• Our applications are open to all candidates from Year 2 of a Law Degree/Year 3 of a non-Law Degree onwards. This includes graduates, career changers and international applicants.
• We require a 2.1 or equivalent in your undergraduate degree. If you did not achieve this due to mitigating circumstances there is a section on your application form where these can be noted.
• We have no minimum A-Level requirements.

As a fully inclusive employer, we recognise that there may be circumstances which prevent you from participating in a vacation scheme. If this is relevant to you, please contact us directly for a confidential discussion.

Please note that we do not have a direct training contract application process. Applications for a training contract with us are made solely through our vacation scheme.

Following completion of the online application form, candidates who meet our initial criteria will be asked to complete a situational strengths test (SST). This is an untimed online test in which you will be given scenarios you might encounter in your role as a trainee and then asked to prioritise your responses to them. The SST will give you a sense of the tasks involved in being a trainee. It will also indicate to us whether you have the strengths necessary to be successful at our firm. Candidates, whether successful or not, will receive a feedback report on completing the SST.

Candidates who meet the benchmark for the SST, will then be asked to participate in a video interview. The interview will be strengths based and will also assess your commitment to being a lawyer and your understanding of Reed Smith as a firm.

The strength-based interview will include questions designed to identify your strengths in more depth and explore your motivation for the role.

You will be able to access this interview on your phone, tablet or on laptop or regular computer.

Due to the volume of applications, we are unable to provide feedback at this stage, however we suggest you use a variety of sources to ensure you have researched the firm before answering these questions.

To ensure that you show us the best of you on the day, here are some things to think about as you prepare:

• What your family and friends know you for – how would they describe you to a stranger?
• What you truly enjoy doing and what you are like at your best
• The achievements you are proud of and how you got there
• Activities (inside and outside of work) that you do not particularly enjoy and why
• What you know about Reed Smith and why you want to work here

Successful candidates will then be invited to our assessment centre.

You will be asked to participate in a case study exercise which will help us to understand your ability to comprehend information. This will involve reading through a set of materials within a set time frame, following which you will be asked questions on the materials.

Assessment Day Top Tips:

There isn’t anything you need to do to prepare for the case study, but some things to bear in mind are:

• Read and follow the instructions carefully
• Keep an eye on the time
• Be concise in your answers

Disability and long-term health conditions

A key aspect of our diversity and inclusion programme focuses on attracting and recruiting candidates with disabilities. We understand that being a disability-smart organisation is a facilitator for increased productivity and effectiveness. We want to emphasise that jobs for disabled candidates are both available and achievable at the top of the legal profession.

The recruitment process

We are committed to making all stages of our recruitment process accessible to candidates with disabilities or long-term health conditions. If you consider yourself to have a disability or a long-term health condition, please feel able to be open about this at any point during the recruitment process. If you are not sure what adjustments you require, we will work with you to establish the most suitable adjustments at each stage of the recruitment process. Please note that our online application form includes a section which allows you to advise us of any extenuating circumstances that are relevant for us to consider when reviewing your application form.

If you would like to talk to a member of the team in relation to any queries you may have on your disability or long-term health condition and the recruitment process, please contact Rebecca Schrod, who will be more than happy to help. Any information disclosed on your disability will remain strictly confidential.

• Email Rebecca Schrod
• Direct phone line: +44 (0)20 3116 2694

Disability partners

We work closely with a number of disability specialist organisations such as My Plus Consulting.

We welcome comments on how to improve our website and recruitment process in terms of accessibility for candidates with disabilities. Please get in touch with us to let us know your comments.

For more information on our commitment to recruiting diverse talent, visit our Diversity & Inclusion page.

For more information on our commitment to recruiting disabled talent specifically, visit our profile on the My Plus Consulting website.