Trainee Solicitor Review

Quite disappointing. I definitely learnt a lot throughout my seats but several elements really let the firm down such as very disorganised Early Talent teams. Trainees would have to play mind games and be tactical about seat choices with many not being able to do the seats they wanted. At the end of the scheme barely half of the trainees were offered newly qualified solicitor roles and the process was dragged on so much that most of us are now facing an uphill battle to secure jobs elsewhere. Little support has been given which is a very sour way to end my two years at CMS.

Trainee work is mostly admin heavy. Associates will get you to help on projects here and there and you will often drop off of email chains and be left out of completion celebrations. Teams will often not socialise much with trainees in the team and in one team the trainees and apprentices were actively ignored and not invited to social events.

Trainee work is mostly admin heavy. You will normally not get visibility on main workstreams on the transaction.

Trainee salary remains low compared to competitors. Lacking perks such as Deliveroo for being made to work late in the office rather than being allowed to continue at home (expensing food depended on the partners who often made you buy a meal deal before coming back to your desk at your own expense). Minor discount on an expensive gym next to the office.

I feel like CMS has been a good name on my CV for looking for NQ jobs elsewhere but CMS had a dreadful NQ hiring round this cycle which was delayed, disorganised and left many of us without jobs with no help in finding new ones.

Pretty poor. Supervisor quality varies, as such I have barely seen my supervisor. Early Talent are hard to contact and often disorganised or cannot help. Since not receiving an NQ job I have been mostly ignored by my whole team.

Not too bad but depends on the team. Some will demand work from you last minute late at night and over weekends.

Again very dependent on the teams as to if you need to be in the office everyday (although the rest of the team do not do this). Most teams are not that inclusive of trainees and some teams actively leave them out of socials and gatherings.

There are events if you want to attend.

No

The organisation throughout regarding seat choices was abysmal and the NQ process was insultingly poor.

I was very disappointed by the organisation of the training contract which really let the TC down.