Training Contracts

Wedlake Bell is well known for providing exceptionally high-quality training. Our approach is to recruit a small number of trainees so that each individual receives personalized support and development. Our aim is to ensure that, by the end of your training contract, you will be a competent and confident newly qualified solicitor with genuine enthusiasm for your work.

We are committed to recognizing your talents and providing an environment in which those talents can be utilized to their fullest potential. Currently, we are recruiting for an intake of eight trainees each year, two years in advance of the commencement of the training contract. Applications for our 2027 Training Contracts will open on 1 November 2024, with a deadline to apply by 23:59 on 1 May 2025.

Programme Structure

Trainees complete four 6-month seats during their Training Contracts, providing the opportunity to experience a large variety of work and explore different areas of law. Wedlake Bell trainees attend the firm’s ‘Foundation’ training programme, specifically developed for trainee solicitors to support their development during their first two years at the firm. Trainees remain in regular contact with the HR team and the Training Principal to discuss their progress and career development.

Support

• Trainees are paired with a mentor and a Trainee Buddy to help them settle in and provide additional support.
• For each seat, trainees are allocated a dedicated supervisor who oversees their workload and provides feedback.
• Mid-seat and end-of-seat reviews are conducted to further trainees' development.
• Future trainees participate in a series of events to prepare them for life at the firm before joining.

Benefits

Wedlake Bell offers a range of benefits, including:

• Private healthcare and dental cover
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Wellbeing resources
• Annual travel card
• Discounted gym memberships
• 25 days of annual leave and a birthday day off
• Regular social events such as mini-golf outings, theatre trips, annual walking trips, and ski trips

Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE)

Applicants for the 2027 training contract should note:

• Wedlake Bell may require applicants to complete the SQE qualification route.
• Financial support is offered, including covering the costs of preparation courses, exams, and a £7,000 maintenance grant.
• The SQE preparation course, in partnership with the University of Law, includes an LLM qualification to prepare you for your career as a trainee solicitor at a City firm.
• Non-law students must complete the (P)GDL/PGDIP prior to the SQE. Funding and maintenance grants will be provided if you have not already started this course.
• If you have already completed the LPC, you will not need to take the SQE.

Eligibility and Application Process

• Applicants must have achieved (or expect to achieve) at least an upper-class second for their undergraduate degree course.
• Applications must be submitted using the online application form. We do not accept CVs as a substitute.
• All applications are reviewed, and selected candidates are invited to a first-stage interview held virtually in July 2025. The final-stage interviews will be held in person at our London office.
• All offers for training contracts are subject to passing the Legal Practice Course or SQE examinations on the first attempt.

If you have any questions or wish to discuss further details, please contact Annabel Hale, Early Careers Manager, at ahale@wedlakebell.com.

Will I Get Paid?

• Our trainees are paid in accordance with current market rates in London. Salaries are reviewed annually.
• LPC funding is available subject to the terms of your offer. We also offer a £7,000 maintenance grant for those who have yet to start or are currently completing the LPC.

Work Environment

As a full-service law firm, Wedlake Bell provides opportunities to rotate through a variety of different practice areas and gain hands-on training. We offer the unique advantage of being big enough to handle market-leading legal matters while remaining small enough to notice and support individual talent. Wedlake Bell is consistently regarded as offering a good work-life balance and a strong work culture. Social events such as ski trips and walking trips foster a sense of community within the firm.