We are thrilled to be expanding SMILE for the third consecutive year. In 2026, the programme will reach all seven of our offices, including our newest location in Bristol, with increased student numbers across our six other offices to give more opportunities than ever before.
Students will no longer need to attend a partner school to apply. Instead, applications will be open to any state school student who meets the enhanced PRIME criteria, widening access and creating even more opportunities.
The format of the week will remain consistent, offering two seats for hands-on experience with fee earners, alongside legal and non-legal workshops, partner interactions, a Q&A panel, and a careers workshop.
To support accessibility, we will continue to offer a bursary of £250 per week for all students taking part, with any travel away from a student’s base office reimbursed through expenses.
We are also looking to continue to work closely with schools and colleges. If you are a previous partner school or a new school in one of our localities, you can find out more about the support available to you here.
It’s fantastic to be running SMILE across all our offices in 2026, including our newest location in Bristol. This year, we’re making more connections than ever with schools and colleges in our local communities, harnessing everything we’ve done well and learning from previous years. I can’t wait to welcome more fantastic students to Birketts and continue building a programme that truly opens doors to this amazing profession.
Lizzy Ferguson, Early Careers Recruitment Officer