Application Process
Information about Lewis Silkin's trainee application process.
Apply today for your chance to join our truly unique and innovative law firm.
There are up to six training contracts available in London, up to two training contracts available in Belfast, and one training contract available in Cardiff and Manchester to start September 2027.
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone at every stage. Therefore, if you wish to discuss any reasonable adjustments or support needs, at any stage of the process, please let us know by emailing train@lewissilkin.com
Stage One: Application Form
Applications open for our London, Cardiff, Manchester and Belfast 2027 training contracts on 14th October 2023. To apply, please follow this link: Apply here.
When applying for our training contract, it can be tempting to tell us what you think we want to hear, and pretend to be someone you're not. However, the person we most want to hear from is the genuine 'you'. We want to get to know you, your experience, and what excites you about a training contract at Lewis Silkin. Likewise, we want you to get to know us in return.
Throughout your application, we will be looking to understand two fundamental points:
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Why you want to be a solicitor?
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Why you want to train at Lewis Silkin?
You should view your application as an opportunity to introduce yourself to us, and layout what makes you a strong candidate for our training contract. Please read the questions asked of you, and consider how your answer relates to the two questions asked above. Please also be conscious of timelines - the deadline for applications is 23:59 on Wednesday 15th January 2025.
Please do explore our website or reach out to us directly with any questions you might have. You can also find out more about life at LS from our trainees here: Lewis Silkin - Trainee Stories
Stage Two: Optional Networking Event
Ahead of the initial Assessment Day, shortlisted candidates will be invited to a networking event on Tuesday 5 March 2025 held at our London office. This will be optional and is an opportunity for candidates to informally get to know us better, and meet people you may not get a chance to on the assessment day itself.
The event will include afternoon tea with the early careers team where you'll be able to ask any questions about the process, how the training contract works or generally anything else you’d like to know about life at LS!
You’ll also have the opportunity to attend a speed networking session with colleagues from all of our main Legal Practice Groups (LPGs), before breaking into a networking evening (featuring canapes!) with various people across the firm.
Stage Three Initial Assessment Day
Following the application stage, shortlisted candidates will be invited to one of our Assessment Days, dependent on the location they have applied for. These will all take place at our London office and will be held on the below dates:
- Wednesday 12th March (London Candidates)
- Thursday 13th March (London Candidates)
- Friday 14th March (London Candidates)
- Monday 17th March (Cardiff, Manchester and Belfast Candidates)
- Tuesday 18th March (Cardiff, Manchester and Belfast Candidates)
The day will include a group exercise, a written exercise, and one interview (your interview will be with a Partner and Managing Associate). You will also get to meet with trainees and ask them any questions you have. Remember, the Assessment Day is also as much an opportunity for you to get to know us, as it is for us to meet you, so we encourage you to ask questions and get to know our firm.
We appreciate assessment days can be nerve-wracking and the advice "be yourself" can feel redundant, but what this really means is "try not to let the nerves get the better of you". At Lewis Silkin, we champion an open, friendly culture through our ethos of bravery and kindness, so we hope this will shine through on the day and you have the best experience possible!
Stage Four: Final Assessment Day
Following the Initial Assessment Days, shortlisted candidates will be invited to a final Assessment Day at the office they have applied for on the below dates:
- London Candidates: Saturday 29th March 2025
- Manchester Candidates: Thursday 3rd April 2025
- Belfast Candidates: Thursday 10th April 2025
- Cardiff Candidates: Thursday 1st May 2025
Ahead of the final Assessment Day, you’ll be asked to submit a short video presentation on a subject of your choice. The day itself will then include two partner interviews and a case study exercise.
Hopefully you'll be feeling more confident and comfortable after already doing one assessment day, but the same advice of trying not to let nerves get the better of you still applies. If you've made it to the final assessment day, that means that a number of professionals across the firm have recognised your potential!
Top tips for throughout the process:
Be yourself
- Relax, smile and let your personality come out. You’ll perform at your best if you’re relaxed and allow your personality to shine through. It’s also likely being yourself will help make your answers will also be more genuine and therefore convincing. There's nothing worse than seeing someone trying to be what they think we want them to be, rather than themselves.
Be professional
- Your attitude should at all times remain professional and aimed at showcasing your strengths. Remember you are being assessed on the application process as a whole. Treat everyone you meet with respect and present yourself well.
Be confident
- Confidence is the act of trusting yourself. Showing that you trust yourself is critical because it can lead your assessor to trust in you, as well.
Take time to think
- Many people worry about how to deal with difficult or unexpected questions. It is okay to take a minute to consider your answer to questions and gather your thoughts.
Admit if you don’t know something
- If you really don't know how to answer a question it is better to say so with a smile and allow the interview to move on. Don't try to bluff your way through or make something up - you can end up getting badly caught out.
Don’t dwell on perceived failures
- If one exercise doesn’t go as well as you’d hope, don’t dwell on it and focus on your next assessment. You’re being assessed on the application process as a whole and we’re not expecting you to be perfect! The likelihood is, your assessor won’t have noticed a mistake as much as you, so don’t let one slip-up impact the rest of the process.