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Pinsent Masons
Average start time: 9:00
Average end time: 19:00
Average number of working hours: 10
Based on 68 reviews
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Application Advice:
Be yourself. If you don't fit with the culture of the firm then it's not meant to be.
Interview Advice:
Have lots of examples of your soft skills i.e. team working.
Trainee Solicitor, Property Dispute Resolution at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Get as much experience as you can - whether that is having a part time job or actually working at a law firm! Working in any company can make you 'commercially aware'. Also make sure you tailor the application to the firm - use the buzzwords they have on the website and make sure you know about their values and mission for the future.
Interview Advice:
Competency based, questions about why law and why this kind of law firm.
Trainee Solicitor, Property at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Prepare for the application by researching PM in-depth, do not be generic, PM has a vision and you should research this.
Interview Advice:
Ask appropriate questions (i.e. about the training contract) that you could not answer through research.
Trainee Solicitor, Leeds (Corporate) at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Research the firm's strategy in detail and how it might put it into action over the next 3 - 5 years. Keep an eye on the FT and similar news outlets for stories that interest you and you feel comfortable talking about, providing your own opinion.
Interview Advice:
The usual competency questions but be prepared to be challenged on your answers, particularly regarding career motivations.
, Risk Advisory Services at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Show that you have a personality and hobbies.
Interview Advice:
Commercial awareness and what makes a good lawyer, apart form knowing the law.
Trainee Solicitor, Corporate at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Know the firm's strategy and where it wants to be in the next 5-10 years.
Trainee Solicitor, Planning & Environment at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Do your research about the firm and what you are expecting/if it will be a fit with you as the hours are often long and if you don't like the firm and environment, you are less likely to enjoy the work and are more likely to resent the hours.
Interview Advice:
Focus on your personable skills rather than your academic knowledge. Make sure to have lots of extra-curricular activities, so that you are an interesting person without law.
Trainee Solicitor, Projects at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
PM looks for more than just good grades. Discussing part time work and any work experience will be helpful also.
Trainee Solicitor, Property at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Be yourself!
Trainee solicitor, Construction Advisory Disputes at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Apply!! After researching the firm, if you feel that you can relate to the firm values (approachable, bold and connected) then don't hold back in applying.
Trainee Solicitor, Litigation at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Know the firm - its history, its clients, its values and its goals.
Have a high degree of commercial awareness.
Interview Advice:
Make reference to where firm has done a certain type of work for a client.
Have a clear aim of what you want to achieve if you were offered the job.
Research the firm thoroughly.
Read the full review »
Application Advice:
Keep applying and don't let rejections affect your career choices. Do fewer applications and really get to know the firms you are applying to.
Interview Advice:
Be yourself, relax, and even try and enjoy the experience. The interviewers are not trying to trip you up!
Trainee Solicitor, at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Research the company and know the industry, but it is very important to be yourself.
Interview Advice:
Speak slowly and with confidence, even if you are not sure of the answer or questioner's angle (which you are unlikely to be). Appear professional but also a human being.
Trainee solicitor, Property, energy, infrastructure at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Keep an open mind about which seats you would like to do.
Interview Advice:
Practise, practise, practise! Especially competency questions, for which there's a technique.
Trainee Solicitor, Property at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Try and be a little different - anything that makes the person reading your application raise their eyebrows even a little is great.
Interview Advice:
Why law?
Why Pinsent Masons?
Why commercial law?
What hobbies do you have?
Why do you think the firm has structured itself in a sectoral way?
There is an in-tray exercise where you receive a bundle of emails and have to either discard, respond or flag according to urgency. Then there is an attention to detail exercise where you have to spot errors in a document. Finally you have a discussion about a deal and you consider what teams would be involved and what the process would be.
There is also a presentation which takes the form of a SWOT analysis.
Trainee solicitor, Planning and Environment at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Go for it!
Interview Advice:
Just be yourself.
Trainee, Corporate at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Read the Competency Framework as all of the graduate recruitment process is based around it.
Interview Advice:
Again try and structure answers around the Competency Framework.
Trainee Solicitor, Insurance at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Don't over-complicate things. Think commercially by thinking about what a business owner would want or think. Be yourself!
Interview Advice:
Don't over-complicate things. Think commercially by thinking about what a business owner would want or think.
Be yourself! Don't give the answers you think your interviewer wants to hear. Be honest.
Trainee Solicitor, Projects at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Think carefully about why you want to get into law, and why you are applying to Pinsent Masons rather than any other firm; try and have a bank of examples from various areas of your life that you can use for competency questions; don't waffle - be succinct; don't just put something down, make sure it is relevant (but anything can be relevant if you explain how).
Interview Advice:
Prepare thoroughly; relax; when you leave an interview sit somewhere for 10 minutes and write down everything you can remember - this will help you improve next time if you don't get it, and can provide detail for feedback conversations
Trainee Solicitor, at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Have a real understanding of commercial awareness.
Interview Advice:
Read the news. Again have a good grasp of commercial awareness. Legal experience is not enough. Have a good understanding of the wider business world.
Trainee Solicitor, Planning and Environment and Energy and Infrastructure at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Show a real interest in the innovative things that the firm is doing right now. The firm has put a lot of time and energy into these initiatives and understanding how they set Pinsent Masons apart will also set you apart.
Interview Advice:
I was asked a situational question about what I would do if I was at an event and noticed that one of our clients was on their own and wasn't speaking to anybody. Although that was a number of years ago, I think the point still stands that don't go in expecting lots of 'legal' questions. The interviewers want to see that you can cope with other things.
Trainee Solictor, Corporate at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Learn a lot about the firm, be aware of current business issues, be prepared to voice an opinion, be confident.
Interview Advice:
Be able to back up your points where you can, but don't be afraid to acknowledge your lack of expertise. Be enthusiastic and interested. Ask questions.
Trainee Solicitor, Intellectual Property at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Research the firm.
Keep up to date with commercial news.
Use wide range of examples.
Interview Advice:
Be yourself.
Trainee Solicitor, Corporate at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Take your time with the application and use the company information on what they are looking for. Use practical examples to demonstrate your capabilities. Participate in the summer vacation scheme if possible.
Interview Advice:
Ask questions - it is important you take the opportunity to test if the company is the right place for you.
Trainee Solicitor, Energy at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Really tailor your application to the firm and what we expect in terms of skills from candidates - look at our competency framework!
Think about where the firm is going and our longer term strategy - we are always looking for candidates who appreciate the goals of our business and how we plan to achieve them.
Interview Advice:
The usual preparation but also thinking about companies you think are doing well and why, and recent news stories that you might want to speak about - this really shows good commercial awareness.
Trainee Solicitor, Litigation & Regulatory at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Do as much research as you can into the company before completing the application form. This includes attending law fairs, insight evenings and networking events as well as looking on the company's website. One idea would be to check law student websites such as Lawyer2B or thestudentlaywer for tips on how to stand out at these events so your application has an even bigger chance of getting noticed.
Interview Advice:
In total I had two interviews: one for my vacation scheme place and one at the end of the vacation scheme. My first interview was almost based solely on my CV, and I had to answer questions about what I had done and my experiences. My second interview was primarily about what I had done on the vacation scheme, how I demonstrated the competencies in the tasks I had completed and what I would do in different scenarios. There were also some commercial knowledge questions e.g. what do stock markets do and that kind of thing.
Trainee Solicitor, Litigation & Regulatory at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Tailor your application to the firm. Be interesting and include your hobbies and extra curricular activities - a purely academic application won't make you stand out.
Interview Advice:
Preparation is key - know the firm and it's values.
However, the interviewers are pleasant and there are no questions designed to trip you up. You can anticipate what questions you will be asked and can prepare.
Trainee Solicitor, Trainee at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
The best advice would be to apply for a summer placement - most of the trainees are recruited this way.
Interview Advice:
There are a number of assessments and interviews that potential trainees are invited to. These include an in-tray exercise, a swot analysis, a presentation to a partner, an interview with a partner about one of the sectors the firm operates in and a general interview.
Trainee, Technology, Media and Telecoms at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Having worked at the firm for a year, I've found that there is a general theme of approachability, an easy-going nature and not taking oneself too seriously amongst the staff. If you do not think you fall within this bracket I would look elsewhere.
The diversity of the trainees at Pinsents conveys a sense that our HR team are trying to break away from hiring the 'traditional city law firm trainee' (ie Oxbridge and a law degree). From our intake I get the sense that the firm is looking for people who have something extra to offer other than just excellent academic qualifications. In fact, out of our intake of 13 trainees, I believe only 2 are from Oxbridge and only around 50% did a Law degree.
Interview Advice:
I would advise applicants at interview to provide genuine answers to questions and not sound too pre-rehearsed or try hard as the interviewers will see right through it. Candidates also need to show that they have that little bit extra that makes them interesting / unique.
Trainee Solicitor, Construction at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Do your diligence on the firm (i.e. checking the website and other online resources e.g. Legal 500); try to get a summer placement as this is the best way to secure a traineeship and allows you to get a better insight into the firm.
Interview Advice:
Be aware of the firm's main clients and the sectors in which they operate; be prepared to give examples from your own work experience/voluntary work which demonstrate that you have the skills/qualities the job requires (it is not just legal experience that they will ask about).
Trainee Solicitor, Construction at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Tailor your application specifically to the firm, do your research on clients and deals we have worked on. Make your skills relevant to our core skills.
Interview Advice:
Commercial awareness.
Why I am suited to the role.
How my experience is relevant for the skills required for trainees.
Read the full review »
Application Advice:
Be yourself - a lot of it depends on how you would fit into the team rather than your intellectual ability.
Trainee Solicitor, Banking at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Do lots of research into the firm before applying.
Interview Advice:
Be yourself and try and connect with the interviewer so that they remember you.
Trainee, Commercial at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Make sure you practice the online tests. Ensure you are comfortable before you start it for real.
Make sure you have read the Graduate Recruitment materials, and had a look at the firm's website. Every firm sees itself differently - look at how the firm describes itself.
If you don't write it down on your form, the firm isn't going to know about you, so get someone else to look over your form once you've finished it. Does it show your best face?
Interview Advice:
Ensure you have looked at the competencies expected of you. Consider the top three interview questions they could ask you for each, so you know what example to point to.
When looking for examples, consider everything you do - hobbies, social, part-time jobs as well as any work experience. It all gives a wider view of you. A lot of the time you will not be able to show a competency in a professional environment, but that's ok - think about where else you've used that skill!
Trainee Solicitor, Litigation at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Make sure you know about the particular office that you are applying to work in (i.e practices, clients etc.).
Interview Advice:
Learn the 'graduate competencies' as the interview will focus in on them.
Trainee Solicitor, Property at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
If you want exposure to top quality international work but to also maintain a good work/life balance then you can't do much better than Pinsent Masons.
Trainee Solicitor, Corporate at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
C.V. (which was used to form the basis of some of the interview questions)
Interview Advice:
2 Interviews and a written test. The first interview is with HR and heavily based on competency questions so have lots of examples ready. Questions included a time when you have missed or nearly missed a deadline, how you cope with stress, how you deal with being bored, how do you organise your workload.
The second interview was with a member of the team I applied for. This was an informal chat to find out more about me as a person and to see if I would fit in with the rest of the team.
Paralegal, Commercial at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Do work experience before deciding that Corporate law is for you.
Trainee Solicitor, at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Be yourself - if you try to be someone else, you are wasting both the firm's time and yours.
Interview Advice:
Know yourself, your competence and what lead you to make the decision to apply to this firm in particular.
Trainee solicitor, at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Explain why you want to work for this particular firm.
Interview Advice:
The interview was quite personal so be prepared to talk about yourself in contexts other than work.
Trainee Solicitor, TMT at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Make sure you demonstrate your non-academic related skills as well, as that is what will set you out from the crowd. Good grades are a given in Law, but it's the quirks in your personality and extra curricular activities that will get you recognised.
Interview Advice:
My interview was very informal and was not at all what I expected. It was more of a conversational format and fairly relaxed. I found this was a good way for me to steer conversations into topics which I was interested in and felt comfortable with.
Trainee Solicitor, Property at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Make sure you know the firm to which you are applying, inside out!
Interview Advice:
Be yourself! The best interviews are those where you feel as though you are simply having a conversation and you are enjoying it.
Trainee Solicitor, Banking and Restructuring at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
You have to be incredibly hardworking and committed; willing to get involved in a wide range of tasks which although the majority can be very interesting and give a great degree of responsibility, there are those which are equally un-exciting.
Additionally, you have to be willing to get involved with the office and trainee group in general and get your name out there. This can mean getting involved with office/trainee events or corporate social responsibility initiatives.
These are all things you would expect to demonstrate on an application.
Interview Advice:
Staying calm and thinking about your answers before you give them is the biggest advice I could give. Additionally, preparation is key; knowing your application and anticipating the questions you could be asked based on this. A general level of commercial awareness will also be expected i.e. what is happening currently in the news and how this could affect the firm/our clients.
Finally, it is probably a good idea to have an idea of some skills that you have that set you apart from other candidates i.e. not the typical team working, hardworking, good level of academia that everyone must display to get to the interview stage.
Read the full review »
Application Advice:
Know you want to do it before you start and be ready to take a step back in research/ intellectual terms from university.
Interview Advice:
Research the firm and know how the process works. Be interesting.
Trainee Solicitor, Property at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Know the firm - do you background reading and research in terms of key practice areas, USPs (e.g. sector focus of the firm), jurisdictions operate in, recent news within the company (e.g. new office openings), key publicised recent work, idea of types of clients working with.
Think about law as a business - strengths, weaknesses, threats, opportunities.
Interview Advice:
Use practical examples in interview to showcase skills and experience.
Be yourself - the firm has a genuinely friendly and nice culture.
Trainee Solicitor, Property Litigation at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Focus on your key strengths and learn as much as possible about Pinsent Masons. Why is Pinsent Masons right for you as much as why are you right for Pinsent Masons.
Interview Advice:
Focus on commercial awareness which is as much about having a genuine interest and persuasive knowledge of the current business environment as it is about understanding Pinsent Masons as a business and the opportunities facing Pinsent Masons as a firm in an increasingly competitive legal services market.
Trainee Solicitor, Corporate at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Use as many different examples as possible.
Interview Advice:
Be yourself.
Trainee Solicitor, Corporate at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Know exactly why you want to pursue a career in commercial law and what skills/qualities you can bring to the role which make you an ideal candidate.
Candidates often undersell their skills and experiences - every experience counts! For example, a lot of applicants have undertaken work experiences at smaller high street firms or firms that specialise in non-commercial law areas e.g. crime or personal injury. However, some applicants tend to omit these details from the application for fear that it may raise doubts about their commitment to pursue a career in commercial law. Instead, my view is that these experiences can help to answer an applicant's commitment to commercial law e.g. an applicant can say he/she was exposed to criminal law work but it wasn't for them for X and Y reason and would now like to try something more commercial and business minded. Furthermore, regardless of the type of law, there are certain transferrable skills that one gains e.g. the ability to analyse complex legal arguments, technical research, communication, time management, attention to detail etc.
Interview Advice:
Whilst preparing perfect answers to the generic questions that are likely to be asked (e.g. teamwork, communication, problem-solving etc), just be careful of not over-preparing to the point that you are unable to provide a satisfactory answer a curve-ball question or question you never expected to be asked of you - expect the unexpected!
Following on from the above point, sometimes you may be asked a question that throws you off balance or puts you 'on the spot' - it's absolutely fine to take a minute or two to gather your thoughts. Perhaps, request a short break or drink some water whilst you gather your thoughts. The way a person deals with an unexpected question gives the interviewer an indication as to how they are likely to deal with high-pressure situations etc.
Make sure you have plenty of good examples to support/back up every statement or claim you make. Examples impress interviewers. The more the better - but bear in mind the quality of the example is better than the quantity.
Trainee Solicitor, Construction at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Put things in context, if you give an example, state why it is relevant.
Interview Advice:
Cliché but true, be yourself. Don't try and project an image that you think the firm is looking for, be yourself, but do paint yourself in the best light. Be professional, give concise answers and know your stuff.
Trainee Solicitor, Corporate at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
When answering questions, make sure to use lots of different examples to show that you are a well-rounded person (i.e. don't just talk about your experience at university, but use examples involving part-time jobs, sports, travelling etc.)
Make sure to pay close attention to detail and even get someone else to check your spelling and grammar.
Interview Advice:
If you are well-prepared then you will appear more confident. Make sure to come up with lots of examples you could use for competency-based questions beforehand. Relax!
Trainee Solicitor, Glasgow at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Make sure that you tailor all of your answers to the questions being asked and align your answers with Pinsent Masons competencies. Don't think that you can get away with copying chunks of information from previous applications - it will be obvious!
Interview Advice:
Many of the questions at the interviews are fairly standard e.g. team work, commercial awareness etc. Make sure that you prepare these answers as much as you can before the interview. At the interview, be yourself, don't be too nervous and let your personality shine through.
There are also a number of tests/ tasks that you will need to complete such as a non-verbal reasoning test, a presentation and a SWOT Analysis. Many of the other trainees and I found these fairly challenging. Just make sure to stay calm, do your best and remember that you're not expected to do get every question right.
Trainee Solicitor, Projects at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Do your research! Try to find out why you really want to work here and do the research to back this up. This will set you apart from those who bulk apply to City law firms.
Interview Advice:
The assessment day process can seem intense, but when you break it down you're having three conversations with three interesting people, with a bit of proof reading in between.
, at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Be enthusiastic.
Trainee solicitor, at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Don't waffle in your application, be concise and honest. All of the trainees here are fun and sociable. Although grades and law experience is essential, show that you have a diverse range of interests.
Interview Advice:
Questions involved:
Why Law?
Why that particular University?
What are your Strengths?
How would your friends describe you?
Read the full review »
Application Advice:
Read the questions carefully and tailor your answers to the firm, rather than copying and pasting answers from other applications. Try to allow your personality to come through in the answers you give so that the firm can understand whether you will be a good fit for them and vice versa.
Interview Advice:
Prepare for the interview thoroughly and make sure you have a couple of good questions to ask at the end of the interview. Make sure you know your application form well.
Trainee Solicitor, Employment at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Have lots of work experience.
Interview Advice:
If you are from a non law background, think of reasons of how can your degree assist you working in a law firm?
Trainee, Projects at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Show that you are willing to work hard but also that you have a down to earth personality and are easy to get along with.
Interview Advice:
Be prepared to give examples of situations where you have developed key skills.
Trainee Solicitor, Pensions at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Start getting experience in the legal field as early as possible.
Interview Advice:
Always think to yourself "so what?" when making a point so that every point you make is relevant and useful.
Trainee Solicitor, Property at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Research the company thoroughly, do not submit a generic application copied and pasted from a word document. Tailor your general skills and experiences to demonstrate why they will help you fit into the culture of the firm.
Trainee Solicitor, Projects at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Make sure you tailor your application to the firm and its strategy.
Interview Advice:
Have a genuine reason for wanting to apply and an interest in the firm.
, at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
Application Advice:
Make sure you are a well rounded individual and have more than just good grades.
Interview Advice:
Know the firm as well as possible.
Trainee Solicitor, Banking & Restructuring at Pinsent MasonsRead the full review »
