Information for Applicants

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Training Contracts at Forbes Solicitors

Information Sheet for applicants

We receive on average 200 hundred applications annually for approximately six to eight Training positions at Forbes Solicitors.

Traditional training contracts commence in September two years after the year of application. However, the number of positions that we offer depends upon the calibre of the candidates interviewed.

From 2022, we have introduced the graduate solicitor/SQE apprenticeship. The process is the same as our traditional route to qualification, however, the apprenticeship will commence in the September following the year of application. Therefore, this route is open to all final year law students or non-law students undertaking the GDL/conversion qualificaion.

Applicants who meet our selection criteria will be invited to submit a short video presentation, the topic of which will be provided in advance.

Should you be successful after this stage you will be invited to a first face to face interview with the Graduate Recruitment Interview Panel.

Candidates successful after first interview will be invited to a final stage panel interview where a presentation will be required. Again, the topic will be provided in advance.

Once a training contract or apprenticeship commences, each trainee will spend six months in four departments (training contracts) or six months in five to six departments (apprenticeships) from the following practice areas:

  1. Criminal Litigation
  2. Family
  3. Clinical Negligence
  4. Insurer Litigation
  5. Non-contentious, essentially comprising Commercial or Residential Property, Wills, Trust & Probate and Contracts and Projects, Corporate and Restructuring
  6. Employment
  7. Dispute Resolution
  8. Housing (Litigation)
  9. Housing (Property)

During each seat, formal appraisals are conducted with the Training Principal and the Graduate Recruitment Partner, after the first six weeks and four weeks before the end of the seat. During these appraisals, discussions take place regarding, performance, reviewing the Departmental Training Checklist and the Training Diary.

During the course of the training contract, each trainee has the opportunity to meet a mentor who is usually a newly qualified solicitor to help with any other issues that may arise.

Kella Bowers
Training Principal