Register Your Interest - Discover Vacation Scheme
Register Your Interest - Discover Vacation Scheme
Locations: Birmingham · Edinburgh · Leeds · London · Manchester
Date: Spring 2026
Application Opens: December 2025
Overview
The Discover Vacation Placement & Mentoring Programme at Shoosmiths is a paid, in-person week of work experience designed to support high-achieving applicants from under-represented groups in the legal profession. It combines real responsibility, exposure to legal work, mentoring, and insight into what life is like as a trainee solicitor. By applying for Discover, you’ll also be automatically considered for a training contract—no separate application needed.
What you’ll experience
- A professional mentor matched to you before the placement and supporting you throughout, including future assessment stages.
- One week in the shoes of a trainee solicitor: working on case files, attending meetings, being part of teams, and contributing practically.
- A business development project to showcase your creativity and commercial awareness.
- Opportunities to network with lawyers, trainees, and colleagues; learn about the culture and values of Shoosmiths.
Who can apply
- You are an aspiring solicitor in England or Scotland.
- You are in the penultimate year of a law undergraduate degree; or final year law or non-law undergraduate; or you are studying via GDL / LPC / SQE; or you’re a graduate or career-changer.
- You have not yet accepted a training contract with any legal team or firm.
- You are eligible to work in the UK.
You should also belong to at least one under-represented group (for example, being from a minority ethnic background, LGBTQ+, disabled or neurodivergent, socially mobile, etc.).
What happens next
Register your interest now to get early alerts when applications open.
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