What’s the challenge?
What’s our solution?
What’s the selection process?
We have to be honest, our selection process is rigorous – our business model only works if the candidates we employ are exceptional. But it’s fair. We recognise that excellent candidates sometimes slip through the net because of personal circumstances or any number of reasons. We are not put off by this – we’ll assess your skills, competencies, attitude and aptitude. If we think you have the potential to become an outstanding solicitor, we’ll want to help you reach your goal.
We run assessment centres once a month, so you can apply to us at any time. If we like your application, we’ll invite you for an initial interview, followed by an assessment centre, which includes a written exercise, presentation and a competency based interview followed by, in some cases, third round interviews.
For the step by step selection process
How exactly does it work?
If you’re successful in the selection process, we’ll look to secure secondments for you based on your skills, personality and also what you tell us you want from your training contract. Secondments will be for a minimum of 3 months but are more likely to be between 6 and 24 months. Once you’re seconded to a firm, that firm is committed to training and treating you in exactly the same way as it trains and treats its own trainees. The only difference is you’ll be employed by us and we’ll be monitoring and ensuring that you’re receiving the support and development you need.
Any other benefits?
Your training contract with us will be bespoke. We also offer you lots of other advantages such as:
- Exposure to more than one firm – giving you a varied and fulfilling experience and insight into different working cultures and practices
- Mentoring – you’ll have guidance and support at every step from the Accutrainee team, including a monthly meeting with a senior solicitor or our training principal
- Online support – you’ll have access to our dedicated web based trainee portfolio which is monitored against SRA training requirements
- Networking – it’s important to develop your own network of contacts and peers throughout your professional career. You’ll be able to get to know other trainees, in a wide range of organisations, throughout your time with us
FAQs
A: Yes. It may be that there are special circumstances why you didn’t achieve a higher grade. You will however need to be able to demonstrate that you are capable of high academic achievement.
A: You can apply to us at any time. Our selection process has no deadline.
A: Yes, absolutely. We would encourage you to continue applying as we can not say how long it will take to secure secondments for you. The last thing we want is for you to miss out on any opportunities. We’re here to help you reach your goal, not slow you down!
A: We’re talking with law firms and in house legal teams of all sizes covering many different practice areas. If you’re successful, we’ll talk through secondment opportunities which we think you’ll be interested in as and when they arise. We will only put you forward for opportunities you’ve agreed to – that way you can be confident about what your training contract will look like!
A: The clients we’ve worked with so far have predominantly been based in and around London. However we also have clients in other areas around the UK. If you have a specific preference, just let us know.
A: Most of our secondments will be in the UK, but opportunities might come up if this satisfied a client’s business need.
A: We’re sorry, we’re currently unable to provide financial support for the LPC or GDL. We do pay for the professional skills course and other training which may be required if you secure a training contract with us.
A: Our salaries aren’t the same level as magic circle firms, but we do review them regularly to make sure they’re competitive. We will certainly discuss this with you in more detail during interviews.
A: We offer very detailed feedback to candidates who interview with us. We’re sorry but because we get so many applications, we can’t offer feedback for rejections at initial application stage.
A: This is a very difficult question to answer as it’s dependent on so many things. The shortest time it’s taken us to secure a training contract is two weeks! However, we also have candidates who joined our database many months ago and we’re still trying to secure secondments for them.
A: As we are deemed to be an Employment Business, it is very difficult for us (given our business model) to secure sponsor status to secure work permits for candidates.
There may of course be circumstances where one of our clients may be in a position and is willing to secure a work permit for a particular candidate but please note that this is not a common occurrence.
I’m interested, now what?
Some of our current trainees
Lesley O’Neill
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a niche litigation firm
Duncan Burrell
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a financial firm
Hasina Brar
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a global consultancy firm
Amy Cunningham
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a niche litigation firm
Alex Swayne
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a US firm working on finance and insurance
Aliyy Siddiqui
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a US firm working on finance and insurance
Elena Evoyan
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a niche litigation firm
Fiona Luong
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a financial firm
Rebecca Carter
Trainee solicitor within financial services
Jenna Faulkner
She will be seconded to an in-house legal team
Judith Abanto
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a financial firm
Nagia Paraschou
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a US firm working on finance and insurance
Benjamin Stanier
Trainee solicitor at a film and entertainment in-house team
Cina Andersson
Trainee solicitor within financial services
Rajan Dhami
Trainee solicitor on secondment to an insurance firm
Laura Dobson
Trainee solicitor on secondment to an international law firm
Patrick Ferguson
Trainee solicitor seconded to an international law firm.
Tatiana Novikova
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a niche litigation firm
Connor Benson
In-house trainee working in media distribution
Constantinos Christoforou
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a niche litigation firm
Prabhgat Singal
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a financial firm
Anisha Patel
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a commercial media and entertainment and business affairs studio
Jaymini Lakhani
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a boutique litigation firm
Stefan Bateson
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a multinational IT/Financial firm
Szonja Kolbenheyer
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a multinational IT/Financial firm
Maria Doran
Trainee solicitor on secondment to an international law firm working on infrastructure and projects
William Savage
Trainee solicitor seconded to an international law firm to gain experience in construction law
Radostina Kostova
Trainee solicitor seconded to a multinational investment bank and financial services company
Indra Chadee
Trainee Solicitor seconded to an in-house legal team
Rukhsar Jamal
Trainee solicitor seconded to an international insurance and reinsurance organisation
Yuri Tsukita
Trainee solicitor gaining experience in funds, commercial and regulatory & compliance
Atar Shafighian
Trainee solicitor seconded to a niche litigation firm
Geri Trifonova
Trainee solicitor at a film and entertainment in-house team
Humzah Irfan
Trainee solicitor seconded to a film and entertainment in-house team
Charlotte Creighton
Trainee solicitor on secondment to a niche family law firm
Elizabeth Sermol
In-house trainee solicitor seconded to a digital media and broadcasting company
Raghav Vohora
Trainee solicitor seconded to an international law firm gaining experience in oil and gas, corporate and commercial law
Our trainee brochure
Read more about Accutrainee
