Trainee lawyer FAQs

Yes, there are several facets that make up an application, so even if you fall down in one area, you may be able to balance this with strong work experience or a very targeted covering letter. If there are mitigating circumstances for academic results, please include the context within your application and this will be considered. We are proud to be using Rare Recruitment’s Contextual Recruitment System (CRS), which allows us to consider your achievements in the context in which they were gained. We understand that not all candidates’ achievements look the same on paper and we want to recruit the best people, from every background.

Yes. Where required, we do offer work visa sponsorship for international students in receipt of a trainee solicitor programme offer to join Penningtons Manches Cooper.

Yes, you can. If you apply for our vacation scheme programme, you will automatically be considered for our trainee solicitor programme and do not need to make a separate application. We also accept direct applications for our trainee solicitor programme if you are unable to undertake a vacation scheme.

Our vacation scheme is designed to give you a realistic impression of life as a trainee at Penningtons Manches Cooper. Working alongside a trainee, you will be given as much hands-on experience as possible, allowing you to gain a real insight into the work that we do and our culture. However, if you feel that you already know that we are the right firm for you and have enough legal work experience or are unable to attend our vacation scheme dates, you can apply directly for our training programme.

Your covering letter is your opportunity to tell us about yourself in more detail: why you are interested in a career in law, the office location you are applying for and why, and (most importantly) your reasons for applying to Penningtons Manches Cooper and why they resonate with you personally. It is imperative that you can demonstrate that you have done your research and understand the offering that we have.

We will consider applications for all our programmes after the application deadlines have passed.

Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are unable to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications. We do, however, provide a feedback report to all of those who have attended one of our assessment centres.

If you require individual arrangements or adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact the early careers team at traineepost@penningtonslaw.com. We can discuss the interview process and what adjustments could support you.

We are happy to make individual adjustments to ensure you can demonstrate your suitability for the position. Please contact the early careers recruitment team at traineepost@penningtonslaw.com so that we can discuss your requirements with you. Once you have joined the firm, we offer tailored adjustment plans to help support you in the workplace.

Penningtons Manches Cooper works with BPP on the provision of our SQE programme. All our future trainees will complete LLM SQE 1 and 2 where they have not already completed the LPC/SQE. They will also complete a bespoke Essentials For Practice course that will allow our future trainees the opportunity to study electives (not part of SQE 1 or 2) and understand more commercially about law firms as businesses and the impact of emerging technologies.

If you have not completed a law degree or SQE 1 at the point of receiving a place on our trainee solicitor programme, you will be required to complete the PGDL.

For the SQE and PGDL courses there is flexibility in how and where our future trainees can learn – this can be at one of BPP’s various campuses across the UK, or fully online, and can be studied part-time or full-time. Networking and social events will also take place during studies to ensure our future trainees start building their knowledge and networks at the firm, as well as across their cohort, before commencing on their training programme.

Both SQE 1 and SQE 2 must be passed prior to commencing the trainee solicitor programme at Penningtons Manches Cooper.

We are confident in our partnership with BPP and have a very high pass rate in the SQE but recognise there can be various reasons why an individual may not pass the SQE. Therefore the firm commits to supporting its future trainees and will support them through one re-sit. This may however impact an individual’s start date.

Upon securing a place on our trainee solicitor programme, we will pay the full fees of any further study that hasn’t yet been completed ie PGDL and LLM SQE 1 and 2. We provide a maintenance grant to help support our future trainees through their studies – £8,000 for those studying LLM SQE 1 and 2 or £12,000 for those undertaking the PGDL and LLM SQE 1 and 2. We do not offer retrospective funding for law school/ SQE fees or maintenance grants.

Our trainees rotate on a six-monthly basis, spending time in the various areas of the firm’s main divisions: business services, private individuals, dispute resolution and real estate.

Our early careers team meet with our trainees throughout their training contracts and will ask them for their preferences a few months in advance of the next seat rotation. This will be mapped out against the demands of the business. Priority is given to second year trainees (as they are closer to qualifying). Availability of seats can change throughout the year so we are never able to guarantee that you can do a specific seat. However, as we are a full service law firm, there are many different seats on offer, so we do ask for an open mind.

Penningtons Manches Cooper has a relatively small intake, which is purposeful to ensure we can retain as many NQs as possible upon qualification. In 2024 our retention rate was 82%

These include:

• diversity committees
• environmental champions
• mental health champions
• sports and social committee
• wellbeing initiatives
• mentoring programmes
• volunteering opportunities