We are proud to be a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer.

If you have a reasonable adjustment regarding the recruitment process, that you wish to discuss, to help support your way of showing the strengths required, then please contact us for further information on how we could assist. This may include:

• A phone call to our team to discuss the process
• Gaining support to be able to process interview questions
• Identifying different ways to receive the same information.

You may wish to contact our IM Able diversity contacts to hear how they have been supported.

If you require adjustments when you join you can complete a ‘wellbeing passport’ and fill in your details. This will be passed to your supervisor (and team) to understand your way of working and support required. As a trainee this can be passed to each seat supervisor as you train.

What to expect when you apply for a Solicitor Training Contract

2026 Training Contract opportunities open on Monday 7 October 2024 until 2 December 2024

Stage 1 – Application & online strengths-based assessment, including video interview

 

The first stage of the recruitment process involves a short online form where you’ll give your basic personal information and academic record.

Don’t worry, this is for reporting purposes only, we have a blind screening approach throughout our recruitment process which means your personal and academic information isn’t shared with any of our assessors at any stage.

We’ll then invite you to complete a strengths-based assessment. We recommend you allow up to 2 hours to complete this.

It’s important to us that everybody has an equal chance to succeed. The strengths approach explores what motivates and energises you, rather than placing too much emphasis on what experience you might have (as not everyone has legal experience).

As part of the online assessment, you will be asked to answer some video interview questions. We are only interested in your answers, so please don’t feel the background in your video needs to be perfect. We realise that most of you will be in your house-share bedroom or at your parents dining room table (with those awkward family photos from school behind you!). We also want to see the real you so please don’t worry about your personal style coming through (piercings, tattoos, purple hair all allowed).

There won’t be an assessor on the video, the questions will appear as text. You’ll have 30 seconds to prepare and two minutes to give your answer. Make sure you use the time effectively – be concise but make sure you answer all parts of the question in as much detail as you can. Focus on the future rather than giving lots of examples of past experiences. Please take a pause if you need some thinking time rather than ending the video prematurely.

With AI, we know you’ll use it as a resource tool but remember not to rely on it completely or read directly from it when answering the questions.

Following the online assessment, regardless of the outcome, a feedback report outlining your key strengths and development areas will be emailed to you.

Stage 2 – Virtual Assessment Centre

If successful following the online assessment, we’ll invite you to attend one of our virtual assessment centres. You will be assessed by members of the early careers team, associates, senior associates, and partners, who have all been through unconscious bias training.

Assessment centres will take place across February and March.

These have three parts to it – written, group exercise, interview.

We’ll be assessing different strengths across all these assessments which relate to the trainee role and skills required.

Scroll to the bottom of this page to hear what some assessors from our diversity groups like to see at assessment centre.

We’ll inform all candidates who attend our assessment centres of the outcome of their application. You'll get feedback from our Early Careers team if you aren't successful at this stage.

Stage 3 – Insight Day & Final Assessment

The final stage assessment of our recruitment process takes place in May.

The in-person Insight Day gives everyone a chance to meet us face-to-face and discover the office you’ve applied to, the people you’ll be working with, and the role you’ll be doing.

There are some assessed elements to the day, and you’ll be able to assess us, and ask questions to ensure we’re the right firm for you.

Following the day, all candidates will take part in a final interview with assessors from your chosen office.

If you'd like to discuss any reasonable adjustments for any part of the application process, please feel free to email earlycareers@irwinmitchell.com (in confidence) and we can discuss your needs.

Solicitor Apprentice recruitment process

2025 Solicitor Apprentice opportunities will go live in January 2025 and close on Monday 17 February 2025.

Stage 1 - Short online form, strengths-based assessment, and video interview.

Our blind screening approach means your information won't be shared with our assessors at any stage.

Complete a series of questions and record your answers. Think about your communication style, check your onscreen background, look at the camera.

Stage 2 – Virtual assessment centre

Take part in exercises to assess your strengths.

If you're successful at each stage, you'll progress through to the next.

Stage 1 and Stage 2 follow the same process for our solicitor training contract therefore please see above for further information on each stage – good luck!

Paralegal Apprentice and non-legal apprentice recruitment process

2025 Paralegal Apprentice and non-legal apprenticeship opportunities will go live in January 2025 and close on Monday 17 February 2025.

 The process is broken down into three stages:

1. Application, including a CV

2. Telephone interview (for most roles)

3. Virtual Assessment Centre

If you're successful at each stage, you'll progress through to the next.

Tips to help you succeed

• Do your research about the firm and show your passion for the type of work we do
• Understand your motivations for wanting to apply and convey them convincingly
• Consider what you have done/will do to grow and develop your career at Irwin Mitchell.
• Research the specific business area(s) you're interested in
• Tell us why you want an apprenticeship or training contract with us
• Include relevant work experience, volunteering, and extra-curricular activities if completing a CV
• Proofread any written application
• Be yourself.

Meet our Assessors

We like a wide variety of fee earners, across our diversity groups, to be involved in our assessment process. We asked the leaders of our diversity groups what they look for when they assess – see some responses below and hear from all diversity leads on their route into law and the diversity groups they lead on our Instagram feed.

IM Respect – Leena Savjani (Partner, Medical Negligence, London) – “A candidate who is driven, enthusiastic and dynamic. Litigation is challenging and we work with clients who have suffered significant injuries and trauma – candidates also need to be compassionate and driven to get the best outcomes for our clients.”

IM Equal – Christopher Hurlston (Senior Associate, Medical Negligence, Birmingham) – “Candidates who project genuine warmth and excellent people skills always leave a positive impression. Our clients represent the full spectrum of backgrounds and circumstances so the ability to adapt and maintain a human element makes all the difference. A grounded approach and sense of humour are always welcome.”

IM Able –Anna Vroobel (Senior Associate, Medical Negligence, London) – “In my experience, the best candidates at assessment centre really focus on what question is being asked, and take their time to consider their response before speaking. It sounds obvious but when the adrenaline is flowing it requires strong discipline to stay focused on the details.”

IM Powered – Sally Sargesson (Costs Team Leader, Sheffield) – “A great candidate to me is someone who is inquisitive and keen to learn and not afraid to ask questions to broaden their knowledge; someone who is passionate about their hopes and aspirations; someone who can apply new thinking to create a solution.

I also look for transferrable life skills – I understand that not everyone is lucky enough to have undertaken work experience in a law firm however other life skills can be gained in all sorts of environments ie working with clients (customers); building on communication skills, working in a team and to be able to apply these transferrable skills is a really good grounding for a legal career.”