Training contracts
Structure of our training contracts
We offer 22 training contracts each year split between September and March intakes. Your training contract will be made up of four six month seats offering you the opportunity to gain real experience in a range of our practice areas. For each seat, you will sit with a partner or senior solicitor who are responsible for supervision and guidance. We believe in giving our trainees responsibility as early as possible. In many departments you will be given your own files to manage resulting in a high level of client contact and hands on experience.
As a firm that is renowned for its real estate and Middle Eastern practices you can expect to spend at least one seat in a department or office which specialises in these areas.
Locations
At present we provide training contracts based in our London or Manchester offices. London is our largest office and approximately 30 trainees are based there at any one time undertaking seats in a wide variety of practice areas including corporate, real estate, tax, employment and banking.
Our Manchester office currently accommodates 3 trainees each year where they can experience seats in property, litigation and construction. It is usual practice for our Manchester trainees to undertake 1 or 2 seats in London/and or the Middle East.
Whether you are in London or Manchester, you could also experience a seat in our Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Oman offices.
Our Exeter office also takes one trainee every seat move and this is an ideal opportunity to gain hands on experience in a smaller office.
Seat moves
We recognise that it is important for our trainees to experience the departments that they are interested in. On joining the firm, your first seat will be allocated for you. However, for the three remaining seats, you will be given the opportunity to state your preferences and we will try to accommodate your requests where possible while working to meet the needs of the firm's national and international business.
Training
At Trowers & Hamlins, we believe in offering a full training package so that you are ready to hit the ground running on qualification.
Over the course of your training contract, you will benefit from various training courses as set out by the Law Society. In addition to the core modules; financial and business skills, advocacy and client ethics, we are accredited by the Law Society to provide training on the electives through our bespoke Monday lunch programme. Every Monday, our trainees meet over lunch for some training on various topics ranging from department specific know how to soft skills training. For the trainees who are based in Manchester and Exeter, we video link to the London office so that they can also participate. We also run a course on negotiation skills on a annual basis which all trainees are required to attend.
Induction week
Your first week will be dedicated to your induction which is geared to fully prepare you for the start of your training contract. Over the course of the week, there will be departmental presentations, together with training sessions on topics such as drafting, financial and time management, communication skills and money laundering.
As well as the training, your induction is all about integration with your new colleagues. We make sure that there are informal opportunities for you to meet them during the week. There will be one afternoon dedicated to introducing you to your new department, where the current trainee will provide you with an extensive handover and you will meet all your departmental colleagues.
Litigation course
In common with other City firms we offer the opportunity to either undertake a litigation seat or attend an external litigation course run by the College of Law. The course comprises of a week being tutored and a second week gaining practical experience in an advice centre. This course is designed to fulfil the contentious element of your training contract and is approved by the Law Society.
Departmental training
As well as the trainee specific training, you will also be encouraged to attend departmental training which is relevant to your current seat. Each department has a designated training representative who regularly organise departmental seminars and events. Furthermore, the majority of our departments have a dedicated professional support lawyer, who provides regular training and updates to all fee earners.
Appraisal process
We believe that regular assessment and feedback is key to the successful, continuous development of all staff, and this is particularly true for trainees. During each seat you will receive a mid and end of seat appraisal with your supervisor. These appraisals are regularly monitored to ensure that they are appropriate, fair and that any training needs are identified and implemented.
Trainee solicitors committee
At Trowers & Hamlins, we believe it is important for our trainees to have a strong support network that they can turn to should they ever have a problem. As well as our Training Principal, Tonia Secker (Partner) and each trainee's supervisor, Hannah King, our graduate recruitment officer is always available to answer any questions or generally offer advice. This support is bolstered by each trainee being allocated a mentor whose role is to provide impartial advice and guidance.
The Trainee Solicitors' Committee is headed up by our Training Principal and comprises a cross section of Partners and HR representatives. The committee meet every 2 months to discuss trainee related issues and initiatives and to ensure that we are offering the best training possible.
Our trainees are represented on the committee by one volunteer from each year. The trainee representatives are encouraged to raise any issues which our trainees would like to be considered and to give feedback on those issues.
Qualification
Upon qualification, you will have the opportunity to apply for any current vacancies across the firm including any openings in our overseas offices. The qualification process is open and transparent. We tell those of our trainees who are about to qualify how many vacancies there are in each department and run a formal application and interview process for those vacancies.
We do not believe that your development should stop at the end of your training contract. We operate an extensive newly qualified programme to help you make the transition from trainee to solicitor.
The newly qualified programme includes topics ranging from marketing and business development to delegation and time management. Training will continue through your career with seminars being run on a weekly basis together with any soft skill training you require.
You will also be allocated a mentor upon qualification so there is always someone there to talk to on a confidential basis should you need to.