At Ward Hadaway, we are committed to developing our trainees as tomorrow’s future lawyers and Partners. We’ve made that possible by creating a stimulating, supportive and rewarding environment across all three of our offices. This allows our trainee solicitors to maximise their real potential.
In addition to our top six reasons to begin your legal career with us, here’s what else you should know about our training contract:
During your two-year training contract with us you will have the opportunity to complete four placements (known as seats) of six months each. These will take place within four of our eight departments: Corporate, Commercial, Commercial Dispute Resolution, Private Client, Employment, Health & Regulatory, Housing and Real Estate. Your seat choices are extremely important and we work with our trainees to ensure they get a broad experience of the firm, while also catering for your own personal ambitions and areas of interest.
You might also have an opportunity to work with one of our clients on a secondment basis. These are typically with our larger clients as part of their in-house legal team .
The training contract begins with a two-week induction programme to introduce you to the firm, your first team, your fellow trainee solicitors and our systems and processes. This ensures you are fully prepared when you undertake your first seat.
During the induction process you will be assigned a ‘buddy’, who will be a NQ solicitor. As someone who has recently completed their training contract, they will be ideally placed to offer support and guidance and answer any questions you may have. Once in your seat, you will work through a structured programme, perform real work and your mentor will oversee your development over the next six months. All the while, you will be provided with feedback through our regular reviews.
Throughout the two-year training contract you will also receive a multitude of training and the opportunity to attend regular legislation update seminars, as well as soft skills development training.
Alongside a competitive salary our trainees receive:
- 25 days holiday plus statutory holidays and the ability to buy up to an additional 5 days
- Group personal pension plan with employer contributions
- Flexible benefits package including health and dental cover, insurance and discounted shopping
- Life assurance package
- Subsidised parking and interest-free season ticket loan for travel
- Postgraduate course sponsorship including tuition fees and maintenance grants