Solicitor Apprenticeships

The first stage of the process is the application form. This is an opportunity for you to tell us about yourself and what makes you stand out as a candidate. We will ask you for detail about your educational background; your work experience and any other hobbies, interests, qualifications and achievements. Don't worry if you haven't completed any legal work experience, we are looking for any experience where you have gained transferrable skills suitable to being a solicitor. The final section will include some longer form question about why you are interested in being a solicitor; why you've chosen Mishcon de Reya; and why you wish to qualify through the apprenticeship route.

To ensure we get a well-rounded view of all our applicants, the Future Potential Assessment we use as part of our process consists of a blend of scenario-based, numerical and verbal questions, and a short video interview.

The assessment has been designed to look for candidates who are excited to embrace the future of law and apply their intellect and creativity to a variety of work-related situations. The questions will not require any prior knowledge or experience.

Whilst the assessment is untimed, it typically takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Tips:

• Practice! A practice test, which will be a condensed version of the main assessment, will be provided to ensure you can familiarise yourself with the assessment and let us know if any adjustments are needed.
• Keep an eye on the deadline. You will normally have a few days to complete the test. Mark this in your diary and plan this time in.
• Find a quiet space with good internet connection where you won’t be interrupted.
• Have a calculator, pen and paper to hand before you begin.
• Complete the assessment in one sitting.

The second stage is known as a 'one-way' video interview as there is no interviewer. Instead you will be asked four interview questions online - you will have 90 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to record your response. The first time you complete a one-way video interview can seem quite strange but you are given the opportunity to practice before answering the questions. We use a platform called LaunchPad and they have a number of hints & tips on their website on how to prepare and how to record a great video interview.

The first assessment centre takes place online and includes a group exercise and a virtual office exercise.  

The group exercise is a scenario assessment where candidates are required to work as a team to prepare and present at a mock client meeting. Two Mishcon de Reya solicitors will act as clients and assess individuals on their team work, presentation skills and commercial awareness.

During the virtual office, candidates are required to complete a number of tasks in an allocated amount of time. The tasks are similar to those which solicitor apprentices are often asked to complete.

The final stage of our assessment process is an Insight and Assessment Programme. We're delighted to be able to offer this exciting opportunity as part of our Solicitor Apprentice recruitment process. The programme is a unique opportunity for candidates to gain a first-hand insight into Mishcon de Reya, our people and the work we do. For many, this will be the first opportunity to experience what goes on inside a law firm and meet some of our lawyers and current apprentices.

The programme will consist of three office-based days, whereby you will have the opportunity to sit in a legal team and assist with client matters. In addition to experiencing the firm, the programme provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate your skills and why you would make a great Solicitor Apprentice. You will experience similar tasks to those a first year Solicitor Apprentice would undertake, be involved with a group project, complete an independent case study and also be interviewed by fee-earners from across the firm.