TRAINING

What does the training programme involve?

Our trainees enjoy one of the most flexible and comprehensive training contracts in the City. In return for your ability, enthusiasm and commitment, you'll benefit not only from our unique six seat system, but also an extensive formal training programme.

In addition to the Law Society-prescribed Professional Skills Course, there are many opportunities for you to develop your skills. Through our interactive and highly practical sessions, you'll learn the technical and management skills required by a first class international lawyer.

By constantly fine-tuning our training programme, we're able to attract and develop the highest quality trainee solicitors, ensuring our future success.

The six seat system

Most trainees join us with only a vague idea of the kind of law they'd like to practice. For them the training contract and the six seat system give them the opportunity - usually their only opportunity - to compare and contrast different areas of law.

Your training contract with us is arranged as six periods of four months (six seats), rather than the more common four periods of six months (four seats). This is because the six seat system allows exposure to a wider variety of practice areas.

Although there are Law Society rules about the type of work trainees must do, we won't force you to sample six different areas of law if you don't want to. So while the training contract will be made up of six seats, each of four months duration, it may cover three, four, five or six areas of law. To a large extent, the choice between breadth and depth will be yours.

Solicitor advocacy

In England, we already have more than 25 solicitor advocates. We actively encourage all trainees who qualify into the dispute resolution department to undertake the training required to gain their higher rights of audience, and we support them throughout this process of becoming solicitor advocates.