Life at LS /
Work experience
Want to learn more about legal careers?
If you're looking to get a headstart on your legal career, we offer a range of opportunities for you to gain insight into life and work at Lewis Silkin.
FAQs
Am I eligible?
addOur work experience scheme is aimed at sixth-form students (Year 12 and Year 13). All candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
We will be looking for candidates who express enthusiasm and interest in the legal sector, whether this is towards a future career as a lawyer, or a career supporting a legal practice.
We are making every effort to make our work experience as inclusive as possible.
Due to the nature of the programme, the scheme is not suitable for candidates over 18.
How do I apply?
addWe will be opening applications for our April 2025 programme on Monday 13 January. Further details on applications for our July and October programmes can be found below.
We ask that you complete a short application form, explaining your interest in a career in law (or a relevant business services function), via our online recruitment system. Further details on how to apply can be found here.
In your application, you will be asked to let us know why you are hoping to gain work experience at our firm. You will be given up to 500 words to do this.
In this word count we’re ideally looking for further information in the following areas that apply to you:
- Your career ambitions
- What being a solicitor means to you/what working in a law firm means to you
- Are there any specific areas of Law or Business Services that you are interested in?
- What will you bring to Lewis Silkin?
- What do you hope to get out of the scheme?
Applications will be reviewed for each programme after the deadline. The deadline is dependent on which programme you apply for, as listed below:
- April: Applications open on Monday 13 January 2025 and close at 23:59 on Monday 10 March 2025
- July: Applications open on Monday 28 April 2025 and close at 23:59 on Monday 23 June 2025
- October: Applications open on Monday 28 July and close at 23:59 on Monday 22 September 2025
We will update you on the outcome of your application by no later than four weeks prior to the start date of the programme you are applying for.
Is there any assistance?
addEach student will receive a £50 pre-paid voucher for work essentials (e.g., appropriate clothing) ahead of your placement with us. We will also arrange any relevant travel, which will be pre-booked through our travel booking system. You will also be able to expense reasonable lunch costs.
Our work experience scheme
addOur four-day work experience programme offers first-hand insight into the world of commercial law, and will see you spending time in a variety of different teams, as well as attending a number of skills workshops.
During our scheme, you will spend your first two days attending various workshops including, but not limited to:
- Overview of the Various Routes Into Law
- Application and CV Top Tips
- Speed Networking
- Interview Skills
You will then spend your next two days shadowing a member of our team at Lewis Silkin. Ahead of you joining us, you will be given the opportunity to let us know which teams you would like to shadow.
With the exception of the “Routes into Law” session, the workshops will focus on transferrable skills, making the scheme beneficial for students who are interested in both our legal and business services teams.
When does the scheme run?
addWe will be running three four-day placements throughout the year in our London office. We have plans to extend the offering to our regional offices in the future.
The dates of the placements are arranged to align with common half-term dates. Please see the dates below for our 2025 programme:
- 14 – 17 April 2025
- 28 – 31 July 2025
- 27 – 31 October 2025
When applying, there will be a separate application form for each programme which will only be open within a certain timeframe. Details are outlined in the next section. Due to fairness reasons, we encourage applicants to only make one application for the programme that best suits them.
PRIME
We are a member of PRIME, a UK alliance of law firms and legal departments, who are committed to improving access to the legal profession. As part of our membership, we host a number of students for a period of work experience in conjunction with the Social Mobility Business Partnership.
Insights afternoons
How do I apply?
addThere will be no application required and those interest will simply just need to register their details here.
We will then reach out with further details in advance of the event. Wherever your based, and whatever stage of your legal career you're in, you may attend one of the sessions for further insight into life at Lewis Silkin.
Our insights afternoons
addWe appreciate that completing work experience whilst still in full-time education can be tricky, but that gaining exposure and insights into the legal industry at a young age is invaluable. For this reason, we will be hosting two insight afternoons. At these events, you can hear from our legal experts, as well as our talent acquisition team, on advice for moving into a legal career.
When are the sessions?
addThe sessions are run virtually twice a year. The next session is due to be on the 14th January 2025. To register your interest, you can sign up here.
The next session after that will be in November 2025. Further details will be shared here around two months before the event so please keep an eye on this page.