Leathes Prior

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Leathes Prior

At Leathes Prior, trainees find serious legal work with a distinctly personal touch. The Norwich firm is ‘large enough to get an exciting client base and small enough to know all of your colleagues and have a real support network’. Recruits were drawn to its ‘family and community feel’ and ‘supportive and social culture’, while assessment-day partners came across as ‘very personable and approachable’. Leathes Prior is a firm that ‘appreciates individuals for who they are’.

That approachability carries into day-to-day training. Trainees describe a culture where support is available ‘no matter the seniority’ and colleagues often become friends. The firm’s size is a repeated strength: small enough to feel like ‘a family and community working environment’, but big enough for work ‘on par with larger and more commercial firms’. For trainees, this brings genuine responsibility, including being ‘heavily involved in matters from start to finish’ and having opportunities ‘to network and build our own personal brands’.

Best moments reflect this early trust. Trainees spoke of finding an area they ‘really enjoy’ and want to qualify into, leading client meetings and completing transactions from beginning to end. One recruit recalled becoming ‘an integral member of the team’ on a company sale, getting to know the clients and their business before completion around the client’s kitchen table, which was ‘very rewarding’.

Challenges include ‘balancing workload from competing partners’, adjusting to new seats and managing personal pressures alongside training. Trainees consider pay, benefits and hybrid working as areas for improvement.

For high-quality work and hands-on responsibility in a firm where trainees are valued as people as well as future lawyers, take a closer look at Leathes Prior.

A day in the life of... Dylan Owen, Trainee Solicitor

Departments to date: Corporate & Commercial (First Seat); Residential Property (Second Seat); and Criminal & Regulatory Defence (Third Seat).

University: Durham University Cardiff University BPP University

Degree: BA (Hons) Theology and Religion; Graduate Diploma in Law; and Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (SQE 1 & 2 Passed).

I joined Leathes Prior as a Trainee Solicitor in September 2025. I am currently training within the Criminal & Regulatory Defence Team, following previous seats in the Corporate & Commercial and Residential Property departments.

The work within the Criminal & Regulatory Defence Team is incredibly varied and no two days are ever quite the same. We advise and represent both individuals and businesses facing criminal and regulatory investigations and proceedings, meaning the work is often fast-paced, engaging and highly fulfilling. As a Trainee, the variety of matters I am exposed to makes for an exciting and dynamic seat.

I am fortunate enough to be based at Riverside, and one of the highlights of my morning is the walk along the River Wensum. There is something remarkably calming about watching the city wake up: the pigeons bathing themselves in the water, the swans emerging for the day and the ducks quacking as they make their way along the riverbank.

Perhaps one of the best habits I picked up during my Corporate & Commercial seat was becoming an early riser. I usually aim to be at my desk by 8:00am, giving me time to enjoy a white coffee, a bowl of cereal and a quick glance through the Law Society Gazette before the day begins. After that, I work through my emails, respond to any outstanding queries and review my to-do list. Taking into account both my own diary and my supervisor’s commitments, I then prioritise the tasks that need my immediate attention and map out the day ahead.

Although I cannot go into the specifics of the work itself, client confidentiality and all that, I am currently involved in a number of research-heavy tasks. Having come from a transactional seat where much of my day was spent drafting legal documents and liaising with clients and third parties, this has been a welcome opportunity to develop a different skill set.

My days are currently filled with exploring reports, reviewing legislation and, perhaps most importantly, scouring Westlaw for relevant case law. It makes for a refreshing change of pace and, to be perfectly honest, I am thoroughly enjoying it. There is something particularly satisfying about uncovering new information, adding it to my armoury of knowledge, and using it to substantiate an argument.

Once I am satisfied with my work, I send it to my supervisor for review and, at a convenient time for us both, we go through it together. These discussions are invaluable. They provide an opportunity to see what I have done well, identify areas where I could have improved and, hopefully, confirm that the latter list is not too long.

Later that morning, I sit in on a client meeting, namely a new enquiry. These meetings are often the first step in establishing whether we are able to assist and what support we can provide.

Whilst the solicitor leads the discussion and narrows down the key facts, my role is to take a detailed attendance note. It is an absolutely fundamental skill, requiring careful listening and the ability to record every material point accurately. I like to think my typing speed has gone through the roof since starting my Training Contract.

More importantly, I learn a huge amount simply by being in the room. Through a process of osmosis, I pick up legal knowledge, learn what questions I would ask in similar circumstances and observe how experienced solicitors build rapport with clients.

These meetings often take place at difficult and uncertain times in a client’s life. Whilst legal advice is naturally at the heart of the discussion, it is not always the only thing a client needs. Reassurance, empathy and clear communication can be just as important, and observing these conversations has shown me that being a good solicitor is about understanding the person as much as the legal issue.

At around 12:40pm, I make my way up to the Corporate & Commercial department to meet two good friends, Hugo Persad and Jake Knight. Once a week, we make our customary trip to Bread Source to catch up on how our weeks have been going, discuss the latest video game releases and, if I am particularly fortunate, make plans for a trip to the cinema over the weekend.

When I return, my first task is to review the attendance note from the morning’s client meeting, ensuring it is accurate and free from any grammatical or typographical errors. Once that is complete, the afternoon can take several different directions. I may continue working through my research and drafting tasks, attend another client meeting or, on the more exciting days, accompany a solicitor to court.

Whether it is a short walk through the city or a train journey further afield, attending court is always a highlight. Seeing the practical application of the law and supporting clients immediately before a hearing is both fascinating and rewarding. My role is, once again, to take detailed notes whilst remaining on hand to assist the solicitor in whatever way I can.

Whatever the afternoon has in store, I try to end the day by making sure my tasks are in a good place for Friday Dylan to take over.

This particular evening is a little different, as it is the firm’s annual Pub Challenge. For those unfamiliar with the event, it combines pub quizzes, treasure hunts, games and a healthy dose of competition between teams from businesses across Norwich. This year, I have the important responsibility of serving as a Games Master alongside my buddy, Edmund Ramsdale. Our job is to run one of the challenges, keep score and, most importantly, ensure that everyone has a fantastic evening. I am very much looking forward to it.

About the firm

The firm: Leathes Prior is a leading East Anglian full-service law firm providing a comprehensive legal service to a variety of organisations and private clients, both locally and nationwide. We are a traditional law firm (established over 150 years ago) with a very modern and collaborative approach to our work.

Our offices are located in the heart of Norwich (voted The Best City to Live in the UK by The Sunday Times 2026), set in the beautiful grounds of Norwich Cathedral and Tombland, with a fifth small office hub in Ipswich. We are growing and currently have over 140 staff in total.

The clients: CVS (UK) Ltd; Angling Direct; Suffolk New College; Rainbird Technologies; The Great Hospital; Norwich University of the Arts; Alex Albon; Hitech Grand Prix Limited; Norfolk Broads Direct; British Horseracing Authority.

Senior partner: Mike Barlow

Managing partners: Dan Chapman, Richard Guthrie, Darren Bowen

Other offices: Four offices in central Norwich, either in the Cathedral Close or Tombland, with a fifth small office hub in Ipswich.

Who we are: Leathes Prior is a traditional full-service law firm with a modern and collaborative approach to our work.

What we do: Employment, Corporate & Commercial, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Family, Commercial Property, Residential Property, Wills, Trusts & Probate.

What we’re looking for in a trainee: Our trainees are self-motivated and proactive with their learning. While academic qualifications are important to us, we also ensure the right fit with the firm.

What you’ll do: We aim to design training contracts according to the individual trainee solicitor. Our trainees normally complete four seats across the firm, spending six months in each seat.

Perks: Healthcare cash plan, firm-wide bonus scheme, wellbeing support in-house and via an employee assistance programme, annual flu vaccination, free eye tests, free breakfast and fruit, free railcard, enhanced parental leave, discounted bus travel, subsidised city centre parking, pension based on full salary, corporate discounts, interest-free SQE loan.

Sponsorship

All our future trainees are offered financial support for their SQE studies. This comes in one of two ways (or as a combination):

• Interest-free loan repayable during the training contract.
• Contribution payment with no requirement to repay unless certain circumstances arise.

Seat options

Employment, Corporate & Commercial, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Family, Commercial Property, Residential Property, Wills, Trusts & Probate.

Tips from the recruiter

1. Problem solving - our trainee solicitors are expected to learn how to identify appropriate advice for our clients’ needs.
2. Organisation - ability to prioritise work and the ability to speak up when more support is needed is crucial.
3. Self-motivation - we seek candidates who will take a very proactive and driven approach to their development.

Diversity/inclusion