Training: A different experience
Would you prefer to train at a firm where you will be valued as an individual, rather than being another face in a large intake of trainees?
Winckworth Sherwood is a highly individual law firm where our diversity is our strength. We firmly believe that technical excellence and high quality client service can be delivered in harmony with a healthy work-life balance.
We can offer a pleasant, stimulating environment, with a modern approach to flexible working. We feel this actually makes our people more productive. We recruit four trainee solicitors a year; we keep the number deliberately low to maximise the staff/trainee ratio, so that our trainees are fully involved in all aspects of each department in their two year training period.
We provide a wide range of services to our clients and much of our work is highly innovative. Our lawyers include highly rated specialists in their fields, many with deep personal investment in our client sectors. This gives our trainees a broad exposure to the law as well as a deeper understanding of the sectors which we support. The firm is over 200 years old and its success is largely due to the awareness of the importance of flexibility, and the ability to adapt to a changing world. We believe business sector knowledge is as valuable as legal expertise.
What we do
View the services we offer and the sectors we support >>
The training contract
The work
As a Winckworth Sherwood trainee you will rotate through four departments in six month placements or 'seats.' The purpose of each seat is to give you a solid grounding in that area of the law. We encourage substantial client contact from the start and you will be involved in all phases of a matter. Trainees are not expected to bill heavily, but will need to learn the principles of time recording and develop good professional habits.
As a trainee you will usually sit with a partner or senior solicitor and may be given the opportunity to manage your own files, subject to suitable supervision. Each trainee has a bespoke training diary which is reviewed on a regular basis. At the end of each seat the Training Partner, with the assistance of the relevant head of department, will review your progress.
We also have a well developed in-house continuing education programme which draws upon the expertise of partners, qualified staff and guest professionals, in which trainees are encouraged to participate.
The package
Our salaries are competitive with those of other London law firms, and are reviewed twice annually, in both January and July. Assuming good progress is made trainees can expect to see it rise during the two year training period to a level closer to that of a newly-qualified solicitor.
Normal office hours are 09.30 to 17.30 with an hour for lunch, though there is occasionally the requirement for extended hours; the holiday allocation is 24 days plus public holidays and 1 extra day at Christmas.
Under certain conditions the firm also provides financial assistance to trainees attending the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or studying for a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).
The result
We give you hands-on training experience that will provide you with a solid foundation on which to build a successful and fulfilling career.
What do we look for in a prospective trainee?
We require a strong academic record both at school and university, but we also look for attributes which demonstrate the potential for making a positive contribution to the firm. It is important to be able to empathise with clients whilst at the same time keeping a clear business head; we look for evidence of these qualities at the outset.
We are also interested in indications of high achievement in non-academic pursuits.
We are a highly individual firm and we want independent, intelligent and personable trainees - not a type. We want people who, after training, can provide a client with new ideas, bring a fresh approach and help them achieve desired results in a changing legal environment. These qualities help us to develop and our trainees are the future of the firm. Many of our successful trainees have stayed with the firm and progressed within it.
How to apply
We recruit two years in advance, and applications should be received by the end of July of the relevant year. For example, a candidate looking for a training contract in 2011 would need to have their application with us by 30 September 2009.
All applications must be made via our Online Application process.
Interviews take place in our London office and the first stage usually consists of a one on one with our Training Partner. Successful applicants may then be invited back for a second interview with a select panel of partners from different practice areas.
We run a summer placement scheme for prospective candidates who would like a first-hand view of the firm.
View more information on our Summer placement programme >>
Find out what it is like to be a trainee at Winckworth Sherwood by reading our Trainee Diary >>
Download our full training brochure>>
Further information hr@wslaw.co.uk