Traineeships

We provide a comprehensive induction programme to ensure you have the knowledge and tools to become a fully-fledged member of our team. From your first week, you will work on real legal projects, meet clients and collaborate with others in your team and around the firm.

You will be given responsibility from the beginning to the end of your traineeship. Throughout your traineeship, you will undertake quarterly performance reviews with a senior member of your team to monitor your progress.

Our trainee salaries are set competitively in respective locations and reviewed on a regular basis.

In Scotland, we fund PEAT1 Diploma fees and provide a maintenance grant of £3,500, which is payable from September to April during your diploma.

In London, we fund the LPC fees up to £14,235

We are an authorised LSS PEAT2 training provider and offer a comprehensive training programme over the course of your traineeship. At the start of your traineeship you will benefit from an in-depth induction programme. You will also undertake a mandatory training ‘PEAT2 week’ in the second year of your traineeship. In addition, you will benefit from seat-specific legal training throughout your time as a trainee.

SRA trainees will undertake their Professional Skills Course (PSC) with the University of Law. You will also be invited to undertake a number of PEAT2 skills training sessions and seat-specific legal training throughout your time as a trainee.

The firm offers a number of client secondments, some of which are available to our trainees.

Trainees based in Scotland can also apply for a six-month secondment in our London office. Those successful in gaining a London seat will benefit from a temporary 17.5% uplift in salary and access to accommodation provided by the firm.

It is common for Scotland-based trainees to be out of their office location for up to one year of their traineeship. For instance, a Glasgow-based trainee may have a seat in Edinburgh, followed by a seat in London. Those not working from their base location will be provided with a rental allowance or a train pass.

You will be assigned a mentor for the duration of your traineeship. Your mentor will be outwith your assigned team and will be a supportive sounding board for any concerns you might have or guidance you require throughout your time as a trainee.

Our learning and development team will also actively engage with you during your traineeship. You will meet with them at least three times per seat. However, the team will be more than happy to have a chat if you need something outwith these scheduled meetings.

We are committed to diversity and equality of opportunity for all colleagues and candidates. Through our S+W Together focus groups, we undertake a wide range of activities aimed at fostering diversity, inclusivity and social mobility, both externally and within the firm. Find out more about our focus groups and some of their achievements  .

As a trainee, you are encouraged to join any of our focus groups and to positively contribute to the firm’s wider goals.

We recognise our responsibility as an employer, a business having an impact on its environment, and a member of the local communities in which we operate. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a cornerstone of Shepherd and Wedderburn’s values. We are committed to making a positive contribution to the communities in which we live and work, and encourage all colleagues to get involved in volunteering and charitable activities. This is reflected in our CSR review brochure, which details our recent achievements.

Our traineeships begin in the middle of August each year.

We will ask you which seats you are interested in. We cannot guarantee to give you exactly what you ask for but we will aim to facilitate this where business requirements allow.

Each seat placement involves a three-month and six-month review, which is underpinned by the requirements set out by the Law Society of Scotland or SRA.

Yes, you can apply to the firm and go through to testing and interview a maximum of two times. If you have carried out testing or made it to interview twice already and were unsuccessful both times, your application will not be reconsidered a third time.

Our HR team is always available to answer any queries that arise before your start date. You would also be invited to attend a welcome day for all new trainees a couple of months before you begin your training contact and to attend social events, including our annual Summer Ball.

Absolutely. We are a Disability Confident Employer and would be very happy to talk to you about reasonable adjustments for the application process and your time with us, if you are appointed. There is an area in our application form where you can note any reasonable adjustments you need or, if you would feel more comfortable discussing this with our graduate recruitment team directly, please email graduateteam@shepwedd.com.

Yes, we are happy to provide a quiet space in each of our offices. Please contact a member of our graduate recruitment team and we can discuss arrangements with you.

We run an internal recruitment process for our second-year trainees each year at some point between November and March. In previous years, our retention rate of our trainees into NQ posts has been over 80%.