Womble Bond Dickinson is a progressive and forward thinking firm, with a strong regional heritage through longstanding connections within the communities in which we operate. We are a top 20 law firm by revenue with more than 420 partners and 1,000 lawyers across eight offices in the UK and 19 offices in the US. This ensures that we’re always close to our clients’ needs while bringing a transatlantic perspective and extended jurisdictional reach.

For more information about our UK offices and regional strength please visit https://www.womblebonddickinson.com/uk/locations.

 

Our training contract forms part of our early talent pipeline. Trainees at Womble Bond Dickinson will have an opportunity to spend six months in four Business Groups, gaining a real breadth of experience.

This is your training contract and it's up to you to make the most of it, but along the way we offer fantastic opportunities to develop your legal career in a growing firm.

Our supervisors are trained and fully supported on an ongoing basis. You'll have access to high quality work and senior client contact.  We regularly second trainees to our most high profile clients.

We're looking for people across seven of our UK offices. There is no typical Womble Bond Dickinson trainee - our trainees come from varied backgrounds and bring a range of different experience, and that's very important to us. 

What all of our people do share is an enthusiasm for law and a passion for our business. Beyond that we look for our trainees to have a strong academic background, although this is not the only criteria we use when shortlisting applications. 

It's as important to us that candidates can demonstrate honesty, drive and motivation, good communication skills, resilience, adaptability, diversity of thought and commercial sense.

We run one-week long summer work placements which forms part of the recruitment process, and also acts as an application for a training contract. During the week you’ll get involved with the business as a whole as well as learn more about the firm's culture, the people who work in the business and get a feel for the work of a junior lawyer. Applications open in October 2021 and we encourage early applications. 

The first stage is an online application form which assesses the core behaviours we look for: honesty, drive and motivation, good communication skills, resilience, adaptability, diversity of thought and commercial sense.

In September 2014 we launched the first of our apprenticeship programmes. We recognised the importance of creating alternative routes into the profession for those who wanted to get their first foot on the career ladder sooner rather than later. We also wanted to develop our own home grown talent to ensure a continued pipeline of paralegals and future lawyers.

Our well established Paralegal Apprenticeship runs over two years. You'll work within our paralegal team, giving you access to a wide range of clients and types of work. Our legal apprenticeship offers school leavers and those who choose not to go to University the opportunity to gain formal legal qualifications and a role in the profession through paid, on-the-job training as an apprentice paralegal.

Our legal apprenticeship scheme has been hugely successful. We're proud to have been recognised as a Top 100 Apprenticeship. For more information about the programme please take a look at our website.  

The legal profession has continued to embrace apprenticeships as an alternative route to law and 2016 saw the launch of the first solicitor apprenticeship programme.  This is a 6 year programme taking you through from A-Level to qualification as a solicitor, without the need to attend university full-time.  

We recognise that university life isn't for everyone, and we wanted to create an opportunity for those who thought a career in law might not be attainable.  

Womble Bond Dickinson is fully committed to opening up new routes to our profession, ensuring our people all benefit from the fantastic development opportunities available to them, and apprenticeships are just one more way for us to do that.  

First year salary - London - £42,000, Bristol - £36,000, Southampton - £32,000, Plymouth - £32,000, Leeds - £28,000, Newcastle - £28,000, Scotland - £28,000

Second year salary - London - £44,000, Bristol - £38,000, Southampton - £34,000, Plymouth - £34,000, Leeds - £30,000, Newcastle - £30,000, Scotland - £30,000

Other benefits include - Childcare vouchers, dental, subsidised gym, healthcare, pension, PMI as part of flexible benefits package. Other flexible benefits include travel loan schemes, discounted car parking schemes, carbon offsetting, eye care, employee assistance programme, Cycle to Work scheme, buy and sell holidays, charity giving plus many more.

At Womble Bond Dickinson we look for intellectually able, motivated and enthusiastic graduates from any discipline or background.  Our trainees come from diverse backgrounds and bring a range of experience – and that’s important to us.

Successful applicants will understand the need to provide practical, commercial advice, show diversity of thought and share the firm’s commitment to self-development, teamwork and its desire to provide clients with services that match their highest expectations.

Online at www.womblebonddickinson.com