Finding A Traineeship

Probably the most important piece of advice anyone can give you about being successful in the hunt for a traineeship is to be pro-active. Many firms recruit trainees, as do some other organisations in both the public and the private sector - but many of them don't advertise these traineeships. So if you rely on adverts, you could be waiting a long time for a traineeship. You need to be both responding to advertised vacancies and making speculative applications. This is particularly important in the current economic climate when competition for traineeships is even fiercer than usual.

You also need to recognise that, regardless of the economic situation, employers recruit for trainees before, throughout and beyond the Diploma. There is no set pattern, other than the very broad one that, as a general rule, the larger the firm, the earlier they are likely to recruit. This can be frustrating - it can sometimes feel as if you are the only one without a traineeship. This will not be the case! Don't let yourself be panicked into making applications for traineeships you're not interested in - make considered, well thought out applications and your chances of success are much higher.

The following pages give you information about resources which can help in your search for a traineeship and about resources which can help when you’re tackling CVs, application forms and interviews.

Information Resources for Searching for Traineeships

1. Timing for Traineeship Recruitment

  • Large Firms, Government Legal Service for Scotland, Fiscal Service (Crown Office) - from start of final year of LLB
  • Other Firms and Public Sector - from later in final year of LLB through to Diploma year and beyond.

2. Information on advertised traineeship vacancies (N.B. Don’t assume that all employers will advertise formally - many won't! You must be proactive and make speculative applications.)

  • Law School noticeboards, Myplace and intranet
  • Law firms' own websites and websites of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Government Legal Service for Scotland
  • Vacancy listings on Careers Service website
  • Law Society’s vacancies site
  • Occasionally press - the Herald and the Scotsman, usually only for public sector
  • My JobScotland - website advertising local authority jobs
  • Law Fairs –
    Strathclyde University , usually held in late September or early October.
    These Fairs tend to be attended mainly by the larger firms recruiting two years in advance, although they may sometimes be recruiting additional trainees for earlier dates. They are also very useful for those students considering summer placements with these law firms.

3. Information resources for speculative applications for traineeships and/or forinformation about firms/legal

  • Law Society of Scotland facility to searchforlaw firms by name, location and/ or category of work
  • Scottish Legal Aid Board facility to search forlawfirms by name, location and/or category of work
  • Scottish Law Directory (White Book) - includes information about other organisations who employ solicitors
  • Law firms' own websites
  • Legal 500UK
  • Chambers and Partners UK
  • Law Societyof Scotland for general information andfor Law Society information aimed specifically at LLB and Diploma students, trainees and newly qualified solicitors.
  • Journal of Law Society ofScotland - information relating to the legal profession in Scotland
  • UK law journals e.g. The Lawyer, New LawJournal and Solicitors Journal
  • Networking - being aware of the people you come into contact with (including Law School staff!) who might be able to advise you.

CVs, Applications, and Interviews

"Many candidates for jobs let themselves down by not being able to articulate clearly the skills and knowledge they have to offer an employer." (Association of Graduate Recruiters).

Whether you're writing a CV or an application form, or going for an interview, you need to be able to persuade the employer that you are an excellent candidate who can offer the skills necessary for the job. This means providing them with evidence, in an effective and convincing manner. Although there are no absolute rules for the perfect CV, application or interview, there is a great deal of very useful advice around and the following links would be good starting points:

  • Advice on CVs, Applications andInterviews Careers Servicewebsite. This includes information on seminars run both by Careers Advisers and employers.
  • Prospects website
  • Aberdeen University’s excellent Law Video Tips Gallery– guidance on interviews for traineeships

Updated NS Aug2016

Careers Service, Level 6, Livingstone Tower, 26 Richmond Street, G1 1XH

0141 548 4320