Applications for this job are now closed
As a firm with a shared purpose, we’re on a journey to create a positive impact.
When you join us, you’ll be ready and willing to bring your ideas and the best of yourself, but in the cockpit rather than as a passenger.
We’re looking for the brightest future commercial lawyers, who understand the work we undertake, the clients we work for, and who are passionate about principles. We encourage candidates with outside-work interests, which we’d like to see maintained and developed over the coming years. If you’re all this and an excellent communicator with a sound academic background, get in touch.
Finding and developing home-grown talent is important to us. We recruit six trainees each year and look to retain all of them at the end of their training contracts.
Trainee Seats
Over the two years of the training, you’ll do two six-month seats in the first year, followed by three four-month seats in the second year.
Trainees complete a seat in Charity & Social Enterprise during their training. Other seats available include: Corporate & Commercial, Dispute Resolution, Employment, Immigration, Public & Regulatory and Real Estate.
As a trainee, you will have the opportunity to input into the seat allocation process throughout the two years, which provides greater flexibility during training. We’ll help you to choose the seats that will best prepare you for your preferred career path.
You’ll have a dedicated supervisor in each seat, who’ll make sure your work is relevant and varied, with training where necessary. At the interim and final appraisals for each seat, your supervisor will give feedback on your performance and set objectives for the next stage.
How the application process works
By applying to a vacation scheme you will automatically be considered for the training contract. Please do not apply for more than one position, and by applying you are confirming you are eligible to begin training in 2024 with us. For Training Contracts commencing in 2024, we will start following the SQE route to qualification. If you are working towards or have completed the LPC you are still eligible to apply.
Complete online application form found through our website
The form will cover academics, motivation for joining the firm and profession, as well as what work experience you have been involved with. We work with Rare recruitment for their contextual recruitment tool, which is built into the application form, to make sure that we do not miss any candidates. We take mitigating circumstances very seriously and encourage you to include anything we should be aware about on your form. Should you wish to discuss your experiences please contact the Recruitment & Trainee Development Manager, Francesca Evans (f.evans@bateswells.co.uk).
The application form is a great opportunity to talk about what you are passionate about and how that can be applied to the life of a solicitor. Be sure to understand what a B-Corporation is, and why we are proud of that.
We recruit on a rolling basis, so please try to get your application submitted sooner rather than later.
Complete the Watson Glaser critical thinking test
If you submit an application that aligns to our values, shows academic progression and a commitment to the life of a solicitor, then you may be invited to complete the next stage of the progress, the critical thinking test. If you are sent the test, you will be given up to 7 days to complete it, and a free practice test will be sent to you before you take the real thing. The test helps us assess critical thinking, and once you’ve completed the test, we will re-review the application and test score to shortlist candidates to interview.
If you’d like to practice or explore further then please click the link to be taken to a free test ttps://www.talentlens.com/uk/about/practice-tests.html
Interviews and assessments
If you have applied for a vacation scheme, you will be invited to have an interview with two members of the recruitment panel to secure a place on either of the summer schemes. The interview will cover questions about your application as well as some other competency-based questions. There may be conversations on things happening in the world, so make sure to keep up-to-date on current affairs and be prepared to provide an opinion on the subject. Decisions following an interview are usually communicated within 10 days.
Those invited to the vacation scheme will be advised before joining on how they will be assessed and will have plenty of time to ask questions. Everything will be recapped during the scheme so that you are best placed to succeed, be supported, and importantly, have fun!
If you have applied for a direct training contract, you will be invited to an assessment day where you will have an interview with two members of the recruitment team as well as complete a formal, written assessment. Before coming onto the assessment day, you will be given information on how best to prepare with opportunities to ask questions. We’ll try and give you exposure to other people in the firm, including our trainees, so you can get a better idea of the people you might be working with.
Everyone who gets onto the assessment day or vacation scheme will complete the same written assessment. Feedback on interviews and the assessments are gathered to determine who will be selected for a final interview. Regardless of whether your application is progressed to the final stage, everyone will be encouraged to have a feedback call with the recruitment team.
Please speak to Francesca Evans, Recruitment & Trainee Development Manager (f.evans@bateswells.co.uk) should you require adjustments to be made to the process owing to a disability, or for a general conversation regarding adjustments.
Final Interview
Not all candidates will be invited to the final stage interview. Our Managing Partner alongside another Partner will interview candidates shortlisted for the training contract at the final stage. These interviews take place from late July, and we aim to have decisions communicated by September at the very latest.
Feedback and preparing for the final interview will be offered to every candidate at this stage, which is also a great opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on your experience of the process.
