Recruitment Resource Hub

At Matheson, we strive to make a meaningful contribution to our community, our clients, our people and our society. We take pride in what we do and consistently deliver excellent service. 

We invest in our people, seek to give back to society and are strong advocates for our economy. Our values are important to us and guide how we work together and with our clients. 

We see diversity as our strength, and value innovation, creativity and connections.  That means we want our people to bring their authentic selves to work and have a well-rounded experience as part of life at Matheson. Our colleagues make a positive contribution to the world around us through our Impactful Business Programme initiatives focusing on Diversity and Inclusion, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Sustainability and The Arts, as well as through our pro-bono work.  We also try to play as hard as we work, and throughout the year we run a range of social events – from fundraisers and sports competitions to the annual Matheson Summer Barbeque and the Matheson Christmas Party.

A key priority for Matheson is the mental health and wellbeing of our employees. We are signatories to the Mindful Business Charter (MBC), a set of best practice, behavioural principles to tackle and reduce avoidable stress in the workplace. We are also signatories of the Law Society of Ireland’s Professional Wellbeing Charter and we run webinars and workshops throughout the year to further promote its principles.  Our ‘Matheson Mindful Day‘, provides employees with an opportunity to switch off working for the day to recharge. Our colleagues are encouraged to reschedule non-urgent work and use the time to completely un-wind.

Find out more about:

• Matheson and its values 
• Our awards and accolades 
• Matheson’s 200 years of history
• Our innovative Impactful Business Programme
• Our employee wellness programmes, including the Mindful Business Charter
• Matheson’s pro bono work 

 

You can also follow us on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram to read our latest news.

Are you interested in a career in law but unsure how to go about it?  Here are the key steps to becoming a lawyer with Matheson.

• Complete and pass your primary degree.
• Successfully obtain an apprenticeship through one of the following:
  • Our Summer Internship Programme;
  • Work placement programme; or
  • Our Trainee Programme.
• Pass the Final Examination – First Part, commonly known as the FE1’s. This consists of eight exams which can be completed in October and April each year. You have the choice to do eight exams together or to do them over time. You must pass all eight exams before you can begin your Professional Practice Course known as PPC.
• Attend  PPC  in  Blackhall  Place,  Dublin  and  pass  the course  examinations. This  runs  from September to May each year.
• Spend a period of 24 months as a trainee  lawyer  in Matheson. During  this  time  you  will complete four rotations in different departments.
• After completion of the two-year term of apprenticeship, you will become a qualified lawyer and will be admitted to the Roll of Solicitors.

Our Summer Internship and Trainee Lawyer Programmes open for applications in September of each year. 

Matheson will on campus across all major Irish universities during September and October. Take a look at our upcoming events to find out more. 

Please apply here.]  The deadline for receipt of applications is [Sunday, 20 October]

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The purpose of the application form is to give us a sense of who you are both academically and as a person. Many of the questions have been designed to show us aspects of you as a person – your interests, your achievements both academic and personal and your perception of Matheson.

You should view the application form as an opportunity to show us who you are and why we should select you for interview.

Take your time completing your application form. It can take a couple of hours to get it right but the effort will be worth it if you secure an interview. The questions asked by different firms may look similar, but it is unlikely you will be able to use exactly the same answer each time. 

Get someone you trust to review your application form before submitting it and ensure your form is free of spelling and grammatical errors – attention to detail is an important skill for a lawyer to have. Ensure all your contact details are correct as these are the contact details we will use to notify you if have been successful or not.

As you embark on your application journey with Matheson, we encourage you to thoroughly understand the role you are applying for and the values that underpin our firm.

If your application is successful, you will be invited to Matheson in November for an interview.  During your visit you will also get to meet some of our trainee lawyers.  Our interview process is designed to identify motivated, creative and focused individuals, who are passionate about law and delivering top class legal advice to our clients.

The purpose of the interview process is for us to get to know you and for you to find out more about Matheson and the work you will be involved in. 

To prepare for your interview, review the job description closely and align your experiences and skills with the requirements. Have a look around our website to familiarise yourself with the latest news from Matheson and practice common interview questions and responses to demonstrate your experience and enthusiasm.

• Be prepared.  You should know why you want to work with Matheson and what you understand about the work we do.  Take the time to browse the website and our social media channels and read some recent business media. 
• Be punctual and dress professionally.  You should make sure in advance that you know where our office is and allow enough time to get to the interview.
• Listen to the questions asked by the interviewers and answer the questions clearly and concisely. Refer to a mix of academic experience, work experience and extra-curricular activities during the interview.
• If you don’t understand a question, ask for clarification.
• Be honest, be positive, convey a good attitude and be yourself.
• Feel free to ask any questions you may have at the end of the interview.

You will receive a call as soon as possible after your interview to let you know whether or not you have been successful.

On average we receive between 800 and 1,000 applications each year.

No, many of our applicants apply to us throughout their undergraduate studies.

No, we actively recruit from all disciplines.

It is not a requirement to have completed your FE1 exams in order to apply for a training contract with Matheson.

Our trainee intake is based on the current and future needs of the firm.  As a firm experiencing sustained growth over the past number of years we are currently recruiting 50 – 60 trainees per year.  We recruit across the summer internship and the trainee programmes.  We are not just recruiting trainee lawyers but future partners, as it our intention that our trainee lawyers will stay with us and develop their careers with the firm.

Having selected the most talented graduates and invested in them throughout their legal training, we aim to retain all our trainees upon qualification. In recent years, our rate has been over 90%.

Our overall aim is to recruit talented young graduates who meet our firm values.  In that regard, we welcome applications for all years.  However, we are particularly interested in candidates who are ready to start in 2026 onwards.

Trainees will start in May of each year for a pre-seat,  prior to commencing the PPC course at Blackhall in September. 

Yes, trainees have been seconded to clients / organisations both in Ireland and overseas.

Yes, Matheson pays the fees for the Professional Practice Course and also reimburses the 8 FE1 exams after you join the firm as a trainee. 

Trainees at Matheson enjoy an excellent social life. Our trainees organise various social events such as a summer BBQ, weekend away, Christmas party and sports events, which are financially supported by the firm. As you rotate to work with different practice areas you will socialise with your team and collectively as a firm we hold social and sporting events. 

Visit the Matheson Instagram and Facebook to find out more about the firm’s social activities.

Our Graduate Talent and Development Team, Nicola White, Carmel Mellett and Sinead Byrne are all experienced in the training and qualification process and are here to answer any questions you have before, during or after the application process. 

Contact our Graduate Talent and Development Team.