AllAboutLaw

Sponsored by

bpp
Register now
AllAboutLaw

Sponsored by

bpp
AllAboutLaw
Thrings

Thrings

Apply now
In their own words

Committed to enabling growth and success for clients, contacts and our people

Snapshot

Firm type

National

UK offices

Bristol, Bath, Swindon, London, Ross-on-Wye, Lydney and Romsey

International offices

No

Training contract places

4

Vacation scheme places

None

First-year salary

£34,000

Second-year salary

£36,000

Newly qualified salary

£57,500

Trainee retention

70%

SQE support

No

Visa sponsorship

No

International secondment

No

Client secondment

No

Guaranteed secondment

No

Recruitment route

Direct training contract only

Rolling basis?

No

Seat structure

4 six-month seats

Can trainees repeat a seat?

Sometimes, depending on the circumstances

Can trainees express seat preferences?

Yes, preferences are considered

Trainee salary basis

Reviewed annually

Non-law applicants

Actively welcomed

Career changer applicants

Actively welcomed

Remote working

Formal flexible working policy

Holiday allowance

25 days, volunteering day, day off for wedding and birthday leave

Minimum academic requirements

2:1 at university with mitigating circumstances considered

Typical start time

9:00am

Typical finish time

5:00pm

Maintenance grant

None

PGDL funding for non-law graduates

None

Retrospective SQE or PGDL funding

None

Diversity networks and partnerships

Includes Diversity and Inclusion Committee and WLCEN work experience

% female partners

52%

% female trainees

80%
Before you apply

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Would you enjoy gaining experience across different Thrings offices, with your location potentially changing between seat rotations?

Would you enjoy working across a varied client base, with opportunities spanning areas such as corporate, family, property and agriculture?

Would a training contract with relatively predictable working patterns and limited late or weekend working appeal to you?

Would you value a small trainee cohort and close access to senior lawyers while working on matters for clients across the South and nationally?

Deep dive

Explore this firm in detail

What makes it different

You are likely to work in a number of the firm's offices.

What this could mean for you
You could gain experience across different offices during your training, giving you opportunities to work with a wider range of colleagues, clients and practice areas across the firm.

Seat offering varies rotation-by-rotation, often based off of the direct development requirements expressed by the trainees.

What this could mean for you
Seat availability varies between rotations, with trainee preferences and development needs taken into account alongside business needs. This could give you exposure to practice areas you may not initially have considered.

We are a very friendly and open firm, we travel a lot between our different offices and everyone knows each other.

What this could mean for you
The firm has a close-knit and approachable culture, supported by regular interaction between trainees, associates and partners across its offices. You could work closely with colleagues at different levels of the firm, with accessible senior lawyers and a supportive network across offices contributing to your development.

Practice area strengths

Corporate

Thrings’ Corporate team advises on a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, loan agreements, shareholder arrangements and corporate governance. The commercial side of the practice also covers areas such as terms and conditions, competition issues and unfair terms. The team advises businesses on transactions at both a local and national level, with particular experience across the technology, leisure, healthcare and financial services sectors, as well as owner-managed and family businesses.

Commercial property

Thrings’ Commercial Property team advises on a broad range of secured lending, development and investment matters, involving both commercial and residential property. The work includes drafting leases, agreements for lease, licences, rent deposit deeds and contracts for sale, as well as dealing with property enquiries and Land Registry documentation. Trainees can therefore gain experience across different stages of property transactions, from initial documentation through to completion and registration.

Commercial dispute resolution

Thrings’ Commercial Dispute Resolution team advises private individuals and businesses across a broad range of sectors, including banking, agriculture and technology. The practice handles matters spanning commercial disputes, contentious probate, professional negligence, construction disputes and debt recovery. Trainees may draft correspondence and court documents, research legal and procedural issues, prepare instructions to counsel and assist with advising clients on pursuing or defending claims. They can also attend client meetings, mediations, conferences with counsel and court hearings, gaining exposure to disputes from their early stages through to resolution.

Family

Thrings’ Family team advises primarily high-net-worth clients on complex and sensitive family matters, ranging from financial arrangements to issues involving children, trusts and care arrangements. Trainees can gain experience drafting financial consent orders, applications relating to children, divorce petitions and briefs to counsel, alongside direct client contact. The seat may also involve attending legal surgeries and court hearings, giving trainees exposure to both the advisory and contentious aspects of family law.

All practice areas

CorporateCommercialCommercial litigationDispute resolutionEmploymentImmigrationTaxData protectionPrivacy and data securityIntellectual propertyPropertyReal estateBanking and financeRestructuring and insolvencyFamilyPrivate clientWills, trusts and inheritanceBusiness advisoryEnergyEnvironmentalAviation and aerospaceFinancial services and regulationTechnologyWealth management
Who it may suit

Before you apply, ask yourself:

  • Would you enjoy gaining experience across different Thrings offices, with your location potentially changing between seat rotations?
  • Would you enjoy working across a varied client base, with opportunities spanning areas such as corporate, family, property and agriculture?
  • Would a training contract with relatively predictable working patterns and limited late or weekend working appeal to you?
  • Would you value a small trainee cohort and close access to senior lawyers while working on matters for clients across the South and nationally?

This firm may suit candidates who…

  • Want exposure to a broad mix of commercial and private client work before deciding where to specialise.
  • Want to build their career in the South or South West while working on matters for both regional and national clients.
  • Are looking to join a friendly and supportive firm, where culture is central to the training experience.

Things to consider

  • Seat rotations can involve working across different Thrings offices, so location and commuting arrangements may vary during the training contract.
  • Agriculture and rural affairs is a significant strength of the firm, offering opportunities to gain exposure to a specialist sector alongside its broader commercial and private client work.
What trainees do

Agriculture non-contentious

What it involves:

Trainees will often work on matters regarding property in this seat, meaning they will often draft Transfers, Deeds of Covenants, Assents and deal with restrictions.

Example trainee tasks:

Drafting documents, doing research and conducting property investigations.

Family

What it involves:

This seat generally involves working with clients closely, and sometimes going to court hearings.

Example trainee tasks:

Trainees will often be tasked with drafting forms for court; attending client calls with the partner and taking notes; following up on outstanding issues with clients or the courts; or liaising with the other side to deal with document exchanges.

Who trainees work with:

Trainees will often assist partners, and may attend meetings with clients and barristers.

Commercial disputes resolution

What it involves:

Trainees in this seat can find themselves working across multiple offices, supporting several disputes at a time.

Example trainee tasks:

Doing the first draft of emails, taking notes in meetings, calling the court for updates, helping draft instructions to counsel and drafting letters before action.

Who trainees work with:

Trainees work largely within their teams, and occasionally will participate in client meetings.

Work-life reality

Work-life balance varies by team, seat and transaction cycle. This section is designed to help you understand the pattern, not reduce the experience to a score.

Predictability

Working patterns are generally predictable, although workloads can increase around overlapping transaction deadlines, court dates or other key stages of a matter.

Busy periods

Busier periods arise occasionally, particularly where several deadlines coincide, with their timing and intensity varying between seats.

Late finishes

Late finishes are uncommon, with working days typically ending around 5pm, although later evenings may occasionally arise during busier periods.

Weekend work

Weekend work is uncommon for trainees.

Seat variation

Seat variation is broad, with trainees sitting in seats ranging from Agriculture Litigation to Commercial Property

Support

Teams work collaboratively during busier periods, with colleagues sharing workloads and senior lawyers available for support when deadlines converge.

Flexibility

The firm offers flexible working, with home-working arrangements generally shaped around team requirements and designated office anchor days.

Holiday allowance

25 days, plus a volunteering day, day off for wedding, birthday leave

Office attendance

Office attendance varies by team, with trainees generally following their team’s working pattern and attending designated anchor days.
Culture & support

Supervision style

Trainees work closely with their supervisors, either sitting alongside them or having regular access to them for guidance and questions.

Relationship with partners

Partners are accessible and involved in trainee development, with opportunities for trainees to ask questions and learn directly from senior lawyers.

Upward feedback

Trainees have opportunities to raise questions and provide feedback through their supervisors and regular trainee check-ins.

Office plan

The offices are mostly open plan.

What surprised trainees positively

The firm has an informal and approachable day-to-day culture, with interaction between trainees, associates and partners extending beyond individual teams.
Application process

Online application form

Video interview

(30 minutes - 1 hour)

What happens

You will have a teams call with an Emerging Talent Advisor and Senior Associate or Partner.

Assessment centre

(Full day)

What happens

This involves a group exercise, written exercise, presentation, client role play and interview.
Reviews
"“I was expecting the firm to be much more formal when I first started. While there is a degree of formality expected, especially around client meetings, I was surprised by how friendly and open everyone was.”" - Anonymous
"“I wish I had known how varied the seats could be and that trainees may complete rotations across different offices.”" - Anonymous
"“Everyone at Thrings is very friendly and accommodating. If I ever need help, there are plenty of people I can ask, and everyone is always very happy to help.”" - Anonymous