Trainee Solicitor 2027 - England And Wales

Trainee Solicitor 2027 - England and WalesJob Introduction DAC Beachcroft are pleased to announce the launch of our 2027 Training Contract application window. As a trainee solicitor you'll have the opportunity to experience our business and gain a breadth of knowledge in cross-practice areas through a series of placements. In addition to developing your legal knowledge and practice, our trainee development programme incorporates the skills the lawyer of tomorrow will need via a tailored learning experience developed in line with the O-Shaped principles.
During the two-year programme, DACB trainees will work in four six-month placements across our practice areas. In these placements you will develop core business skills, learn more about how DACB and our clients operate and make strategic decisions, and have the opportunity to put your academic knowledge into practice. You'll have access to an extensive range of technical, professional and personal development resources, including face-to-face workshops, blended e-learning and on-the-job training. Many of our trainees also undertake secondments to clients as part of their development.
Our trainees tell us that they enjoy the firm's collaborative working environment which reflects our cultural principles – supportive, creative, determined, and clear. There are many opportunities to network with other trainees and colleagues across our network, and to be part of wider firm projects and initiatives.
While academic qualifications are important, this is not the whole story. We are looking for people with the energy and the drive to succeed, as well as commercial acumen and leadership potential. You will champion a growth mindset approach and thrive working in an inclusive environment where all perspectives are valued.
Main Responsibilities: During your two-year graduate programme, you will rotate around four different business areas, spending six months in each area. A sample of typical trainee placements is detailed below:
Clinical RiskCorporate and CommercialCorporate FinanceCommercial LitigationEmploymentProfessional IndemnityProperty CasualtyDuring each placement you will be supported by a supervisor who is responsible for your day-to-day development. You will have regular reviews with your supervisor to set objectives, discuss your progress and review learning.
SQE: For candidates who have not yet completed the LPC or SQE qualifications, you will be required to complete a fully-funded SQE preparation course with BPP and pass both SQE1 and SQE2 before commencing the two-year programme. We enrol you onto a full-time LLM SQE 1 & 2 course with BPP University, which would begin in September 2026. DACB also provide a maintenance grant for those who need to complete the SQE to support you while studying full-time.
For non-law graduates this means you will need to have completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) prior to commencing the DACB funded LLM SQE 1 & 2 course in September 2026.
LPC: If you have already completed the LPC, you will not be required to complete the SQE exams, however, you will need to successfully complete the Professional Skills Course (PSC) prior to starting the training contract, this will be funded by DACB. Please let us know in your application if you are currently studying for or have already completed the LPC and we can discuss further.
The Ideal Candidate: To apply for our graduate trainee solicitor programme, you will need to have / or be predicted a minimum of a 2:1 degree classification (law or non-law) and a minimum of BBB at A Level. If you have not achieved these results or above please add any mitigating circumstances in your application for consideration.
The trainee programme will commence in September 2027 and candidates looking to apply will need to be in a position to start the programme at that time.
Please complete all sections of the application form as thoroughly and accurately as is possible. Once you have completed your online application form, and have met the minimum criteria, you will be invited to complete a short 60 second video interview to support your application. If successful following this stage you will be invited to complete an online Critical Thinking Test that should take 20 minutes to complete.
We review applications on a rolling basis, with outcomes communicated by 28th February. If your application has not been successful, you will be notified this as soon as possible.
Shortlisted candidates following the video interview and Critical Thinking Test will be invited to attend an in-person assessment day at the DACB location you have applied for during March and April 2025.
Please contact the DACB Early Talent team – ****** – at any stage throughout the application process with any questions or reasonable adjustment requests.
Where will I be based?: Currently our training contracts are available in our London, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle offices. When you apply you will be asked to select the location you are applying for.
If you are open to relocating for your training programme please select one of your preferred office location and email ******.
Time Frames & Application Process: The application window closes on 31st January 2025 – to apply you will need to upload a current CVApplications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and outcomes are delivered after the deadline has passedFollowing a successful video interview, you will then be invited to complete an online Critical Thinking TestInvites to assessment days will be issued no later than the end of February 2025Assessment days will take place in March & April 2025Offers will be made no later than the end of April 2025What to expect at an assessment day?: Our training contract assessment days are held in-person in the office location you are applying for. Our assessment day provides you with a thorough overview of what life at DACB as a trainee solicitor involves and gives us a chance to get to know you. Our assessment days typically involve a group task, an interview, and a legal skills assessment. Further information about what to expect on the day will be shared when invites are issued.
Feedback on applications: We provide feedback coaching calls for all candidates who have attended an assessment day to help support your continuous development. Unfortunately we cannot provide feedback to all candidates at the first stage of the application process given the high volume of applications we receive.
About the Company: We're a leading international legal business with over 3,000 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We're market leaders in insurance, health and real estate but with a full-service offering, including growing Financial Services and Tech capabilities. We represent a wide range of clients – from household names to government departments and NHS bodies. We act for nearly all of the top-20 UK and global insurers, we're market leaders in the provision of strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to providers and commissioners in the health sector, and in real estate we advise all of the UK's top-five housebuilders.
We are a fast-growing international business with offices around the globe. In addition to our 11 UK offices, we also have offices in Dublin, Madrid, Paris, Milan, Rome, Singapore, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Peru and Miami, plus a broad network of affiliations across the globe.
Working with us: Our vision is to be leading business advisers, recognised for our insight and our outstanding commitment to clients, and for being the place where talented people want to work. Combine this with our supportive culture and hybrid working model, and you have: a Life that Works.
Our flexible approach means that we help our colleagues to be their best at work, while recognising that they have all sorts of different interests and commitments outside work. We pride ourselves on our supportive, approachable culture. We are trusted, appreciated as individuals and embraced as part of a team. At DACB, we don't just accept your differences, we celebrate and advocate for them. From bespoke solutions for our clients, to treating you as an individual. Our strength comes from your diverse ideas and bringing the 'whole you' to work. So if you're good at what you do, come as you are!
Location: London, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle, England & Wales

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