Weightmans and Everton in the Community sets students on path to success

Nine students have been accepted onto the firm’s Internship Into Law programme, which has been designed in partnership with Everton in the Community. The programme will start in summer and see the students work in the firm’s Liverpool headquarters alongside lawyers, shadowing them on real cases and receive training about working in the world of law.

The four-stage application process involved group exercises, participating in a debate at Goodison Park, Dragon’s Den-style pitches and submitting essays answering “What I would do if I was Prime Minister for a week”. The process was designed to challenge and encourage applicants and offer opportunities for their development, with a total of 50 students taking part.

John Schorah, Managing Partner at Weightmans, said: “Giving back to the community is so important to us, especially as a large employer in the Liverpool area. Working with Everton in the Community has really helped us to bring this ambition to life.

“We were blown away by the talent and positive attitudes that we saw among all the applicants. We can’t wait to welcome our interns and see them in action – and we’re sure we’ll learn just as much from them as they do from us.”

Carly Wheeler, Programmes Manager at Everton in the Community, said: “Everton in the Community have recently celebrated 35 years of supporting the local community by providing help when people need it most. Our education department is passionate about inspiring young people and offering them opportunities to achieve their potential.

“It has been an honour to be able to partner with Weightmans on such a prestigious programme. The process was designed so that every student who attended the initial stages left feeling motivated and informed. The benefits the internship will have on

the winning candidates will be invaluable. The feedback from parents, schools and students has been overwhelmingly positive. 

“This programme has had a huge impact on those involved and will continue to do so with the successful candidates.”

Weightmans has partnered with Everton in the Community since March 2022. As well as supporting older students with their career ambitions, it has worked on projects with young children to bridge the education gap exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The firm has also committed to providing support through mentoring, volunteering and skills sharing.