Berwin Leighton Paisner Training Contract

Trainees spend six months in four seats with their progress reviewed every three months, during the Berwin Leighton Paisner Training Contract. An induction covers the practical aspects of working in a law firm, from billing to client care. There are technical education programmes for each department, with weekly skills sessions and seminars for trainees as well as Professional Skills Courses.

Induction Programme

The induction programme lasts between one and two weeks and takes place at the start of your training contract. You will be trained how to use BLP's IT systems and library resources, develop your understanding of the firm, the different practice areas, support services and the trainee role through a variety of presentations and workshops. You will also make a start on the PSC that all trainee solicitors are required to complete as part of their training contract.

During your training contract all trainees will receive structured help and assistance from their supervisor. Trainees are also allocated a Partner Mentor.

Professional Skills Course

The PSC is organised and run in-house by BLP's own training team and is supported by external trainers and is ongoing throughout the training contract.

Salary

Trainee solicitors start on a salary of £33,000, and a further £2,500 golden hello.

LPC

The firm runs the UK's first tailor-made LPC Course, called the LPC+. All trainees will study at the College of Law, where tutors are joined by lawyers from Berwin Leighton Paisner and trainers who help to deliver some of the sessions, using BLP precedents and documents, discussing how theory is applied to real cases and transactions.

Seats

Trainees are given a choice over seats and preferences are usually met. All trainees do a seat in real estate and corporate finance and it is a Law Society requirement that you do a minimum of three months’ contentious work which can be met either by doing a litigation seat or a non-litigation seat with contentious aspects.

Secondments

Trainees interested in completing a seat on secondment during their training contract in the EU can spend up to six months in the firm's Brussels office.

Trainee Retention

BLP's retention rates for trainees range from 80%-90%.

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