We don't use a standard application form because we're not looking for standard applicants.
To apply for a training contract:
1. Register on our Jones Day Programme web page.
Please log in and register your details.
2. CV
Attach your CV in either Word or PDF format.
Remember to include a full breakdown of your University grades.
3. Covering Letter
Attach a covering letter. This should be addressed to Jacqui Megson, Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Manager.
Alternatively, if you are unable to access the internet, please send your CV and covering letter to: Jacqui Megson, 21 Tudor Street, London EC4Y 0DJ.
Please note that as we recruit on a rolling basis for training contracts, we may complete our recruitment before the application deadline.
When to apply for training contracts
Our recruitment process
FAQs related to applying for a training contract
When to apply for training contracts
We have now closed for training contract applications for September 2010 and March 2011. For training contracts commencing in September 2011 or March 2012, we will be accepting applications from the 1st November 2008.
Please note that we have now changed the deadline for applications from 31st August 2009 to 31st July 2009.
Law Students
We ask that law students apply between their penultimate and final year of study, once they have received their second year exam results. You can also apply in your final year of a law degree if you are planning to continue your studies for a year or plan a gap year.
Nonlaw Students
We accept applications for training contracts from nonlaw students in their final year of study. You can also apply as a graduate of a nonlaw degree.
Closing Date
The final deadline for applications for training contracts commencing in September 2011 or March 2012 is 31 July 2009. However, to ensure an early interview date, we would encourage you to apply as soon as possible (or, in the case of law undergraduates in their second year of University, as soon as possible after receiving your 2nd year results).
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Our recruitment process
Stage 1 - Pre-screen questions
Before you start your application, we will ask you some questions to ensure that you are eligible to apply for our training contract.
Stage 2 - Submit your application
After the pre-screen stage, we will ask you to register your personal details and attach your CV and cover letter.
Stage 3 - Application reviewed
Once you submit your application, we will acknowledge its receipt immediately by e-mail. Your application will then be screened and a decision will be made about whether to invite you to interview. We may sometimes request an academic reference to help us to make this decision.
Stage 4 - Interview
If you are invited to interview, the interview will take place in our Tudor Street office in London. We reimburse all reasonable UK travel expenses. Training contract applicants will be invited to a first round interview and, if successful, will then be invited for a second round interview before a decision is made as to whether to make an offer of a training contract. We do not give assessment exercises or written tests to any of our candidates.
Stage 5 - Offer
If we make you an offer, we will do all we can to help you to decide whether Jones Day is the firm for you.
Stage 6 - Staying in contact
We maintain close contact with our future trainees during their time at university and law school. Each year you will be invited to a future trainee dinner and the Christmas pantomime so that you get to know your future colleagues before you start work.
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FAQs related to training contract applications
Q. What format does the training contract interview take?
A. The first round interview will be with two partners and will last approximately 45 minutes. The interviewers will be assessing candidates against the competencies that are essential to be a successful trainee solicitor at Jones Day. After the interview, all candidates get the chance to meet a trainee who will show them the offices and answer any questions that the candidate may have about life at Jones Day. If successful at first round, trainee candidates are invited for a second round interview with two different partners, which will take a similar format to the first round interview. Candidates will usually meet a newly-qualified associate after this interview who will be able to give them further information about the training system and the qualification process.
Q. If I haven't done a work placement scheme at Jones Day will it count against me?
A. No. We still interview candidates who have not done a work placement scheme with us. Obviously, we will want to ensure that these candidates have a good understanding of the life of a trainee solicitor in the City and at Jones Day in particular before they commit to a training contract. Therefore, it is an advantage if you have some legal work experience, ideally in another corporate/commercial law firm, before applying for a training contract.
Q. Is there a different application deadline for people who do not have a law degree?
A. No, although most nonlaw undergraduates do apply to us by Easter in their final year. After that time, we do not usually conduct any further interviews until the summer when law undergraduates start to apply.
Q. How many people do you recruit each year?
A. We aim to recruit approximately 20 people to start our training contract every year.
Q. How many of your annual intake do not have a law degree?
A. Usually, approximately half of our trainee intake do not have a law degree.
Q. What if I want to defer the start of my training contract (to take some time off between my studies and the start of my training contract)?
A. We can usually accommodate requests to defer entry for six months or a year. You should still apply as soon as possible, but if you are an undergraduate, not until you have your second-year exam results. Please mention in your covering letter about your interest in deferring entry and this will then be discussed further during the interview process.
Q. What if I was unsuccessful in applying to Jones Day for a work placement scheme?
A. Although we do not discourage candidates whose work placement scheme applications were unsuccessful from applying to us for a training contract, we do make candidates aware that we have many more work placement scheme places available compared to training contract places and therefore competition for the training contract is higher than for the work placement schemes. However, if you feel that your profile has improved considerably since you applied for a work placement scheme, you should reapply for a training contract and highlight why your profile has changed in your covering letter.
Q. What if I was unsuccessful in applying to Jones Day for a training contract for a previous year?
A. As our criteria for selecting trainees remains the same year-on-year, if you were unsuccessful one year it would be unlikely that you would be successful the following year. However, if you feel that your profile has improved considerably since you last applied, you should reapply and highlight why your profile has changed in your covering letter.
Q. Are you able to consider applications from students who don't already have a permanent work permit?
A. Because we only have approximately 20 people starting our training contract per year, it is very difficult for us to persuade UK immigration that we need to look outside of the EU to fill these places. Therefore, unfortunately, it doesn't make business sense for us to consider applicants who would need a work permit.
Q. How long will I have to make a decision if I get a training contract offer from Jones Day?
A. We normally require offerees to make a decision within four weeks. However, we are happy to discuss the extension of this period in certain circumstances.
Q. Which GDL and LPC providers does Jones Day recommend?
A. Jones Day has appointed BPP Law School as its preferred provider for LPC. We believe that the consistent input and improved level of training this will offer will enable us to align the LPC to our practice strengths and maximise the efficiency of our internal development programme. We want to integrate the LPC year with the training contract period so we'll also offer you a series of firm-specific sessions during the LPC to give you the best possible preparation for your training contract. Jones Day recommends that trainees opt for the following electives:
Private Acquisitions
Debt Finance
Equity Finance.
Q. How many training contract applications do you get per year?
A. Normally just over 2,000 (including applications for work placement schemes – people who come on our work placement schemes get an automatic training contract interview at the end of the scheme).
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