Trainee Solicitor

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 2027 is £34,000. We also provide private health care and thirty-three 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. We usually meet the cost of the fees for the courses/exams and pay a maintenance allowance of £5,000, subject to certain criteria and conditions (including approval of the course, provider and location).

We are looking for:

• Academically bright individuals
• A 2:1 degree or above (not necessarily in law)
• An appetite for challenging, stimulating work
• Commercial awareness
• 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 2029. The closing date for applications is 30 June 2027.

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