Meet our Graduate & Solicitor Apprenticeship team
Meet Rebecca Reese, Graduate & Solicitor Apprentice Manager, Claire Roche, Senior Graduate & Solicitor Apprentice Adviser, and Tanhiyat Islam, Graduate & Solicitor Apprentice Assistant here at Farrer & Co.
We sat down with them to gain insight into our recruitment process and their top tips for future applicants.
What are the current opportunities available to join us if someone is a school leaver or university graduate?
For university students / graduates interested in a career in law, we offer two-week vacation schemes and two-year training contracts. Applications for both of these opportunities open on 1 November 2024.
On 1 November 2024 applications also open for our six-year Solicitor Apprenticeship, which is for school leavers and those looking for an alternative to university, enabling them to qualify as a solicitor at the end of the programme.
Additionally, for those who are at school and interested in finding out more about working in a law firm, whether as a solicitor or in one of our business services teams, be it Marketing, HR, IT or Knowledge, Learning & Development, is our one-week work experience scheme. Applications for this have now closed but will open again for next year’s scheme in June 2025.
What are the benefits / advantages of doing a vacation scheme with Farrer & Co?
A vacation scheme is a great opportunity for you to find out more about a firm, their culture and practice areas.
At Farrer & Co, you will gain experience doing real work in two different practice areas, under the supervision of leading experts in their field. You will be invited to participate in social activities including playing for our sports teams and lunch with our trainees. This will help you gain a better understanding of our work and build your network.
That said, if you are unable to join one of our vacation schemes, you are still welcome to apply for our training contract and this will not count against you!
"If you are able to switch a firm’s name with another and a sentence still makes sense it isn’t specific enough!"
What do you look for in successful applicants – is there anything in particular that helps them to stand out?
Be yourself. We aim to recruit a cohort of different candidates. Our team reads every single application the firm receives. Candidates who list a complete range of hobbies, interests, and work history they are truly passionate about on their application really stand out.
Also make sure your application is tailored to the firm you are applying to. Reference things such as their website, partnerships, statistics, social media, videos, and blogs. If you are able to switch a firm’s name with another and a sentence still makes sense it isn’t specific enough!
It may sound simple but please do proofread your application or get someone else to look over it for typos!
"We recruit a small number of trainees and solicitor apprentices each year with the view that we are recruiting our future partners."
"Behind the grand building exterior are approachable people who love what they do and working as a team to do it."
You have been at the firm for a significant amount of time, what do you like most about working at Farrer & Co?
The people! Farrer & Co is such a friendly firm to work for. Behind the grand building exterior are approachable people who love what they do and working as a team to do it.
Why do you think our retention rate is so high?
We recruit a small number of trainees and solicitor apprentices each year with the view that we are recruiting our future partners. Our aim to retain as many as we can so we can continue to develop and support them in their legal careers post qualification.
If someone has previously applied and hasn’t been successful, what advice would you give them?
Try again! Competition is fierce and we receive a high volume of excellent applications each year. If you weren’t successful on your first attempt, respond to any feedback provided and use your time before next year’s deadline wisely. For example, attend more law firm events, gain more work experience, sign up to volunteer at a legal clinic, or start a new hobby. This will strengthen your application and help you stand out next year. We would not recommend submitting exactly the same application again.
What do you enjoy most about the recruitment process?
Reading applications that allow a candidate’s personality to shine through. We read hundreds of applications so it makes the job really exciting when we come across a candidate who is unlike any of the others. They might be a career changer, be super passionate about a unique hobby or have even achieved something like breaking a world record.
We thoroughly enjoy making job offers. We’ve had a full spectrum of emotions on the end of the phone when calling someone to tell them the news – screams, tears of joy, total shock. It’s such a great feeling to be able to reward candidates for their hard work, dedication and high performance in the recruitment process.