor to guide you and give regular feedback. Your supervisor will appraise your performance at the end of each six month spell and let your next supervisor know how to help you to reach your objectives and develop your skills.

As well as on-the-job training, you will attend internal seminars and external training, such as the Professional Skills Course.

Marketing & Business Development

Our trainees are actively encouraged to get involved in the marketing and development of the firm. This includes representing us at business events and getting to know our clients straight away.

You also have the opportunity to promote our training contract scheme to prospective trainees by helping out on our recruitment stand at law fairs, and sharing your own experiences with students through networking events and mentoring students at local law colleges.

Benefits & Sponsorship

As well as a competitive salary, our trainees are entitled to:

  • 25 days holiday per year, plus statutory holidays
  • A group personal pension
  • Life assurance of 3 x salary death in service benefit
  • Employee Assistance Programme providing information and advice on health and well being topics, as well as 24 hour access to a counselling service
  • Interest free season ticket loan for travel
  • Perkbox discount app, offering discounts on shopping, food & drink, entertainment and health & fitness
  • Membership to the local Junior Lawyer Division, a social and educational network connecting junior lawyers in the region
  • Sponsorship towards future SQE studies

Sports & Social

We expect you to work hard, but we know that you have a life and commitments outside of work.  Making sure that our people have a good work/life balance is a priority. We want everyone to enjoy their time at work and get to know their colleagues.

There are firm wide social events and activities throughout the year, including summer BBQs, Christmas parties, charity walks and after-work drinks.

For those wanting to participate in sports, there are football and netball teams as well as staff-run lunchtime fitness sessions.

For the more musically minded, you can join the Gordons’ band or attend the Workplace Choir.

 

Want to know more? 

If you would like to find out more about our firm and whether you’re the applicant we’re looking for, make sure you’re following us on LinkedIn and Twitter for upcoming law fairs and in-house events we’ll be hosting.

This autumn you can find us at the following law fairs:

  • 4 October – University of York Law Fair
  • 18 October – BPP Leeds Online Law Fair
  • 8 November – University of Leeds Law Fair
  • 8 November – University of Law, Leeds Fair

Following the success of previous in-house events, we will again be hosting a Trainee Insight Evening at our Leeds office on Thursday 23 November 2023 from 5.30pm.  Come join us to learn more about our firm, culture and application process from our Partners, Solicitors and Trainees, and network in a relaxed environment.  To register your interest please email recruitment@gordonsllp.com

Or you can download our latest trainee guide here:

If you would like some advice on applying or have a general question, then please email recruitment@gordonsllp.com and one of our trainees will be happy to help.

Life as a Gordons trainee solicitor 

To find out what it’s really like to be a trainee solicitor at Gordons take a look at our trainee blogs:

gordons llp statutory payments

Trainee Q&A

To gain more insight into how the application process is for a graduate and what a typical day looks like, former Gordons trainee Ella Fitzpatrick answers your burning questions. 

> Read more

Life in the First Seat

Ever wondered what life in the first seat is like at Gordons?

Arran Crump, a trainee solicitor who joined us, gives us insight into this and what life is like at Gordons.

> Read more

Inclusion at Gordons

The best advice I received while applying for training contract was to find a firm that ‘was right for me’. Although it did not make much sense at the time, now that I am more than a year in the process, I totally understand where people were coming from…

> Trainee Blog: Inclusion at Gordons

My Route into Law

Sometimes, the route into law isn’t always a straightforward path.

James Harrison, a trainee solicitor who joined us in September 2022, talks about his adventure into a career as a lawyer.

> Read more