Upskilling young people for the world of work

To upskill and equip young people for the world of work and to increase knowledge of work opportunities and skills, we run two work insight programmes for students aged 16 to 18 from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Lead in to Law

For those interested in a career in the legal sector we run the Lead in to Law programme, a two-year in-person development programme in partnership with Rare Recruitment with twenty students recruited each year to take part. The programme aims to help students understand what life as a solicitor at a city law firm is like, so they can make an informed decision on whether it is the right career path for them.

The programme provides students with work insight, mentoring and university application support. Employee volunteers from Slaughter and May are involved throughout the programme, delivering skills workshops, taking part in panel discussions, networking and providing mentorship to the students. We also work with our clients to offer the students an opportunity to spend a day at another company and find out about being an in-house lawyer.

Excellerators

For students outside of London and across the UK, our virtual work insight programme, Excellerators, provides an opportunity for skills development and an insight into the many different professions at an international law firm, ranging from lawyers to business services. The programme widens our reach and offers opportunities to students aged 16 to 17 from across the UK, focussing on social mobility cold spots. Students are also given the chance to join the Social Mobility Business Partnership’s (SMBP) in-person Work Insight and Skills Programme. SMBP is a volunteer-led UK charity that we have supported since its inception.

CARMEL SCHOOL HONG KONG

In Hong Kong, we partner with the Carmel School offering an annual half day programme for students to visit our offices and find out more about working at a law firm, as well as work placements for 16 to 18-year-olds. Work placements include tailored group exercises such as discussions on civil law cases and group commercial negotiations.

This Section

Social Mobility
- Developing literacy skills
- Preparing secondary school students
- Upskilling young people
- Supporting state-educated students and professionals
- Widening access to the profession
- Assisting undergraduates through the Scholarship Scheme

Having exposure to a law firm through the Lead in to Law Programme gives students the insights and confidence to pursue a career in law if they decide they want to and know that it is not unattainable. They come away with a great understanding of what skills employers like Slaughter and May are looking for and how to develop these. Jackie Trench, Client Success Manager, Rare Recruitment

The programme sums up everything you need to get a good understanding of what a career in law would entail as well as the available support to help you get there. Nasseeba, Lead in to Law participant