Mills & Reeve LLP - True Picture

Firm profile
You will often hear us say “Achieve more. Together”, and while many law firms talk about teamwork and collaboration, it’s not just a catchphrase for us, more the cornerstone of our culture and how we work.

Of course, you want to know that we have seven offices across the UK with 1,250 staff and 700 lawyers. But, more importantly, you should know that we have been crowned Law Firm of the Year by both Legal Week and RollonFriday, and we have been ranked in the UK’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the past 20 years. We’ve also been awarded Platinum status in Investors in People 2023 – something that only 6% of 50,000 assessed organisations achieve. 

We consistently win accolades for our vacation scheme and training contracts. This is because, as a trainee at Mills & Reeve, we offer something a bit different. The quality of the work you will get involved with, the contact and relationships you will build with clients and the culture of the firm you work in. And 97% of us would recommend that you work here.

Everyone at Mills & Reeve brings a unique perspective and ideas to the team and we do everything we can to help each person to thrive. Diversity and inclusion is a key strand of our 2025 vision. Our aim is to ensure that everyone working for or with us feels valued and supported, not only for how they perform in the working environment but also for who they truly are.

We have recently been recognised by Legal Week with an award for Standout Diversity in Innovation and a Lifetime Contributor to Innovation award.

Mills & Reeve is a major UK law firm and our work spans a broad range of legal sectors and jurisdictions for a diverse range of clients: from the FTSE250 to fast-growth start-ups, from individuals to some of the world’s most established and prestigious organisations.  

Main areas of work
Our service is delivered through firm-wide core groups: corporate and commercial, employment, family, insurance disputes, private client, projects and construction, real estate and regulatory, public and commercial disputes. Core sectors are automotive, charities and social enterprise, education, energy, food and agribusiness, government, health and care, insurance, life sciences, mid-market, private wealth, real estate investment, sport, technology.

Training opportunities
A Mills & Reeve trainee receives more opportunities and experiences than many firms. We want you to really understand what it’s like to be a lawyer and the best way to do that is to give you responsibility. You’ll be working with national and international clients where you are given the freedom to learn in a supportive environment.

Trainees take on six 4-month seats to allow you to experience the breadth of the work we do and you will be supported by dedicated supervisors, a partner mentor, a trainee buddy and the graduate team throughout the two-year training programme.

We want people who are ready for early responsibility because that is what we will give you. You will be driven, have a positive attitude and an agile approach. You will enjoy untangling complicated issues and thrive on building relationships with clients and colleagues. 

Vacation scheme
Our award-winning summer vacation scheme is the ideal introduction to Mills & Reeve and gives you a real taste of life as a lawyer. During your time with us you will be placed in real-life situations, preparing draft documents, researching, attending court hearings and meeting clients.

You will work with a variety of lawyers around the business over the course of two weeks, changing teams every two to three days. You will be paired with one of our current trainees who will answer your day-to-day questions and help you make the most of your experience. Presentations and a selection of social events will allow you to appreciate our culture.

We offer two weeks' work experience at one of our offices in Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, London, Manchester and Norwich.

Other benefits
Flexible benefits scheme, pension scheme, life assurance, bonus scheme, 25 days holiday a year, sports & social committee, subsidised restaurants, season ticket loan, employee assistance programme, membership costs for junior lawyers groups.

University law careers fairs 2024
We are attending the Legal Cheek and AllAboutLaw virtual law fairs series.

Diversity, inclusion and wellbeing:
Diversity and inclusion is a key strand of our 2025 vision. At Mills & Reeve, we recognise the foundation of the firm’s success is our people. Our aim is to ensure that everyone working for or with us feels valued and supported, not only for how they perform in the working environment but also for who they truly are.
• We are committed to being a fair employer, which recruits, develops, promotes and retains a diverse and talented workforce.
• We recognise the need to provide an inclusive and positive workplace where people are able to do their best work.
• We recognise we cannot achieve our vision as a Firm without developing and implementing best practice in diversity and inclusion, not only as an employer but also as a provider of legal services, as a purchaser of goods and services and in our wider role in society.

We have the following objectives for the Firm to help us achieve our goals:
• Achieve a more diverse workforce by identifying and communicating a number of diversity and inclusion workforce profile goals.
• Embed good equality, diversity and inclusion practices into our daily activities and decision-making processes.
• Celebrate, communicate and promote equality, diversity and inclusion both within and outside of the firm.

We believe that embedding diversity and inclusion creates a positive workforce environment. It will make us a better law firm and helps us to attract the best talent, drive innovation, and deliver the best experience for our employees and clients. We have a number of initiatives in place to support us to embed Diversity and Inclusion practice including:
• Maternity and paternity mentoring
• Wellbeing support
• Flexible working
• Diversity networks
• 10,000 Black Interns
• BAME development bursary
• Social Mobility Pledge and Social Mobility Foundation
• Race At Work Charter
• Stonewall Diversity Champion
• Business Disability Forum
• Mindful Business Charter