Career Opportunities for Trainee Solicitors

We normally take on at least one trainee solicitor each year. We've learnt from past experience that the best method of recruiting top quality lawyers is to attract them to the firm as trainees, give them a good training with plenty of hands on experience and then reap the dividends.

There is the old adage that a trainee should never stay with the firm that trained him. That might apply to many practices, but not to Slee Blackwell. In fact of our current partnership Nick Arthur, Paul Jordan, Lee Dawkins, Andrew Burke and Louise Langabeer all did their training with the firm, and none of them (so far) has shown an inclination to move on elsewhere!

What qualities do we look for? Well we want more than just academic and intellectual ability. Sure you have to be bright to cut it as a solicitor, but it takes more than pure brain power to become a successful lawyer. We find that candidates with the more rounded personalities, who have had some experience of life are often the best suited. That's why we welcome applications from people who have gained their degree in a non-law subject. Again there are many people sitting around our partnership table that have qualified via the Diploma in Law or old CPE courses.

That's not to say we don't appreciate the pure law graduate, especially if they bring with them the potential to develop an appreciation and understanding of the commercial environment within which modern law firms have to operate. So, if you are ambitious, creative, industrious, enthusiastic and have some good qualifications behind you, we'd love to hear from you. To apply for a training contract or join us on a Work Experience Placement send your CV with a short covering letter to

andrewburke@sleeblackwell.co.uk (for contracts based at our North Devon offices) or to leedawkins@sleeblackwell.co.uk (for contracts at our Exeter office).

And if you want to hear what some of our previous trainees have to say about the firm, warts and all, click here.