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  4. Training Contract 2023
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Our lawyers aren’t just technically brilliant; they connect the dots and celebrate differences. We’re looking for tomorrow’s lawyers with razor-sharp skills, a hunger to learn and the enthusiasm to get stuck in. Through our work together, we’ll give you the responsibility and support you need to flourish.

This, as well as our other core values which we call the Charles Russell Speechlys Way, underpins everything we do at the Firm and has helped to develop our unique training programme for trainees.  We provide a practical learning environment where emphasis is given to early responsibility and supervised client contact, encouraging trainees to develop key legal and business skills which enable them to become successful lawyers.

We are proud of the training environment we provide to our trainees, encouraging them to develop key legal and business skills which enable them to become successful lawyers.

Before you join

If you need to complete your Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and/or Legal Practice Course (LPC) then we will sponsor you to complete these.  We will pay the full fees and provide you with a maintenance grant for each year that you study.  Our preferred supplier for the GDL and LPC is the University of Law.  If you have already completed the GDL or LPC then we have no preference over where you completed these, it will not affect your application.

Keeping in touch with you

As we recruit two years in advance the trainee recruitment team will keep in regular contact before you start.  We organise a trainee event every Christmas for our current and future trainees which is a great opportunity to network and get to know those you will be working with.

When you start

You will start your Training Contract in August with a three week induction programme in London.  The first two weeks of the programme will be spent at Barbri to complete the core modules of the Professional Skills Course (PSC).

The third week of your induction will be in the London office where you will receive talks and training from different business areas and will finish with a Social Impact charity challenge day.  By the end of the three week induction programme you will be ready and prepared to start your first trainee seat.

Your Training Contract

The two-year training contract at Charles Russell Speechlys is divided into four seats, giving trainees the opportunity to experience a range of different practice areas before qualification.  Before each seat rotation you will be asked which areas you are interested in working in and we will try to accommodate your preferences as much as we can.

The different areas of law that trainees may experience during their training contract include:

  • Banking & Finance
  • Commercial
  • Commercial Dispute Resolution
  • Construction, Engineering & Projects
  • Trust Establishment, Administration & Taxation
  • Corporate 
  • Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency
  • Employment, Pensions & Immigration
  • Family
  • Financial Services
  • Corporate Tax
  • Intellectual Property Litigation
  • Private Property
  • Real Estate Disputes
  • Real Estate
  • Tax, Trusts & Succession

There is also the opportunity to go on client secondments to high-profile companies in property, media and finance. These in-house secondments are an excellent way to truly understand the finer points of what clients really expect from their lawyers, and to gain an understanding of the issues our clients face.

As well as client secondments, there may also be opportunities to undertake secondments to one of our overseas offices.

For each seat you will be assigned a dedicated supervisor who will work with you to ensure that you continue to receive a broad range of quality wok and that you are developing the required skills and knowledge as you progress through your seats.  As well as on-going feedback you will have mid and end of seats reviews where you can formally discuss your development.  You will also be allocated a mentor who will be there to support and guide you through your training contract.

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits, which may include:

  • 25 days annual holiday
  • Private medical insurance
  • Income protection
  • Life assurance
  • Pension scheme
  • Employee assistance programme
  • Enhanced maternity/paternity/shared parental benefits
  • Childcare vouchers
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Season ticket loan
  • Qualification leave
  • Friday casual dress policy