Work experience

Gain valuable experience to help launch your career in law.

Discover what it’s like working at an award-winning commercial law firm

Work experience with us offers a valuable insight into what it’s like working at a law firm.

You’ll find out what each department does and the different types of roles available, as well as get a good feel for our culture and working environment.

As a Times Best Law Firm, our lawyers are leaders in their fields, and we work with some of the most exciting businesses and individuals across the UK.

During the placement, you’ll be involved with hands-on work, learn new skills, and become part of a team, which will put you in a great position if you wish to start a training contract with us.

Ideally, applicants will be in their second year of any degree program. Whatever your background, our work experience scheme is a great way to build your knowledge, grow your confidence and add to your CV.

Placements can be held in any of our offices in Leeds, Bradford or Huddersfield.

Applications for 2024 are now closed.

If you would like to be notified when applications are open in 2025 – sign up here

Get a feel for working in law

Work experience with us lets you see what it’s like working in a top law firm, and it’s an excellent way to learn more about our firm specifically.

Show your commitment

It shows potential future employers that you’re serious about the profession and are proactive in developing your knowledge and skills.

Help us learn about you

We get an understanding of you, your ambitions and your strengths, which is useful if you apply for a training contract with us.

Meet our trainees

Our trainees are always willing to pass on their knowledge of working with us and tips for securing a training contract.

Get hands-on experience

Your placement will give you practical experience that you can use when applying for a training contract or support role.

Expand your network

You’ll meet all levels of fee earners during your time with us, giving you a good opportunity to expand your business network.

Who can apply?

If you’re in the second year of any degree course or equivalent, or at a later stage in your education, we’d love to receive your application.

When to apply

Applications for 2024 are now closed.

If you would like any more details, email NeilTowse@schofieldsweeney.co.uk

How to apply

You will complete an online application form and upload a copy of your current CV.

If you have any questions about our work experience programme, then please contact our HR Director, Neil Towse on 0113 849 4073.

If you’d also like to apply for a training contract with us, this is a separate application process. Please see our page on training contracts for more details.

What are we looking for?

Your application needs to be accurate, so ensure it’s checked thoroughly for typos and errors. If it’s not, your application will fall at the first hurdle.

We are not looking for someone who is just ‘building’ their CV or ‘collecting’ placements, so you will need to convince us that we would be making the right decision in offering a place to you.

Some suggestions:

  • You may be at the very early stages of your academic career, but do you already have an area of the law that you are particularly interested in?  If so, make sure you tell us more about it in your covering letter.
  • Tell us what you know about Schofield Sweeney.
  • We want to know about your academic career, so make sure you tell us about where you’ve studied and what grades you’ve got.
  • We want to know about what work experiences you have had. Don’t worry if they’ve not been in law.  Some of the most important skills can be gained in all manner of retail or service-industry roles.
  • Tell us about your achievements, be they academic, personal or sporting ones. Anything really, that gives us a better insight into who you are.

What to expect during your placement

Please note that you may be placed in any of our three offices.

Depending upon what client work is taking place, you’ll be based mainly within one department, though there may be opportunities to work with or at least to meet, other teams too.

Bear in mind it is only for one week, so there will be some limits as to exactly how involved you can be.  However, we’ll want you to get involved in day-to-day work, so that might mean going to Court with one of our lawyers, attending client meetings or undertaking a key piece of research.

Alongside this, there will be a number of other tasks we will set you during the week, which will be designed to test your organisational skills and your inter-personal skills, amongst other things.

It will be your chance to make a good impression on us, but it’s also a chance for us to impress you too.

We’ll do our best to ensure you get to know as much about Schofield Sweeney as possible, and what it takes to make a great lawyer here.

One final thing to mention, succeed in your work experience placement, and we would be delighted for you to apply for a training contract with us.

Got a question?

Send us an email

Email us

Bradford office

Church Bank House
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD1 4DY

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Phone: 01274 350 800 Fax: 01274 306 111

Leeds office

Centura
76 Wellington Street
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS1 2AY

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Phone: 0113 849 4000 Fax: 0113 243 9326

Huddersfield office

30 Market Street
Huddersfield
West Yorkshire
HD1 2HG

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Phone: 01484 915 000 Fax: 0800 368 8449

London office

33 Bedford Row
London
WC1R 4JH
Phone: 020 8146 5119
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