Trainee Solicitors
Get your legal career off to a flying start with an award-winning Wiltshire law firm
A training contract that will give you the opportunities to apply the skills and knowledge you have acquired during your studies
We believe that a training contract should give you full insight into the role and responsibilities of a Solicitor.
From the start of each training seat you will be given immersive and hands on opportunities by your Training Supervisor who will be there to support you on a daily basis. By the end of each six-month training seat our trainees often have a small caseload in their name and have the autonomy to run client meetings with the guidance and oversight of their Training Supervisor.
We offer training seats across a variety of different departments, both in our contentious and non-contentious practice areas. We feel it is also important to understand what goes on behind the scenes in the running of our firm, so before you commence your first seat you will spend a week in each of our Accounts and Marketing departments.
What's it like to be a Trainee Solicitor at Goughs?
Your training contract questions answered
We accept candidates who have progressed or are progressing through the following routes:
- Have successfully attained a law degree or the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) and have completed, or are on track to complete, the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the time of application.
- Have successfully attained a law degree and have passed, or are studying and on track to pass, the SQE1 and SQE2 exams at the time of application.
- Have successfully attained a law degree, or are coming to the end of studying for a law degree, and are looking to study for the SQE1 and SQE2 exams at the same time of completing the Qualifying Work experience (QWE).
We look for individuals who are driven and eager to learn. You will need to be able to take the initiative, work methodically and have good attention to detail.
Being professional and presentable at all times is essential along with excellent communication and people skills.
We currently offer a starting salary of £30,000 per annum.
We try to ensure that each training seat is located at a different office so that you get to experience working in different offices.
Where possible we always try to accommodate the trainee’s preference as to which departments their seats are in, whilst also taking into account the needs of the business at any given time. Our Training Principal will have regular catch ups with you to find out which areas you are keen to explore.
The minimum number of training seats required is no longer specified by the SRA but you will have to undertake at least one contentious seat. We always aim for our trainees to experience at least three different seats.
You will be encouraged to interact with clients and will be given autonomy and responsibility to conduct matters and files from start to conclusion with supervision.
Your training contract will be overseen by our Training Principal, Andrew Given, but on a daily basis you will report to the Training Supervisor aligned to your seat.
You will also have regular contact with other fellow trainees and newly qualified solicitors who have recently themselves been through the same process.
At the end of each training seat you will have a review meeting with your Training Supervisor and a member of the HR team. You will also have regular catch up meetings with the Training Principal.
We currently tend to recruit future trainees through our annual Vacation Scheme however if we do have any additional vacancies then we will advertise these on our main jobs post page, where further details on the application process will also be provided.
If your application is shortlisted then you will be invited to attend an initial interview with the Training Principal and our HR Manager. If you successfully make it through to the second interview stage then you will be invited to attend our assessment centre.
Why work at Goughs?
Partnership opportunities
Over 40% of our current Partners joined us a Trainee Solicitors
Career progression
In the last 4 years, 40% of Solicitors who joined the firm were promoted to Associate within 2 years
Training opportunities
9 support team members have moved into fully-fledged fee earning roles in the last 5 years
Evolving workplace
In the past 2 years, we’ve had 34 people join the firm
Employee satisfaction
49% of employees have been with the firm over 3 years
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