Trainee Solicitor

Mills & Co; North East; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Mills & Co is seeking bright, ambitious individuals for trainee solicitor positions in the North East. Trainees will gain hands-on experience in diverse legal areas including shipping litigation and commercial contracts. The role offers a starting salary of £33,000, along with private healthcare, extensive leave, and opportunities for further studies. Ideal candidates should possess a 2:1 degree or above, strong communication skills, and a genuine interest in law, especially shipping.

Benefits

Private health care

Pension scheme

Thirty-four days of annual leave

Sponsorship for further studies

Qualifications

• Academically bright individuals with a 2:1 degree or above.
• Excellent time-management and communication skills.
• Ability to work well within a team and thrive under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Reviewing documents and conducting legal research.
• Giving advice to clients and participating in meetings.
• Drafting pleadings and assisting with trial preparation.

Skills

Communication skills

Time-management

Teamwork

Flexibility

Education

2:1 degree or above

Job description

Many of our Directors and solicitors have completed training contracts with Mills & Co and we see our trainees as the future of the firm. As a trainee you will work with three or four Directors, gaining experience in several different areas of law: shipping litigation, international trade, commercial contracts, sale of goods and ship finance.

Most of your training will be work on actual cases, under supervision. Typical trainee tasks include reviewing documents, carrying out legal research, giving advice to clients by telephone or email, participating in meetings, drafting pleadings, and assisting with trial preparation. You will move on to more complex work and build your knowledge and skills base as your training contract progresses.

Our starting salary for 2025 is £33,000. We also provide private health care and thirty-four days of annual leave (including bank holidays). We also have a pension scheme and a private health care plan. We sponsor successful candidates through future PGDL and LPC/SQE studies, paying the fees for the courses/exams, subject to certain criteria and conditions.

We are looking for:

• Academically bright individuals
• A 2:1 degree or above (not necessarily in law)
• An appetite for challenging, stimulating work
• Excellent time-management and communication skills
• Ability to work well within a team
• Flexibility and the ability to thrive under pressure
• A genuine interest in shipping law
• Commitment to a long-term job in the North East
• Additional languages and previous experience of seafaring are desirable qualities, but not required.

Our next vacancies are in 2028. The closing date for applications is 30 June 2026.

To apply for any of our current vacancies, please send your CV and covering letter to Tamsin Neale, our Office Manager. You can also contact Tamsin if you’d like more details of our vacancies, how we work, or what we provide.