Training Contract
Your training contract is the start of your career in law.
Our two year training contract gives you hands on experience and a highly personal feel. The contract compromises of four six month seats in the following practice areas:
- Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution
- Corporate and Commercial
- Employment Law
- Restructuring & Insolvency
- Insurance Litigation
- Private Client
- Property and Property Litigation
As part of the SRA requirements for qualification, you must gain experience in at least three different areas of law during your training contract, including one that involves contentious work. We have developed a number of ways in which trainees can gain the contentious experience necessary to meet the SRA’s requirements.
Whilst there is inevitably high demand to be seated in some areas, we seek to give you as much scope as possible to shape the direction of your training. In addition to SRA requirements we endeavour to enable all trainees to complete a seat in both our non-contentious practice areas and our Litigation department.
Training confident solicitors
Edwin Coe is committed to helping trainees develop into competent and confident solicitors. You will be given the opportunity for ‘hands on’ involvement including managing your own files. Throughout your training period, there will be a continuous process of two way feedback. The firm operates mid seat reviews and end of seat reviews, with the aim of monitoring your progress and supporting your development over the course of the two years.
If you receive an offer of a training contract, you probably won’t start here for around two years. To ensure you start to feel part of the team and in order for you to get to know your peers, we will be in regular contact with you and invite you to various social events.
Salary and Rewards
LPC Funding
Students who accept a training contract with Edwin Coe LLP will be provided with sponsorship for the LPC course fees, provided they have yet to complete the course.
Salary
Edwin Coe offers a competitive salary package.
Benefits
We offer a flexible benefits package.
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (rising to 27 after five years’ service)
- Annual holiday buy & sell scheme
- Interest free season ticket loan
- Life assurance (4x base salary)
- Private Medical Insurance
- Membership of the firm’s pension scheme
- Group Income Protection
- Medical/dental cash plan
- Employee assistance programme
- Critical illness
- Cycle to work scheme
Entry Requirements
What we look for in you
Whether you are applying for a Summer Vacation Scheme place or a Training Contract, we are looking for individuals with a passion for law, supported by a strong academic record:
- Minimum 2:1 degree or grades to date
- Plus ABB at ‘A’ Level or equivalent qualifications worth 320 UCAS points
In order to be successful, your application will need to demonstrate your ability to establish professional credibility, build strong working relationships and to work both autonomously and as part of a team. Strong IT, communication and listening skills are a prerequisite for the role of Trainee Solicitor. Ideally we are looking for candidates who participate in extra-curricular activities and who have already attained some legal work experience.
Please note – we do not accept candidates who have not completed the first year of their law degree or the second year of a non – law degree. We accept all other candidates that are past this stage including candidates that have already graduated.
Application Deadlines
- Applications for 2026 open: 1 January 2024
Deadline for 2026 training contracts applications: 30 June 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a training contract?
We recruit our trainee solicitors two years in advance of the start of a training contract. If you would like to apply for a training contract at Edwin Coe, please complete and submit the on-line application form.
Do we wait until receiving all applications before reviewing them?
Yes, we wait until the application process has closed and will review all applications within 1 month of the closing date.
Which year of your degree do you have to be in to apply for a training contract?
You have to be in the second year of a law degree or the third year for a non law degree. If you have already completed your degree you are still eligible to apply.
Do you really need a 1st or 2:1 in your degree to get a training contract at Edwin Coe?
Yes, having a 2:1 or higher is part of the entry requirements for a position as a trainee solicitor.
How many trainee solicitors do you take on each year?
We recruit 4/5 trainee solicitors each year. The trainee intake is in the month of September.
How many seats will I sit in during my training contract?
The training contract is made up of four seats, each lasting six months.
Are there any seats that are compulsory?
We require all trainee solicitors to undertake a seat in both contentious and non-contentious practice areas.
Will I get feedback during my training contract?
Yes, trainees are given both formal and informal feedback during their training contract. All trainee solicitors have mid seat and end of seat reviews enabling us to identify any development needs, let you know where you have excelled and ensure that you are progressing well.
Who will I sit with during my training contract?
Each trainee solicitor shares an office with a partner or an associate who will be their supervisor.
Can I apply more than once?
If you applied for a place on our vacation scheme and you weren’t successful, you can still apply for a training contract.
If you applied for a training contract and we turned you down (either before or after an interview), think carefully before reapplying. We don’t prohibit a second application, but you need to ask yourself what has changed in the time since your first application that might make us want to change our minds.
For the sake of clarity, we would not expect a third application to be successful since you will have already given it your best shot.
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