FAQs

Can I arrange ad-hoc work experience?


Unfortunately we do not take on anyone for work experience outside of our official placement schemes (please see the section on placement schemes for more information on this).
 

I am currently studying at school and would like to learn more about a career in Law, can you give me any information on this?

We unfortunately don’t take on ad-hoc work experience. However, we do run a scheme called PRIME, which offers work experience, in partnership with local schools. 

We would recommend that you do as much research as you can. You will find lots of information on our website. Our application timetable will also give you a good idea of when you should be planning to apply in the future.
 

How do I apply for an Open Day?


We don’t run open days. Instead, we offer guided tours of our London offices with one of our trainees. So if you would like to see for yourself what life is like here, please email us at gradrec@ashurst.com. Tours take place from 10 a.m. until 4.30 p.m. and last approximately one hour. You only need to contact us one or two days before you would like to come in. These films will also give you a good insight.

How do I apply for a place on one of your placement schemes?


You can apply online. Our application form will be available from 1 November 2011.
 

If I don’t do a placement scheme will it still be possible for me to apply for a training contract?

Approximately half of our trainees have done a placement scheme with us while the rest applied directly for a training contract.  If you have applied for a placement scheme and have been unsuccessful you can still apply for a training contract with us, but you should make sure that you review your application thoroughly before re-applying.  You should include any skills and experience you may have gained since your previous application.

How do I apply for a training contract?

Our online application form will be available from 1 November 2011. We do not accept applications by email or post.
 

When should I apply?


We are currently recruiting for training contracts which will start in either September 2014 or March 2015.  We encourage final year non-law students and graduates to apply before 1 March (to be considered for an interview in March) and law students to apply between 1 March and 31 July (to be considered for an interview in September).  However, you can apply at any time between 1 November 2011 and 31 July 2012.  We aim to contact you within two weeks of your application.
 

Can I still apply if I haven’t achieved the grades which you are looking for?


We look for candidates who have achieved a minimum of AAB (340 UCAS points) at A-Level and a 2.1 at degree level (or equivalent). While we look at the whole application before making a decision, failure to achieve strong grades will reduce the chance of your application being successful.  If you have extenuating circumstances which have affected your grades then please let us know by completing the relevant section in our online application form, and we will take this into consideration.

 

What universities do you recruit from?


We attend a wide variety of law fairs and presentation evenings. Our current trainees have studied at 44 different universities. We consider applications regardless of where you have studied. If you have the required qualities to be an Ashurst trainee, we would be interested in receiving your application.
 

Is there a word limit to my responses in my application?


We impose no word limit on your answers and it is up to you to judge how much you should write. You should aim to provide us with sufficient information for us to be able to consider your application while also bearing in mind that we receive a very large number of applications and therefore favour concise answers.
 

Would an LLM help my application?


An LLM can be a useful addition to an application.  However, it doesn’t necessarily give your application any advantage over a candidate who hasn’t completed an LLM.
 

Do you accept applications for the placement scheme and training contracts from mature graduates?


We encourage applications from anyone who has the appropriate experience and qualifications for both the placement scheme and for training contracts, which includes mature graduates and those who are changing career.

Where should I study the GDL?


We ask all our future trainees to apply to The College of Law (any branch).  If there are any extenuating circumstances which prevent you from studying here then we would discuss this with you.
 

Where should I study the LPC?