A Training Contract is your opportunity to put your knowledge to use in a professional setting.
Over two years, London trainees can tailor their Training Contracts to include a range of seats. Whatever you choose, our graduate recruitment team will ensure that your selection meets the firm’s and the SRA’s requirements.
Details of the Programme
As well as completing rotations across our core practice areas, we also offer exciting secondment opportunities. You could choose to take a client secondment in the UK or travel further afield to one of our international offices in Hong Kong or Singapore.
To fast-track your development, in each of your four seats you’ll share an office with a partner or senior associate who will supervise your progress. If you have any queries please contact the graduate recruitment team via email at grecruitment@mayerbrown.com.
Development & Perks
During your Training Contract, you’ll attend legal training and workshops specific to each practice area you’re working in and participate in practice group meetings where recent legal developments and updates are discussed. You’ll also be invited to attend briefing sessions given by professional support lawyers on key legal developments and in-house databases.
We provide you with the guidance and support you need throughout your two years. Midway through each seat and at the end of each seat, your supervisor will give you an appraisal to ensure your personal development and progress is tracked.
Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE)
Before starting a Training Contract, we ask all of our future trainees to undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) course in London. If you are a non-law graduate we ask you to complete the Law Foundations Course prior to the SQE too.
The route to qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales has changed. On 1 September 2021 the SRA introduced the ‘SQE’ which is a new compulsory assessment which will replace the current route to qualification - the Legal Practice Course (LPC).
The SQE allows us to really tailor our training and development programme, so that it's directly in line with the work we do at Mayer Brown. Our provider is BPP and we are continuing to work through our approach with them. We will ensure that we continue to provide a high quality training programme that best prepares our future trainees to professionally practice law.
We will transition to the SQE route beginning with our 2024 trainee cohort, whether you are a law or non-law graduate. We are currently working through finalising our transition plans/SQE Model. Please look out for further updates in due course.
To make sure you feel like part of Mayer Brown from day one, you’ll have regular contact with the firm. On top of regular social events with the other SQE students, you’ll be invited to presentations given by partners and associates from different practice areas and have career development 1-to-1s with our graduate recruitment team.
What We Offer
We offer a range of benefits including an on-site GP and on-site counsellor, subsidised canteen and gym membership, access to life insurance and automatic enrolment to the firm’s Contributory Pension Plan
Once you’ve accepted a Training Contract with us, we’ll pay your course fees for the SQE during the year of study. We also provide a maintenance grant of £20,000 for the SQE and £12,500 for the Law Foundations Course.
How to Apply
Step 1: Starting Your Application
We’ll ask you to provide some personal information, including your educational background and any relevant work experience that you have. Don’t worry if you haven’t completed any legal work experience—we’re interested in any experience where you can demonstrate transferable skills.
You are not required to write a cover letter as that is no longer a part of our application process. Please make sure you thoroughly check your application for any spelling or grammatical errors.
Step 2: Online Tests
Alongside your application form you’ll need to complete two online tests – a Verbal Reasoning Test and a Situational Strengths Test. To progress to the next stage of the application process, you’ll need to meet or surpass our benchmark scores for each of these tests.
The Verbal Reasoning Test measures your verbal comprehension skills with five distinct modules: dexterity, comprehension, reasoning, interpretation and adaptability. Each module has four questions, making 20 questions in total.
The Situational Strengths Test uses a set of realistic scenario-based questions to establish how certain situations might make you feel, behave and react. Your responses will be scored in relation to traits that will help you succeed at Mayer Brown.
Step 3: Life at Mayer Brown Job Simulation
If your application form and online tests are successful, you’ll be asked to complete a 45-minute Mayer Brown trainee job simulation. This involves answering multiple choice, written and video interview questions based on various scenarios and tasks a Mayer Brown trainee will come across during their Training Contract.
Step 4: Assessment Days
If you are succssful at the trainee job simulation, you’ll be invited to an assessment day where you will be invited to take part in a variety of tasks. These include a written task, group task, fact find task and a final interview. Your experience at an assessment day will vary slightly depending on which position you apply for.
