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Careers

Training Contracts at Frettens

As a growing and ambitious firm, we are looking for bright people who can be the future leaders of our business.

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At Frettens we offer a three-year graduate scheme based on the SQE route to qualification. We believe it to be one of the best schemes on the South Coast, with tuition and exams fully funded and a competitive salary available.

To find out more, visit our dedicated Graduate Scheme page here.

Alternatively, if you’ve completed the LPC and are looking for a traditional training contract, please get in touch with our Operations Manager Catharine Snow at csnow@frettens.co.uk

Who are we looking for?

From our experience, the best lawyers are not always those who got a first from a top university.

We are a people business first and foremost. Our job is to make law accessible and understandable to our clients. An excellent technical expert who can’t understand their clients’ needs and clearly explain the best course of action, is not always a good lawyer.

Yes, our lawyers are all experts in their field, but what sets our team apart is their excellent communication skills and ability to work successfully with clients and colleagues. These attributes are at the very top of the list of things we look for in our trainee recruitment process.

Who should apply?

We want bright people. A good degree and experience of working in a law firm will be considered an advantage, but we place a very high premium on how applicants perform in their interview and assessment.

If you are bright, ambitious, personable, and able to tell us succinctly why you want a career in law, then we want to hear from you.

Training Contracts: Application deadlines and how to apply

We are currently looking for trainees to start their training contracts in September 2024 and September 2025.

Applications need to be submitted by the end of April 2024.

Your CV and cover letter should be sent to Catharine Snow, our Operations Manager.

What are training contracts at Frettens like?

We have worked hard to create a working environment that is flexible, fulfilling and fun. See what some of our trainees, past and present, have to say about training contracts at Frettens, and don’t hesitate to reach out to any of them if you want to hear more. 

Olivia Parkinson completed her training contract with us in September 2022, qualifying as a Solicitor in our Dispute Resolution Team.

"I loved every second of my training contract. There was no one I felt that I couldn't direct a question to, whether they were in the team I was training with or not. At Frettens, you are given sufficient guidance to feel confident enough to deal with matters independently whilst knowing the support is always there if you needed it.

It is made clear that there is always opportunity to grow and develop within the firm and you are given the guidance and expertise you need to achieve your goals. I could not be happier here."

Lauren Smallwood on training at Frettens

Lauren Smallwood completed her training at Frettens and qualified in 2021. She studied at Bournemouth University and is now a solicitor in our Wills & Tax team.

"During my training contract I was given real responsibility and treated like a valued member of each team I worked in whilst also being fully supported.

I was lucky enough to work with partners and heads of departments within each of my seats, but still was greeted with an extreme amount of patience and never made to feel like a question was stupid or a waste of time.

Being given so much responsibility along with the guidance and support meant I was given a real insight into each area I worked in and could therefore make an informed decision about what area I wanted to quality into. It was like being thrown in the deep end but with an excellent swimming teacher right by your side."

James Privett on Frettens' Graduate Scheme

James Privett is completing his first year of Frettens’ Graduate Scheme, which is based on the SQE route to qualification.

"My first year has been a great experience. I've learnt a huge amount of valuable information and I've had an incredibly supportive team around me who have been there to help every step of the way.

Since I first started, everyone at the firm has been on hand to answer any questions that I’ve had. No question was ever too silly. If anything, I was encouraged to ask more questions to make sure that I understood everything and was comfortable.

It was quite a change coming in from university. I thought the transition from making my own timetable to 9-5 would be difficult, but it has been really smooth. Frettens have been accommodating and have made sure that I am enjoying myself here."

Katelyn Webster's thoughts on training

Katelyn Webster is also in her first year of Frettens Graduate Scheme, working as a Legal Secretary in our Family Team.

“Frettens aren’t intimidating, stuffy and corporate; like you might expect from the average law firm. They are modern, supportive and provide a really friendly environment to work in.

There’s a good balance of age groups here, and everyone is from different walks of life. I love that everyone is here to support you, even if you’re in a different department, no matter how big or small the question is.

There’s also a really strong support group at Frettens and a lot of people in the same boat as me who are also looking to progress. Therefore, it’s a lot easier to speak about profression with that support bubble there,"

You can see more about what it’s like to work with us by visiting our ‘What is it like to work at Frettens?’ page.

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