Every year, Reeds Solicitors is proud to welcome a brand-new cohort of trainees to the ‘hallowed halls’ of our firm. Well, perhaps Reeds may not be ‘Hallowed’ since it started in the 21st century, but we have built a powerful reputation all the same. We know that finding the right firm is one thing, but submitting a strong trainee solicitor application is where the real challenge begins.
In this article, we talk about what Reeds looks for in an application, covering some tips and tricks to help. Finally, we’ll look at what our trainees say about training here at Reeds – we had to end with a sales pitch, right?!
What Reeds Solicitors Looks for in Trainee Solicitor Applications
Just like many law firms would say, we sort through applications looking specifically for a genuine interest in law. This should be demonstrable. Maybe you have work experience, or have done some volunteering. Rhiannon Phillips, Deputy Training Principal for Mental Health, advises that applicants should focus their application on a “particular area of law instead of a generalised application for all areas that Reeds practice”. This reassures us that you’ve considered how you want your career to grow. It also helps us understand your expectations.
Of course, we understand that you may change your mind or become interested in a different area of law than you initially set out for. Many on our team began training in Criminal Law but later found a passion for the Court of Protection, Family, or even Prison Law.
In your cover letter, make it feel personal. Show us you’re writing just for us, not sending a generic letter to many law firms. Rhiannon suggests avoiding a generic cover letter. Instead, include specific information for the law firm you’re applying for and the area of law you are particularly interested in.
Your application should feel confident, though you will have to toe that fine line of not seeming arrogant. Finally, read over your application to prevent spelling or grammatical errors. Many Partners and Solicitors tend to be sticklers around these things, so it’s worth handing it to your most astute of friends to proofread for you.
To summarise:
- Demonstrate:
- A genuine interest in law
- A genuine interest in Reeds Solicitors – research and reference specific information.
- Key values of patience, honesty, loyalty and empathy
- Focus on a particular area of law instead of a generalised application.
- Provide evidence to support your interest
- Avoid a generalised cover letter which have clearly been submitted to several law firms.
- Proofread to avoid any spelling or grammatical errors.
The Trainee Solicitor Interview
The questions for this interview tend to revolve around your motivation, your ability to work in a team, and why our firm. When asked for qualities that Rhiannon looks for in an individual, she says “patience, honesty, loyalty and empathy”. These are the qualities that not only make a good trainee candidate, but also a good solicitor.
Things you should consider before the interview:
- What interests you about your specific area of law?
- What do you know about Reeds?
- Why Reeds?
- Your positive work qualities and examples that provide evidence to these.
- Think about a difficult situation you’ve been in and how you handled it
It is usually recommended that you create a single page overview of the law firm your applying to. What can you discover about the law firm through your research? Even if you don’t refer to all the information, it demonstrates you’ve done your homework should it come up in the interview.
You’re likely to be asked about your application and experience. They may ask what interests you about the specific area of law you’re applying for, and why choose Reeds Solicitors. You may get questions about how you rise to challenges or handle stress. For example, you could be asked, ‘tell us about a difficult situation you’ve been in and how you’ve handled it’.
When making any personal claim, consider backing it up with an example to demonstrate it. Perhaps you want to say that you are hard-working and determined, then ensure you have a story about a time when your hard-work and determination paid off. We recommend using the STAR method:
- S – Situation: Explain the situation and context.
- T – Task: State what your job or task was.
- A – Action: Explain what you did to complete that task.
- R – Result: What was the result of your actions?
For example, you are asked about whether you work well as part of a team. You may reply with;
“at University I was an active member of the dance society. We needed to raise funds to pay for transport and costumes for a dance competition held in the North of England [Situation]. As a team, we came up with several ways of raising funds. My team was tasked with running a bake sale [Task]. In the team, I took the lead. I lead a meeting to identify who was the better bakers, and who was naturally confident for selling on the stalls. We discussed the dates, and assigned tasks to everyone who wanted to take part [Action]. The bake sale was a great success due to everyone taking part. We raised enough money to pay for the transport completely. [Result]”.
For more on this technique, visit Reading University website here.
Remember to be honest at all times. If you don’t know the answer, then ensure you state that and not make an answer up. If you need more time to think about a question, you can always ask the interviewer if you can return to that question a bit later in the interview.
Trainee Solicitor Positions at Reeds Solicitors
Reeds Solicitors is a nationally leading and award-winning multidisciplinary law firm. We have more than twenty offices across the country. They offer various legal services, such as Criminal Defence, Family, Court of Protection, Prison, Mental Health and Immigration Law. We take pride in our outstanding team of legal professionals. They are selected for their legal ability and their passion and commitment in achieving the best possible result for each of our clients.
We asked the past and current trainees to provide one word to summarise their experience as a trainee at Reeds. These include;
Fulfilling, Pragmatic, Enriching, Amazing, Hands-On, and Empowering.
Emily Freeman told us that she was attracted to Reeds Solicitors because trainees there get real responsibility to lead cases. She said that this “is challenging, but it means you learn quickly which is really rewarding”. Now almost three years on, Emily is a fully-fledged solicitor in our Court of Protection Team – qualifying in December 2025. She applauded that whilst “you are training at a hugely successful national law firm, it does not feel intimidating and each member is really valued and supported”.
This support is a continuous theme through other’s feedback too:
- “You’re pushed to succeed, given every opportunity to make the most of your potential, and encouraged to develop into the best advocate you can be” (Lauren Potts, Current Trainee)
- “The firm’s reputation for high standards and professionalism, combined with a supportive environment that encourages learning and progression, makes it an ideal place for someone like me who actively seeks to improve and take on a challenge” (Paola Marceca, Current Trainee)
- “I have received consistent support not only from my immediate team but also from the wider network, including partners, solicitors and legal assistants across different departments and areas of law. No matter how small or complex the issue, there is always someone willing to help” https://reeds.co.uk/about/(Lorna Keaton).
It’s partially this environment that encourages many of our trainees to stay after their training contract ends, entering full-time positions. We also have a very attractive career progression pathway to help our staff advance at Reeds if they choose to stay.
You can read more about Reeds Solicitors on our About Us page here.