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Pinsent Masons Training Contract 2028

Applications close 13 January 2027. Pays £35,500 to £38,500 a year depending on role in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

NoTraining Contract (Scotland)

No. Pinsent Masons does not sponsor its training contract for international students who need a visa. The Scotland training contract page says that, because of the Skilled Worker salary threshold, the firm can only sponsor trainees employed in London. Anyone who needs sponsorship should look at the London training contract instead.

Sponsors grads?
No
Pay vs threshold
Below the threshold
Opportunity
training contract
Pay
£35,500 first year, £38,500 second year, £69,000 newly qualified
2027 cycle
Applications open 15 September 2026 and close 13 January 2027 at 12pm, for a training contract starting September 2028
Confidence
high

Pinsent Masons Training Contract: at a glance

Pinsent Masons runs a 2-year training contract for trainee lawyers in Scotland, giving experience across various practice areas with mentorship, training and support. Applications for training contracts starting in September 2028 are open for the Glasgow and Edinburgh offices only; applicants for Aberdeen are directed to the 2027 vacation placement programme, with training contracts starting in September 2029. Applicants for the Scottish offices must complete the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (DPLP) before starting. Source

Duration
2 yearsSource
Start date
September 2028Source
Who can apply
Students who have reached the final year of an LLB in Scots Law or beyondSource
Locations
Glasgow, Edinburgh“Training contract applications are available in our Glasgow & Edinburgh offices only”Source
Starting pay
1st year: £35,500; 2nd year: £38,500 (rates as of August 2026)Source
Degree requirement
2:1 degree or above, already gained or predictedSource

How Pinsent Masons recruits

Scotland training contract starting September 2028 (applications 15 September 2026 to 13 January 2027). 7 stages, from Pinsent Masons's own careers pages, checked 2026-10-03. Test providers are named only where Pinsent Masons names them.

  1. Registration and application

    Application form

    Eligibility check, then academic background and employment history.

    “We first check that you're eligible for the programme you're applying to. If you are, we'll ask you to provide information about your academic background and any relevant employment history.”
    Source

  2. Online blended assessment

    Situational judgement test

    Blended online assessment: situational judgement questions plus recorded video questions, reviewed alongside the application. AI-generated responses are not allowed.

    “The next stage of the recruitment process involves completing your online blended assessment. This includes a range of situational judgement questions and a series of video questions, allowing us to assess how you would approach different workplace scenarios.”
    Source

  3. Video questions (within the blended assessment)

    Recorded video interview

    Recorded video answers inside the blended assessment: untimed preparation, up to 2 minutes per answer once recording starts.

    • up to 2 minutes per answer
    “You can take as much time as you need to prepare for your video responses however once you start recording you will have a maximum of 2 minutes to record your response.”
    SourceHow to prepare for a one-way video interview

  4. Assessment centre

    Assessment centre

    In-person assessment centre with three exercises: one-to-one interview, business simulation and case study.

    “If you pass the online blended assessment, we’ll ask you to book a place at one of our in-person assessment centres. You will complete three exercises over the day – This will include a one-to-one interview, a business simulation exercise and a case study.”
    Source

  5. One-to-one interview

    Final interview

    One-to-one interview at the assessment centre. Interviewer not specified.

    “This will include a one-to-one interview, a business simulation exercise and a case study.”
    Source

  6. Business simulation exercise and case study

    Case study

    Business simulation exercise and a case study at the assessment centre.

    “This will include a one-to-one interview, a business simulation exercise and a case study.”
    Source

  7. Offer

    Offer

    Outcome given soon after the assessment centre.

    “Whatever the outcome, we’ll let you know as soon as we can after the assessment centre.”
    Source

Every programme and stage at Pinsent Masons

“Pinsent Masons are only able to sponsor trainee solicitors employed in our London office.”
Pinsent Masons, from its own careers pages
The catch: The same firm sponsors trainees in London but explicitly excludes all three Scottish offices from sponsorship, so an international candidate needs to apply to London rather than Scotland to have any sponsorship route at this firm.
Pinsent Masons early careersVerify on gov.ukSee the licence record

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What Pinsent Masons publishes about this programme

Checked against Pinsent Masons's own careers pages on 2026-10-24. Anything not published is worth asking the early careers team before you apply.

  • Visa sponsorship policy: published
  • Application dates: published
  • Programme description: published
  • Duration and start date: published
  • Who can apply: published
  • Pay: published
  • Locations: published
  • Degree requirement: published
  • Recruitment stages: published

More early careers programmes at Pinsent Masons

Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-10-24. Application dates last checked 2026-10-01. How we check programme verdicts

Common questions

Does Pinsent Masons sponsor visas for its training contract?

No. Pinsent Masons does not sponsor its training contract for international students who need a visa. The Scotland training contract page says that, because of the Skilled Worker salary threshold, the firm can only sponsor trainees employed in London. Its FAQ adds that international candidates can only apply to the London office. Anyone who needs sponsorship should look at the London training contract instead.

What is the Pinsent Masons training contract?

Pinsent Masons runs a 2-year training contract for trainee lawyers in Scotland, giving experience across various practice areas with mentorship, training and support. Applications for training contracts starting in September 2028 are open for the Glasgow and Edinburgh offices only; applicants for Aberdeen are directed to the 2027 vacation placement programme, with training contracts starting in September 2029. Applicants for the Scottish offices must complete the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (DPLP) before starting.

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme sits below the Skilled Worker salary threshold, which is itself a reason sponsorship is not possible.

What is the catch international students miss with Pinsent Masons?

The same firm sponsors trainees in London but explicitly excludes all three Scottish offices from sponsorship, so an international candidate needs to apply to London rather than Scotland to have any sponsorship route at this firm.

When do applications open for the Pinsent Masons training contract?

Applications open 15 September 2026 and close 13 January 2027 at 12pm, for a training contract starting September 2028. Checked on 2026-10-24 against Pinsent Masons's own site.

How long is the Pinsent Masons training contract?

2 years, according to Pinsent Masons's own careers information.

When does the Pinsent Masons training contract start?

September 2028, according to Pinsent Masons's own careers information.

Who can apply for the Pinsent Masons training contract?

Students who have reached the final year of an LLB in Scots Law or beyond, according to Pinsent Masons's own careers information.

Where is the Pinsent Masons training contract based?

Glasgow, Edinburgh, according to Pinsent Masons's own careers information.

What does the Pinsent Masons training contract pay?

1st year: £35,500; 2nd year: £38,500 (rates as of August 2026), according to Pinsent Masons's own careers information.

What degree do you need for the Pinsent Masons training contract?

2:1 degree or above, already gained or predicted, according to Pinsent Masons's own careers information.

How should I confirm Pinsent Masons's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Pinsent Masons's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

Related guides

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Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. How we check this data.