Trainee recruitment is extremely important to us
Introduction
Trainee recruitment is the backbone of our business – the overwhelming majority of our partners joined the firm as trainees.
They chose us because we cover Scots Law Diploma in Professional Legal Practice fees and we provide a challenging and fun environment where hard work is rewarded.
We chose them because we take on only the top graduates and when we train the best we want to keep hold of them.
There is no typical Dickson Minto lawyer. You must have a Scottish law degree and a Scots Law Diploma in Professional Legal Practice – and of course excellent qualifications – but we're more interested in how you work. We want articulate team players with individual flair, people with an independence of mind who can think laterally to solve a client's challenges. We'll find this out at interview but we won't grill you about points of law or put you through gruelling psychometric tests. We simply want to find out if we'd enjoy working together.
We are completely focused on this area so can offer you highly specialist support during your training but it is certainly not a narrow field. It is hugely stimulating and includes private equity, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and banking, to name just a few.
Type of careers
We offer two different types of traineeships, one in corporate and one in commercial property. Both traineeships are designed to give you extensive legal experience while at the same time preparing you for a potential full-time position in our firm. Our student placements are the principal route into a traineeship with us.
The application process for our 2027 corporate student placements is now open.
The closing date for applications is midnight on 4 January 2027. Please note that selected candidates may be invited for interview prior to the deadline and placements offered on a rolling basis. Accordingly, early application is encouraged.
Our corporate placements are open to those in the penultimate year or later of a Scots Law LLB who are interested in pursuing a career in corporate law.
Placements are for three weeks during the Summer break in our Edinburgh office and include a trip to our London office. We take these placements seriously so won't be leaving you to do basic administrative tasks. Instead you will gain real legal experience, often leading to a full traineeship specialising in corporate law.
If you are interested in applying for a corporate placement, please click on the Apply Here button below to complete our online application.
Apply HereWe will be attending the following Scottish university law fairs in September/October 2026 so please do come along and see us there.
University of Aberdeen: 23 September
University of Dundee: 6 October
University of Glasgow: 7 October
University of Strathclyde: 12 October
University of Edinburgh: 14 October
We have finalised our recruitment process for traineeships commencing in September 2028.
Applications for corporate traineeships commencing in September 2029 will be invited in May 2027, or you can apply for a summer placement which is the main route to securing a traineeship with the firm.
Our website will be updated at that time to include details of how to apply.
This experience includes placements in four seats over two years. You are paired with a different senior lawyer or partner every six months, giving you the opportunity to work on a range of business areas with a variety of clients. We can't guarantee a particular seat, but always take into consideration people's preferences and try to accommodate these whenever we can.
Dickson Minto is holding an Insight Evening for students in the penultimate year or later of an LLB Hons degree.
When: Tuesday 10 November 6.00 pm – 7.30pm
Where: 6 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD
Successful applicants will be invited to attend and hear about the Dickson Minto trainee experience. In addition there will be an opportunity to meet some of our current trainees, qualified associates and partners.
If you are interested in registering for a place, please email details of your University, degree and year of study to Chris Knowles via applications@dmws.com
Salary and benefits
The experience
Our training programme is one of the most highly regarded in the sector because we believe in giving people the complete experience. That means you will be fully involved in the work of the firm from day one, becoming an integral part of our team very quickly.
We recruit a select group of trainees so you will not be treated simply as a number.
Great teamwork is essential, which is why we want to make the environment as welcoming as possible. We have an open-door policy because working with us should be friendly and fun. We will also support you every step of the way, giving you continual feedback on your performance, with extended appraisals every six months.
YOU CAN HEAR MORE ABOUT LIFE AND
DICKSON MINTO DIRECT FROM SOME OF OUR FORMER TRAINEES:
