AllAboutLaw

Sponsored by

BPP
AllAboutLaw

Sponsored by

BPP
AllAboutLaw
VWV

VWV

Apply now
In their own words

Renowned for our culture, strong collaboration, unique sector approach, high quality work

Snapshot

Firm type

National

UK offices

Birmingham, Bristol, London, Watford

International offices

N/A

Training contract places

15

Vacation scheme places

22

First-year salary

Birmingham / Bristol: £34,000, London: £41,000, Watford: £38,000

Second-year salary

Birmingham / Bristol: £36,000, London: £43,000, Watford: £40,000

Newly qualified salary

Birmingham / Bristol: £58,900, London: £71,150, Watford: £67,075

Trainee retention

90%

SQE support

Yes - full

Visa sponsorship

No

International secondment

No

Client secondment

No

Guaranteed secondment

No

Holiday allowance

25 days + wellbeing day, volunteer day, annual leave increases with service, discretionary leave

Office attendance policy

Minimum 3 days (depends on team needs)

Recruitment route

Vacation scheme only

Solicitor apprenticeship places

2

Recruitment screening

Non-rolling

Seat structure

4 six-month long seats

Can trainees repeat seats?

Sometimes, depending on circumstances

Can trainees express seat preferences?

Yes, but seats are not guaranteed

Salary review

Reviewed annually

Non-law applicants

Actively encouraged

Career changer applicants

Actively encouraged

Minimum academic requirements

2.1 at university (obtained/predicted), mitigating circumstances and the whole profile are considered

Remote working

Standard hybrid

Typical start time

9am (regions), 9.30am (London)

Pro bono

No formal scheme

SQE1 and SQE2 funding

Yes - full

SQE maintenance grant

Yes

PGDL funding

No

Retrospective funding

No

% female trainees

85%

% female partners

50%

% BAME trainees

20%
Before you apply

Before you apply, ask yourself:

Are you set on working with just businesses, or are you more open to working with individuals too, as VWV’s practice covers both areas of law?

Do you have the time to complete a 3-day vacation scheme to land a training contract? VWV does not offer a direct training contract route.

Is having a strong support during training important to you?

Deep dive

Explore this firm in detail

What makes it different

Full service with a clear sector focus

What this could mean for you
The firm has a specific set of sectors it works in, but this range is much broader than many other firms of a similar size. You will need to be curious by nature, as you’ll need to learn about the different sectors the firm works with to get the most out of your training. This could mean learning about life sciences for one seat, then the education sector for the next.

Trainee innovation programme

What this could mean for you
This is VWV’s push to become more AI-forward. As a trainee, your experience and expertise will be used to develop the firm’s AI tools and approach. For the tech-inclined, you can get the opportunity to genuinely shape the direction of the firm and its AI use going forward, making an early mark and standing out as a trainee, if you are willing.

All practice areas

Banking and financeTechnologyEducationGovernment and public sectorCourt of ProtectionFamilyImmigrationProbate and estate administrationWills, trusts and inheritanceCommercialContractCorporateData, privacy and cybersecurityEmploymentFraud, financial crime and investigationsRestructuring and insolvencyIntellectual propertyLitigationDispute resolutionLLPs and partnershipsProcurementRegulatory and complianceRisk advisoryReputation managementContentious probateDebt recoveryLegacy protectionNotary servicesPersonal injuryResidential conveyancingSafeguardingCharity law and governance
Who it may suit

Before you apply, ask yourself:

  • Are you set on working with just businesses, or are you more open to working with individuals too, as VWV’s practice covers both areas of law?
  • Do you have the time to complete a 3-day vacation scheme to land a training contract? VWV does not offer a direct training contract route.
  • Is having a strong support during training important to you?

This firm may suit candidates who...

  • Want to work in the South of England or the Midlands.
  • Are looking to work in a large firm by headcount, but who also want to work on both individual and business legal matters.
  • Want to work at a firm where trainee input on the direction of the firm and AI especially are taken into account.

Things to consider

  • International work is not a focus of the firm.
  • VWV’s full-service offerings are not exclusively legal, with a VWV HR, strategy and financial consulting team, at VWV you get the chance to work with clients and alongside other professionals in a way no other firm can offer.
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.

Holiday allowance

25 days + wellbeing day, volunteer day, annual leave increases with service, discretionary leave.

Office attendance

Minimum 3 days (depends on team needs)
Application process

Online application form

(1-2 hours)

Online strengths assessment

(10 minutes)

Online mid-stage assessment

Assessment centre

(Full day)

What happens

Interviews, written tasks and group activities, plus meet the team.

Vacation scheme

(3 days)

Insights
Why Choose Us?