Law School launches Year in Employment partnership with global firm Reed Smith

Southampton Law School is delighted to announce the launch of a Year in Employment programme in conjunction with international law firm Reed Smith. This innovative four-year degree offers Southampton Law School students an unrivalled opportunity to spend a year gaining practical legal experience as part of their LLB degree programme.

Holly Allen, Graduate Recruitment Manager at ReedSmith said “We are partnering with the University of Southampton Law school as an alternative way of obtaining a training contract, through a nine month placement. The aim of the scheme is for the students to benefit from real life work and to be fully immersed in the culture of our firm. We believe that this will help to build lawyers of the future and we look forward to welcoming a number of students to the firm.”

During the placement, which takes place in the third year of study, students will gain experience in two different practice areas as well as business support functions, such as marketing and business development. Based in Reed Smith’s office in the heart of the City of London, this is a unique opportunity for students to develop the professional skills to pursue a career in the legal sector.

Jan Steele, Senior Tutor and Careers and Employability Co-ordinator at Southampton Law School, said "Students who are offered a place on this exciting placement scheme with the global law firm Reed Smith will benefit from practical, hands-on legal experience in a top city law firm to complement the rigorous and challenging legal education they receive from one of the UKs top Law Schools. This will not only be excellent preparation for a legal career but will also further develop their key employability and commercial skills."