Ask Reed Smith Anything! (2025-26)

[ReedSmithBecca]

Hi Becca, thank you so much for your help! Just to clarify, when you say you do not analyse grades beyond making sure someone meets the minimum criteria, does that mean there’s no advantage for someone with a high 2:1 over someone with a mid or low 2:1 at the application review stage? Thanks again!

Yes, that is correct, we have a minimum entry requirement, but beyond that the area we place most emphasis on at the initial application stage is answers to the written application form. We wouldn't reject a candidate just for having a low 2:1 for example.

 

[CG_101]

Yes, that is correct, we have a minimum entry requirement, but beyond that the area we place most emphasis on at the initial application stage is answers to the written application form. We wouldn't reject a candidate just for having a low 2:1 for example.

Hi Becca,
this is super reassuring to hear. I have a 67% average from Oxbridge across first and second year, but one of my grades is a 2.2, arguably with extenuating circumstances. I understand my average is definitely okay, but would the single 2.2 grade be an issue? It is not in a really relevant subject like contract, tort or commercial.

I am strong in other areas like work experience, A levels and achievements.

 

[ReedSmithBecca]

Hi Becca,
this is super reassuring to hear. I have a 67% average from Oxbridge across first and second year, but one of my grades is a 2.2, arguably with extenuating circumstances. I understand my average is definitely okay, but would the single 2.2 grade be an issue? It is not in a really relevant subject like contract, tort or commercial.

I am strong in other areas like work experience, A levels and achievements.

Yes, to confirm the previous answer, we are looking for an average 2:1, so a single 2:2 grade is not an issue.

 

[Logan1101]

I had ECs that affected my final mark in my third year at university, but still ended with a 2.1, albeit a really low one. Should I mention this in my application?

Also, would it be worth mentioning an internship done with another law firm? I completed a unique internship working in-house for 2 weeks, then private practice for one week. Although this is relevant experience, it could undermine my application as the internship was with a smaller national firm as opposed to an international firm like Reed Smith.

Lastly, are there any requirements for the SQE apart from passing? I read that certain firms would want results in the first quintile? I'm currently completing an SQE course and plan to sit the exams next year.

 

[ReedSmithBecca]

I had ECs that affected my final mark in my third year at university, but still ended with a 2.1, albeit a really low one. Should I mention this in my application?

Also, would it be worth mentioning an internship done with another law firm? I completed a unique internship working in-house for 2 weeks, then private practice for one week. Although this is relevant experience, it could undermine my application as the internship was with a smaller national firm as opposed to an international firm like Reed Smith.

Lastly, are there any requirements for the SQE apart from passing? I read that certain firms would want results in the first quintile? I'm currently completing an SQE course and plan to sit the exams next year.

Hi, if you still received a 2:1 then you wouldn't need to, but feel free to briefly detail them if they might be ongoing circumstances that you could require an adjustment for, or if you feel the context is useful.

Yes, I would definitely mention other legal internships or non-legal work experience, even if it doesn't feel directly relevant. We are looking for potential and transferable skills which can definitely be demonstrated from the above. I would encourage you to reflect on what you gained - e.g it might have reinforced your view that commercial law vs another type of law firm is right for you. Also consider what skills you gained and how these could transfer to RS.

For SQE, we don't have a specific quintile requirement.

 

[Blueberry26]

Hi Reed Smith Team! Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions.

I would love to know:

- What initiatives does the firm have to promote cultural diversity and awareness? For example, are there employee networks for different groups, eg, Women Network, Visible Minority Network, etc. (Are there opportunities to organise events for Asian Heritage Month, Black History Month, Ramadan, etc)?

- What support does the firm offer trainees during the TC beyond mentorship and structured learning sessions? For example, are there practical workshops available on skills like Communication, Project Management, etc.?

- Can you provide details on what sort of support is involved in the Trainee Academy? Is it workshops, virtual courses, or mentorship?

- Are there opportunities for trainees to participate in the firm's innovation and legal tech strides? For example, a dedicated Legal Tech Seat or opportunities to share innovative solutions?

 

[Destiny - Reed Smith]

Hi!

I'm Destiny Dunn-Browne, and I'm an SQE intern in the firm, currently completing my PSQE placement in Early Careers!

More than happy to help - please drop any questions in the thread! ☺️

- Destiny

 

[Abbie - Reed Smith]

Hi everyone!

My name is Abbie Whitlock, and I am a future trainee and current SQE Intern in the Early Careers team at Reed Smith! ☺️

If you have any questions about the DTC application process or the PSQE placement, feel free to add them to this thread!

 

[Christelle - Reed Smith]

Hi everyone!

My name is Christelle Dantziguian, and I am a future trainee and current SQE Intern in the Early Careers team at Reed Smith ☺️

If you have any questions about the application process or the PSQE placement, feel free to add them to this thread!

 

[Blueberry26]

Hi Future Trainees,.I had a few questions about you experience at Reed Smith;

- how did you manage interview jitters?

- how did you go about 'selling yourself' in interviews to the firm?

- what is one thing you think made you stand out to Reed Smith?

- what is your most memorable experience or project you have worked on at Reed Smith so far?

- Can you provide a specific example of how you felt supported in Reed Smith's culture? Maybe a specific event, initiative, network etc.

Thank you!

 

[Maddy]

Hi Reed Smith">@Destiny - Reed Smith, Reed Smith">@Abbie - Reed Smith, and Reed Smith">@Christelle - Reed Smith

I hope you are doing well. Could you please explain what an SQE intern does? Do interns solely prepare for the exam, or do they also have the opportunity to shadow lawyers while preparing for the SQE? If so, how does the firm support interns in balancing work responsibilities with the study load required for the SQE?

 

[juliagrosicka]

Good Morning, thank you all for your time this morning!

I am interested in applying to the Open Day. I assume this will give me an opportunity to meet the firm and trainees. Would you be able to offer more insight on the structure of the Open Day?

Also I saw some questions about the direct TC and note that on website it states that this is a suitable route for graduates and those with previous experience via vac schemes for example. Does the training contract route have spaces every year?

Many thanks,

Julia

 

[daphkyr]

What advice do you have for individuals applying to Open Days, as well as attending Open Days?

If we have a specific area of law we are interested in (eg Shipping law) is this something worth mentioning in our application?

How are year in industries perceived? Would they be beneficial to an application?

 

[ashwright]

Hi @ReedSmithBecca and @RikPalmer-ReedSmith,

I hope you both are doing well

I'd really appreciate it if I could ask a quick question about grades. For context, I did law at one of these 3 universities: LSE/UCL/KCL; I also achieved As + A*s at GCSE and sixth-form.

In my first year at university, I had two poor module marks (all my first year exams were taken under mitigating circumstances), meaning that my first year average was, unfortunately, lower than I'd have liked (and lower than most firms would say is their minimum requirement). Thankfully, my circumstances then improved, and in my second & third years, I achieved 2:1s and firsts across all modules.
Since then, I graduated with a first-class degree and am currently working full-time in-house at a MNC.

I'd love to know the extent to which I'd be a competitive candidate, given my poor first-year grades. I'm aware that firms like Reed Smith are inundated with high-performing applicants, and I wonder whether I'm likely to be filtered out in the early stages due to my lacklustre first year.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts; thank you so much!

 

[ReedSmithBecca]

Good Morning, thank you all for your time this morning!

I am interested in applying to the Open Day. I assume this will give me an opportunity to meet the firm and trainees. Would you be able to offer more insight on the structure of the Open Day?

Also I saw some questions about the direct TC and note that on website it states that this is a suitable route for graduates and those with previous experience via vac schemes for example. Does the training contract route have spaces every year?

Many thanks,

Julia

Hi Julia,

We can't give a schedule for the day currently, but will provide some further info to successful applicants. We will run a range of panel sessions and workshops including insights into some of our practice/industry groups and an applications masterclass.

We will have TC positions available through both our Vac Scheme or TC route in 2026.

 

[ReedSmithBecca]

What advice do you have for individuals applying to Open Days, as well as attending Open Days?

If we have a specific area of law we are interested in (eg Shipping law) is this something worth mentioning in our application?

How are year in industries perceived? Would they be beneficial to an application?

I recommend taking the same approach on an Open Day application as you would a job, so ensure that your answer is well structured and check for spelling and grammar errors carefully. My other tip is make sure you are answering the question - a common mistake we've seen with our application form is candidates telling us 'why Reed Smith' rather than 'why do I want to attend this open day?' - there is cross over but they are different applications!

Year in industries can certainly help an application but for us it is all about what you gained from the experience, so consider the transferable skills you gained and how they could help you at RS.

 

[ReedSmithBecca]

Hi @ReedSmithBecca and @RikPalmer-ReedSmith,

I hope you both are doing well

I'd really appreciate it if I could ask a quick question about grades. For context, I did law at one of these 3 universities: LSE/UCL/KCL; I also achieved As + A*s at GCSE and sixth-form.

In my first year at university, I had two poor module marks (all my first year exams were taken under mitigating circumstances), meaning that my first year average was, unfortunately, lower than I'd have liked (and lower than most firms would say is their minimum requirement). Thankfully, my circumstances then improved, and in my second & third years, I achieved 2:1s and firsts across all modules.
Since then, I graduated with a first-class degree and am currently working full-time in-house at a MNC.

I'd love to know the extent to which I'd be a competitive candidate, given my poor first-year grades. I'm aware that firms like Reed Smith are inundated with high-performing applicants, and I wonder whether I'm likely to be filtered out in the early stages due to my lacklustre first year.

I'd really appreciate your thoughts; thank you so much!

Hi, as we've said earlier in the thread, our entry requirements is a 2.1, so we are looking at the overall grade rather than individual grades. As long as a candidate has satisfied the entry requirements, our main focus is on your answers to our application questions, so I can't comment on whether you'd be a competitive candidate or not but I'd encourage you to apply!

 

[Abbie - Reed Smith]

Hi Future Trainees,.I had a few questions about you experience at Reed Smith;

- how did you manage interview jitters?

- how did you go about 'selling yourself' in interviews to the firm?

- what is one thing you think made you stand out to Reed Smith?

- what is your most memorable experience or project you have worked on at Reed Smith so far?

- Can you provide a specific example of how you felt supported in Reed Smith's culture? Maybe a specific event, initiative, network etc.

Thank you!

Hello!

These are all great questions, and I'll tackle them one by one!

In terms of interview jitters, I don't think I had a single approach to it - I definitely still felt nervous in my Reed Smith interview! I think practice really does help with these things, and I've become more confident over the years. However, I do think that your mindset can really help. I went into my Reed Smith interview with the mindset of - 'I have done all that I can to prepare for this, and I will do my best in the interview'. It can be really tempting to spiral into the unknowns and what-ifs, but I'd focus on what you can control (preparation) and remember that you can't control the rest!

For my Reed Smith interview, I focused on highlighting my past experiences and strengths, and tried to showcase the traits that I possessed that made me a good fit for the firm. In the past, I have felt a bit 'silly' trying to sell myself in an interview - however, you should be proudly showcasing your accomplishments! It sounds like very generic advice, but I do think being yourself is the best way to sell yourself. I went into the interview with a clear idea of my past achievements, but also acknowledging the areas that I could still improve in. I think having an element of self-awareness is really important, as no-one is expecting you to be the finished product.

I'm not too sure what made me 'stand out' to Reed Smith - to reiterate the above, I think it is just really important to be yourself. There is no real point in trying to stand out by being a different version of yourself, as that firm likely won't be the right fit for you in the end. I had an interest in their Transportation section, and previous experience in those areas, and I think that definitely helped me to emphasise my motivations for working at the firm. I'd say that I reflected on my past experiences, and tried to tie the skills and traits I gained into what Reed Smith valued and what they were looking for in trainees.

I've enjoyed many things so far whilst on my PSQE year! A highlight for me, which kind of ties into your final question, is that we were able to attend a sustainability talk with the sustainability manager at the firm - this was after bumping into him by the coffee machine and arranging it! Everyone at the firm has been so welcoming and encouraging, and it's been great to learn more about the firm through speaking to different people.

Another example of how I have felt supported is that SQE interns are able to be involved in events all across the firm, and join the business inclusion groups! It's been great to feel like a part of the firm from day one, and there are so many opportunities to get involved with.

I hope that answers your questions

 

[Abbie - Reed Smith]

Hi Reed Smith">@Destiny - Reed Smith, Reed Smith">@Abbie - Reed Smith, and Reed Smith">@Christelle - Reed Smith

I hope you are doing well. Could you please explain what an SQE intern does? Do interns solely prepare for the exam, or do they also have the opportunity to shadow lawyers while preparing for the SQE? If so, how does the firm support interns in balancing work responsibilities with the study load required for the SQE?

Hi!

I am doing well, thank you - I hope you are too

The PSQE year (i.e. SQE Intern) involves working in a business services team alongside completing the SQE1 - and completing a client project later in the year. There is a wide variety of teams you could be working in (such as early careers!), and it's been really great to get integrated in the firm and get to know my cohort before starting my TC.

In terms of supporting interns with balancing work responsibilities and the SQE, the firm have been super supportive in reiterating that our studies take priority, and we shouldn't be working outside of our intern hours in the week. There is also study space in the firm, so a lot of the SQE interns utilise this to study together! I personally haven't felt overwhelmed with working and studying, and I really enjoy my working days in the office and use them as a break to take my mind off of studying for a bit

I hope that answers your questions!

 

[Amgrad]

Hi Reed Smith">@Abbie - Reed Smith, it's great to see you back and answering the same question I referred to in the VS thread. It's genuinely interesting to have a supportive team, hope you all pass with high marks on SQE.

I have another question for trainees or the GR team might respond.

I've researched Reed Smith over the past few days regarding the five industry groups. I am interested in all, but I know that I can only choose 4 for the seat rotation as a trainee.

If I had to pick, maybe the least captivated for me is transportation, but I want to leverage the international secondment in Asia, and I am aware the office focus in SG, etc, is transportation, such as shipping or aviation.

Would you ask personal preferences or consider other factors, eg. trainee's nationality, foreign languages proficiency for international secondment?

I had a commercial work experience in those 4 industry groups during my internships and extracurriculars which could be an asset.

I've drafted my application for WVS and registered for the virtual workshop about digital assets and crypto next week, which I hope I got more insight that can polish my already strong application.