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Mills & Reeve

Mills & Reeve

Next deadline

2027 Summer Vacation Scheme (for 2029 Training Contracts) · 7 Dec 2026

(41 days)

Apply now
In their own words

Join Mills & Reeve, where trainees are valued, supported and given real responsibility, helping you build the skills and confidence needed for a successful legal career.

Snapshot

Firm type

National

UK offices

Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, London, Manchester, Norwich, Oxford

International offices

None

Training contract places

30

Vacation scheme places

60

First-year salary

London: £46,800, Regional: £33,800

Second-year salary

London: £49,400, Regional: £36,400

Newly qualified salary

London: £84,000, Regional: £63,000

Trainee retention

90%

SQE support

Full SQE1 and SQE2 support and maintenance grant

Visa sponsorship

Yes

International secondment

No

Client secondment

Yes

Guaranteed secondment

No

Firm type

National firm

Client secondment

Yes

Recruitment route

Vacation scheme only

Rolling recruitment?

No

Seat structure

Six four-month seats

Can trainees repeat a seat?

Yes

Can trainees express seat preferences?

Yes, preferences are taken into account

Trainee salaries review

Reviewed annually

Non-law applicants

Yes, actively welcomed

Career-changer applicants

Yes, actively welcomed

Remote working

Hybrid only, up to 50% over a fortnight

Minimum academic requirements

No minimum academic entry requirements

Typical start time

08:50

Typical finish time

17:41

Wellbeing support

Employee Assistance Programme (telephone/face-to-face counselling), dental insurance, health screening, private medical insurance, and an internal "M&R wellbeing supporters" scheme

% female trainees

70%

% female partners

39%

% BAME trainees

15%

% BAME partners

8%

PGDL funding

Yes, full funding

Retrospective funding

No

Named affinity networks

Ability, Balance, PACT, Reach, Spectrum; plus Rare Recruitment, Stonewall Diversity Champion, Disability Confident Leader
Before you apply

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Would you value six four-month seats, giving you broader exposure to different practice areas and sectors before deciding where to qualify?

Does working across a broad mix of commercial, private client and specialist sector work appeal to you more than specialising relatively early?

Would you value training at a national firm where practice strengths and opportunities vary across different UK offices?

Are you comfortable with our hybrid working approach, where trainees generally spend four days a week in the office while benefiting from flexibility when appropriate?

Would you prefer a training contract with client secondment opportunities in the UK, even though international secondments are not offered?

Next deadline

2027 Summer Vacation Scheme (for 2029 Training Contracts)

7 Dec 2026

(41 days)

View job

Deep dive

Explore this firm in detail

What makes it different

Award winning training with a six seat training contract that offers unmatched breadth of experience

What this could mean for you
You could explore a wider range of legal work before deciding where to qualify, which may suit you if you want to keep your options open during your training contract.

A collaborative culture where trainees are trusted with real responsibility from day one

What this could mean for you
You could start building practical skills through real client work early in your training, while having structured support around you as you develop.

High-quality work for national and international clients across a wide range of sectors

What this could mean for you
You could gain experience across very different clients, sectors and types of legal work, rather than training within a programme dominated by one or two practice areas.

Practice area strengths

Corporate, commercial and real estate

In our corporate, commercial and real estate teams, trainees may support transactions, draft and review documents, conduct due diligence, liaise directly with clients and attend meetings and negotiations. These seats provide excellent insight into how businesses operate and develop strong commercial awareness.

Health and care, education, charities and life sciences

Within our sector-leading health and care, education, charities and life sciences teams, trainees work with organisations that make a genuine difference to people's lives. The work is often varied and intellectually stimulating, combining technical legal advice with an understanding of the regulatory and commercial environments in which clients operate.

Commercial disputes, employment, insurance and information law

Trainees interested in contentious work can gain valuable experience in areas such as commercial disputes, employment, insurance and information law, where they may assist with case strategy, legal research, drafting documents, preparing witness evidence and attending hearings or mediations.

All practice areas

CorporateCommercialInsuranceBanking and financeEmploymentFamilyIntellectual propertyPrivate clientProjectsReal estateRegulatory and complianceRestructuring and insolvencyTaxTechnology
Who it may suit

Before you apply, ask yourself

  • Would you value six four-month seats, giving you broader exposure to different practice areas and sectors before deciding where to qualify?
  • Does working across a broad mix of commercial, private client and specialist sector work appeal to you more than specialising relatively early?
  • Would you value training at a national firm where practice strengths and opportunities vary across different UK offices?
  • Are you comfortable with our hybrid working approach, where trainees generally spend four days a week in the office while benefiting from flexibility when appropriate?
  • Would you prefer a training contract with client secondment opportunities in the UK, even though international secondments are not offered?

This firm may suit candidates who…

  • Want to explore a wide range of practice areas before deciding where to qualify.
  • Want exposure to both commercial and private client work, alongside specialist sectors such as health and care, education and technology.
  • Want early involvement in substantive work, with structured training and a partner mentor alongside it.
  • Value hybrid working, with most trainees typically spending four days a week in the office while retaining flexibility to work in a way that suits their needs.
  • Would value the possibility of experiencing a client organisation or another Mills & Reeve UK office during their training.

Things to consider

  • Six four-month seats mean you change teams more frequently than on a traditional four-seat training contract, so you may have less time to settle into each department before moving on.
  • Practice strengths vary across Mills & Reeve's regional offices, so the experience available to you may depend partly on where you train.
  • The firm places emphasis on learning through real client work, so this may particularly suit candidates who are comfortable taking responsibility as their skills develop.
  • Trainees enjoy a flexible hybrid working model, with the majority spending four days a week in the office to support their learning, development and integration within their teams.
  • Client secondments are subject to availability, and the firm does not offer international trainee secondments.
Work-life reality

Work-life balance varies by team, seat and transaction cycle. This section is designed to help you understand the pattern, not reduce the experience to a score.

Seat variation

Trainees complete six four-month seats, giving them exposure to different teams and types of work across the two-year training contract.

Flexibility

Trainees enjoy a flexible hybrid working model, with the majority spending four days a week in the office to support their learning, development and integration within their teams. However employees can spend up to 50% remote working across a fortnight, should this be needed.

Office attendance

Trainees enjoy a flexible hybrid working model, with the majority spending four days a week in the office to support their learning, development and integration within their teams.
Culture & support

Supervision style

Trainees are paired with a partner mentor throughout the two-year training contract, alongside day-to-day supervision, informal feedback and a formal review at the end of each four-month seat.

Relationship with partners

Each trainee has a partner mentor who provides confidential support and career development advice throughout the training contract.
Application process

Online application form

(30 mins)

Online blended assessment

(1-2 hours)

What happens

Amberjack assessment including situational judgement, verbal and numerical reasoning questions, followed by two short pre-recorded video interviews.

Assessment centre

(Full day)

What happens

In-person assessment including a group exercise, individual exercise, written exercise and interview with a partner and principal associate

Vacation scheme

(2 weeks)

Events
Why choose a six seat training contract at Mills & Reeve?
Discover what a six seat training contract at Mills & Reeve is like, from exploring practice areas to preparing for qualification.
Thursday 12 November
Secure your place
Opportunities
2027 Summer Vacation Scheme (for 2029 Training Contracts)

Mills & Reeve

Mills & Reeve

41 days leftCloses 11:59pm, 7 Dec 2026

View job
Insights
Values at Mills & Reeve: The internal perspective