Training Contract

LBMW is a long-established law firm with modern values and skills.

We represent clients across the world in a wide range of sectors including education, real estate, leisure, corporate, not for profit and faith. We advise institutions, state bodies, multinationals, SMEs, charities, family estates and private individuals.

Our teams combine a wealth of experience from leading lawyers in their chosen field, with energy, enthusiasm and a personal commitment to help our clients achieve their goals. Our trainees have immediate exposure to a diverse range of work under supervision of an experienced lawyer in each department.

What we offer

As with many law firms we have been reviewing our trainee recruitment policy following the introduction of the new SQE route to qualifying.

The recruitment of trainee solicitors and their retention post qualification play an important role in the growth of our firm.  We will therefore continue to offer a two year long ‘training contract’ providing the opportunity for trainees to experience up to four seats from the following departments.

• Dispute Resolution and Corporate/Commercial
• Education, Charities & Ecclesiastical
• Commercial and Charity Property
• Residential Property
• Private Client

Due to the nature of our programme we do anticipate that all candidates will complete a full two years with us. We therefore regret that we do not normally consider requests for time to count or QWE earned elsewhere for the purposes of our training contract.

From the outset our trainees are given responsibility for their own files and immediate client contact. Working alongside a senior lawyer or Partner, trainees receive mentoring and support throughout their training contract.

Our trainees play a pivotal role in small teams where expectations are high; because the teams are small, trainees are able to make a meaningful contribution both in each department seat and also within the firm as a whole.

Our trainees participate in the marketing and business development of the firm, and are encouraged to consider marketing initiatives for the department they work in and the firm as a whole.

There are also plenty of opportunities to socialise with your colleagues in and outside of the office and we have an active social, sports and charity events calendar throughout the year.

What we are looking for

Degree standard: minimum 2:1.

Articulate individuals with excellent oral and written communication skills.

A real understanding and enthusiasm for what we do, how we do it and why we are different from our competitors.

For those candidates who have or will be undertaking the LPC we will make a contribution of £7,000 towards the course fees.

For candidates looking to qualify via the SQE route:

1. Successful completion of SQE1 will be a condition of beginning Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) with us;
2. Where your undergraduate degree is a non-law degree we will generally expect you to have undertaken a year-long law conversion course or equivalent.
3. We will expect to make a contribution towards the costs of the SQE exams, provided they have been passed, for those undertaking 2 years QWE with us

​​For candidates who are qualifying via the LPC route, we will require you to have passed the LPC prior to commencing the training contract.  We will expect to make a contribution towards the cost of the LPC, provided this is passed, for those qualifying via this route.

Recruitment process

We will be recruiting up to 1 candidate  to commence in September 2024, 2 candidates to commence their training contract in September 2025 and up to 3 candidates to commence September 2026

Should you be interested in undertaking a training contract with us you have the opportunity to first apply for one of our Vacation Schemes giving you first-hand experience of what it is like to work at LBMW. Our Vacation Schemes form an integral part of our trainee recruitment process and in almost all cases our trainee solicitors will have undertaken a Vacation Scheme with us.

To be eligible to apply for a place on our Vacation Scheme you must be a final year non-law student, or a  penultimate or final year law student or have completed your studies.  We welcome applications from those studying or who have already completed the GDL or the LPC and those who are following the SQE route.

The Vacation Scheme programme gives candidates a real insight into the firm and the role of a trainee.  You will spend three days with us undertaking a variety of work experience assignments within our departments. The programme also includes group presentations, a mock trial exercise and after work social events. You will be paid £200 for the three days that you are with us. 

Applications are made by email to: trainee@lbmw.com and must be supported by an application form, a CV and a covering letter.  We are now accepting applications for our 2024 vacation scheme and training contract and our deadline for accepting applications is 1 March 2024.

We intend to run our vacation scheme between 18-20 June 2024.

Then what?

We keep in touch with our future trainees who have been offered a training contract – prior to joining, future trainees are invited to various social events allowing us to get to know them better, and vice versa, in a relaxed and informal setting.

We invest heavily in our trainees and aim to retain them on qualification where possible. A good number of our partners were once trainees with the firm.

Final tip

A training contract lasting 2 years will be demanding, professionally rewarding but we also hope it will be fun. It is important that we find the right fit for the firm, and  just as importantly, you find the right firm for you: so tell us about you, we want to know who you are, what interests you and why you are interested in us – think beyond "what do they want me to say/how can I impress them?".  We have a great many applications; you need to consider why yours should be the one we choose.

Good luck!

Ed Henderson and Nishita Gudka

Training Partners

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Application Form