​Becoming a Trainee Solicitor

Choosing the right firm for you to complete your Period of Recognised Training will be an important decision.

You need to consider the opportunities to explore a variety of different areas of law, but also how you will fit in with the firm, their ethos and your future colleagues.  At Churchers we are keen to ensure that all Trainees obtain the best training, tailored to suit your interests and needs.

Our Trainee Solicitors are important to us; many of our current Partners and Associates began their career as a Trainee Solicitor here, citing our working environment, ‘family feel firm’ and career development opportunities as the reason for basing their career here.

Why Churchers?

At Churchers we care about everyone who works with us.  As part of that, Churchers has a feel of being a family, where all of the Partners know your name.  We, at Churchers, nurture our staff and value what makes every individual shine.

A Churchers person is intelligent, enthusiastic, eager to learn, open minded, proactive and resourceful. Each person has their own strengths and they are encouraged to shine from day one.

In today’s competitive legal market a sharpness of mind and ability to sense and understand the wider economic, political and commercial implications of the work is vital.

Our Trainees must balance this with an awareness of what is important to their client and consider the social and personal impact of their actions.

While we understand that law is a serious business, we also realise that it is important to balance the high pressures of the modern workplace with an active and fulfilling lifestyle, and not always take ourselves too seriously. Staff members are encouraged to partake in firm activities, to meet other trainees and to support one another.

Your training

Your training will be as unique as you. Balancing the commercial needs of the firm’s busy departments, we try to give you as much variety and experience of both the law and our offices’ different working environments and cultures as possible, whilst at the same time offering you the experience and training in disciplines of interest to you.

Your time as a Trainee will usually comprise of three or four distinct areas of law and practice. You may be asked to work at any of the firm’s main offices, which will give you the opportunity to meet as many people as possible throughout the firm and amongst our clients, and help you begin to establish your own reputation and following. Our Training Partner will work with you to agree a suitable training programme .  Our areas of practice include:

• Family
• Private Client (Wills, Trusts, Probate etc)
• Residential Conveyancing
• Child Law
• Criminal Defence
• Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Commercial Property

Your support and guidance doesn’t end once your training does. We understand that being a newly-qualified solicitor can be daunting, and believe that you are the future of our firm, so we will continue your support and training throughout your career with us.

We are proud of our Trainees and encourage you to play a full role in the development of the firm and to get to know both our staff and clients alike. In order to not only develop your legal experience, you will also be encouraged to participate in networking events and to be an ambassador of the firm, to prepare you for all activities that will lie ahead in your future career.

Our Trainees are encouraged to take an active role in networking events, as well as activities organised by the firm including charity events.

You will show academic excellence throughout your studies and will have achieved a Degree (whether or not in law) with a classification of at least a 2.1.

Training Contract or SQE?

We currently offer both the ‘traditional’ training contact route (after you have completed your LPC) and the SQE route (once you have completed SQE1).

Under the LPC route, you are required to complete a training contract, which is two years of regulated work-based training, typically undertaken with just one employer. At Churchers, we fund your Professional Skills Course (PSC). You will meet with the Training Principal to discuss which topics best suit you.

If you follow the SQE route to qualification, you will need to undertake two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE), which can be carried out in a maximum of four periods, at up to four organisations. This provides you with flexibility and the opportunity to develop your knowledge and skills in a range of different settings. At Churchers we will fund the SQE2. The second stage of the SQE, SQE2, assesses your skills in the contents of the SQE 1 syllabus. The skills include face-to-face assessments for oral skills, including Client Interviewing and Advocacy. These are also online assessments which test your written skills, such as Case and Matter Analysis, Legal Research, Legal Writing, and Legal Drafting.

The Application:

Interviews are conducted by the firm’s Managing Partner, Andrew Bryan, Training Principal (Partner) Faye Evans and Partner Louise Jack.

Please be aware all roles require the right to work in the United Kingdom.

Please note we are no longer accepting applications for 2024.