Work Experience at JMW Solicitors
JMW recognises that work experience is a great way for those at the start of their career to get a better understanding of the opportunities and options a legal career can offer. We also know it can be a great way for us to spot talented individuals who have great future potential.
We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting a number of work experience placements across our Manchester and London offices in 2024. Placement dates, opening and closing dates for applications, and the link to the application form can be found below.
*Please note that you can only apply to one placement per year*
We do not currently accept applications for work experience from students below Year 12 in our Manchester office, or below Undergraduate level in our London office.
We are not able to offer work experience outside of the placement dates detailed below.
Please read the information provided below carefully before submitting your application.
| Placement Dates | Office | Number of places | Who can apply? | Application opening date | Deadline | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easter (2 x 1 week placements) w/c 25 March and w/c 2 April | Manchester | 6 per week | A-level students or Undergraduates | 11 January | 26 February | ||
| June (2 x 1 week placements) w/c 10 June and w/c 17 June | Manchester | 6 per week | Undergraduates/Postgraduates | 14 March | 13 May | ||
| July (2 x 1 week placements) w/c 8 July and w/c 15 July | Manchester | 6 per week | Undergraduates/Postgraduates | 14 March | 13 May | ||
| August (2 x 1 week placements) w/c 12 August and w/c 19 August | Manchester | 6 per week | Undergraduates/Postgraduates | 14 March | 13 May | ||
| August (1 x 2 week placements) 29 July to 9 August inclusive | London | 6 | Undergraduates/Postgraduates | 1 February | 30 May | ||
| October (1 week placement) w/c 21 October | Manchester | 6 | A-level students or Undergraduates | 15 August | 16 September |
Application Process
- You can access the application form for the current live work experience opportunities here.
- You are only able to apply for one placement period per year.
- We will review all applications for each placement period after the deadline to apply has passed.
- Once the review has taken place, you will receive an email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
- For our London placement only, you may be invited to a short video call (no more than half an hour typically) to discuss your application.
- If you are successful, we will be in touch to confirm the dates and further details of your work placement period.
Typical Format - Manchester
- You will be required to attend the office Monday to Friday, with core hours of 10:00 – 16:00 (one hour break for lunch).
- On your first day you will be given a brief welcome induction, provided with any IT equipment you will need for the week and complete any relevant paperwork.
- You will spend time with two specialist departments over the course of the week, to expose you to a range of work and enable you to experience the culture and values of JMW.
- Part way through the week you will be invited to share lunch with others undertaking or supporting work experience, to share your experiences, connect and network.
- Before the end of the week, a JMW Partner will invite you, and the rest of that week’s cohort, to have a coffee/Q&A session.
- At the end of your time with us, we will ask you to provide us with some honest and constructive feedback to help us to constantly improve.
Typical Format - London
- You will be required to attend the London office Monday to Friday, with core hours of 09:30 – 17:00 (one hour break for lunch).
- On your first day you will be given a brief welcome induction, provided with any IT equipment you will need for the two weeks and complete any relevant paperwork.
- You will spend time with up to four specialist departments over the course of the two weeks, to expose you to a range of work and enable you to experience the culture and values of JMW.
- During your two weeks, you will be invited to share lunch with others undertaking or supporting work experience, to share your experiences, connect and network.
- There will be group activities and individual presentation tasks alongside work assigned by departments you are sitting with.
- There will be a chance to meet individuals from across the business, with Q&A sessions covering a range of practice areas.
- You will be assigned a ‘buddy’ who will be on hand to support you and answer any questions you may have throughout the two weeks.
- At the end of your time with us, we will ask you to provide us with some honest and constructive feedback to help us to constantly improve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have a connection to the legal sector or JMW?
Not at all! We recognise the value of having as diverse a talent pool as possible and therefore we promote a culture which is inclusive and welcoming, and we are open to considering applications from all.
Do you offer placements to school years below years 12 and 13?
Not at the moment, but we are keeping that under consideration.
Can I be considered for more than one week of experience?
Manchester: We will not usually consider offering experience to those who have already completed a placement with us, this is to enable us to keep spaces available to those who have not yet been able to do so. We will however consider this if there are exceptional circumstances.
London: We do not usually currently offer placements of more than two weeks.
Do you offer longer internships e.g. yearlong placements as part of a sandwich degree?
We do not usually currently offer placements of more than a week.
What is the dress code?
Manchester: Like many businesses we have a fairly flexible approach, trusting our people to judge what is appropriate based on what they have on that day. Our dress code is generally business casual around our offices, but more formal business dress may be required if interacting with clients or attending court, for example.
London: The JMW London dress code is formal business attire. You may be attending client meetings or court hearings at short notice and so should dress accordingly.
Will I be able to request experience in a particular specialist area?
We will do our very best to match your areas of interest with our places, but cannot guarantee that we will always be able to provide you with your first choice.
Will a period of work experience help me to secure a place as a Trainee Solicitor?
Anyone who wishes to apply to train and qualify with us will have to go through our formal application and selection process, however many of those who help us to select our future trainees also help to support our work experience programme, so making a great impression during any time with us can only be a good thing!
Do you offer placements in your Liverpool office?
We don’t usually host placements from this location because only a small number of colleagues are based there (specialising in Family Law) and our other locations can therefore provide a wider breadth of experience.
What will happen once I've completed my placement?
We hope that you will have a chance to observe us and what we offer during your placement and consider a potential career with JMW. Equally we will be observing you during your placement with future opportunities in mind, and we’d encourage you to feel empowered to take the opportunity to show us your potential by getting involved, asking questions, and helping us to get to know you. We will ask you for feedback at the end of your placement and will also get some feedback from the team(s) you have worked with. We hope that you benefit from your placement with us and if you would like information on future opportunities, this can be found on our careers pages, or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram for regular updates.
Can I claim any expenses during my work placement?
For our Manchester one-week placements, you can claim £5 a day (Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri) towards lunch, with lunch being provided on Wednesday, and up to £10 per day for travel. Receipts will need to be provided as proof of payment.
For our London two-week placement, you can claim up to £5 a day for lunch on four of the days each week (with lunches being provided one day a week), plus up to £10 per day for travel. Receipts will need to be provided.