Vacation scheme / Training Contract - 2026 - Leathes Prior

How To Apply

There are two ways to obtain a training contract with our firm. The first option is to apply to spend a week with us during our Vacation Scheme weeks. Students that impress and show an interest in pursuing a training contract will either be invited to a follow up assessment with our trainee recruitment panel or offered a place at the next available Trainee Assessment Day.

You can also apply to attend our Trainee Assessment Day. We don’t like long application forms so all we ask for is a CV and a cover letter to tell us a little bit about you and why you want to train with us. The assessment day gives us the chance to get to know you and decide whether we can see you fitting into the LP team. Likewise, this day is a chance for you to meet us and see if LP is a good fit for you.

We take all applications by email to traineerecruitment@leathesprior.co.uk.

The application deadlines for the 2025/26 Trainee Assessment Day and Vacation Schemes are as follows:

Trainee Assessment Day - 26 November 2025

Easter Vacation Scheme - 25 February 2026

Summer Vacation Scheme - 26 July 2026

What we offer

Early responsibility

Our trainee solicitors are treated as important lawyers from day one which means the work which is given is on real matters and with real clients. Working alongside our partners and their teams, trainee solicitors are expected to be ready to face challenges and pressure early on to get the best out of their experience.

Firm-wide support

We are an exceptionally social firm and have won the ‘most sociable firm in the UK’ award for multiple years in The Legal 500 Future Lawyers survey. This and our other awards according to our own trainees can be seen on our Legal 500 Future Lawyers profile.

The teams at LP all work closely together and trainee solicitors are encouraged to get involved in activities across all teams, not just the team where they sit. Aside from the work trainees take on to develop their legal knowledge and ability, they are also given opportunity to develop other skills by taking part in firm-wide events such as Sync the City.

Opportunity for growth

We are a full-service firm which means our trainee solicitors have a choice of eight areas to experience during their training contract. Our size allows us to provide close-knit support from lawyers of all levels and fantastic opportunities to progress and develop. During your training with us, you will have regular reviews and guidance with your supervisor, the training principal and the People & Culture Manager. You will also be paired with a qualified lawyer 'buddy' offering more informal support. Once qualified, our lawyers then pair up with a mentor who supports their career progression to Associate, Senior Associate and Partner levels.

Competitive Benefits

We have a wide range of benefits to offer our trainees from their very first day at LP including:

• Firm-wide bonus scheme. In both of the first two years of the scheme (the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years), each employee has been paid 10% of their annual salary as a bonus
• Healthcare cash plan
• Wellbeing support
• Free eye tests
• Annual flu vaccination clinic
• Enhanced parental leave
• Free breakfast and fresh fruit
• Free railcard
• Discounted bus travel
• Subsidised city centre parking
• Pension based on full salary and annual advice sessions
• Corporate discounts

In addition to the above firm-wide benefits, we also offer all our future trainee solicitors financial support, by means of either (or both) an interest free loan, and / or a contribution payment towards fund their SQE course fees.

Further details of the renumeration package will be released to successful candidates upon receipt of a training contract offer.

What we are looking for

Whilst a strong academic background is important, our main aim is to find candidates who will fit in with the firm and its ethos. Some of the key qualities and skills we look for in applicants are:

Teamwork - the firm succeeds by working as a team, not only within each practice area but firm-wide. Our lawyers support one another crossing over departments and areas of law and this better enables us to deliver that all round service to our clients.

Organisation - ability to prioritise work and the ability to speak up when more support is needed is crucial. Our trainee solicitors are treated as lawyers from the onset so the ability to juggle a variety of tasks is important.

Problem solving - each of our clients comes to us with something they are trying to achieve, resolve or understand. Our job is to support them with this and provide them with the best possible advice. Our trainee solicitors are expected to learn how to identify appropriate advice for our client’s needs.

Self-motivation - we seek candidates who will take a very pro-active and driven approach to their development. The teams will adapt the work they give the trainee solicitor according to their individual development and for this to work well, trainees regularly self-reflect, identify their next steps and discuss them with their supervisors.

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