Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Ashfords LLP
Survey Results - Trainee feedback on
The lowdown - Trainees (in their own words) on Ashfords LLP
Why did you choose to join this firm? ‘Culture and work-life balance’, ‘location, reputation and opportunity of TC’, ‘good work, genuine and collaborative culture’, ‘Good work-life balance, friendly team, postgraduate funding, diverse work’, ‘100% trainee retention’, ‘Firm culture, location, benefits’, ‘I felt supported in my career aspirations and knew that the firm culture was something that would remain, even when the firm grows’, ‘Wide range of seats available and high rankings’.
What is the best thing about the firm? ‘Work-life balance, approachability of partners and senior colleagues’, ‘The culture – there isn’t a rigid hierarchical structure, which means people are more approachable, which in turn helps to embed you within the firm’, ‘How supportive the partners are and their commitment to your training’, ‘Friendly people’, ‘People and variety of work’, ‘The culture is great’.
What could the firm do to improve? ‘Provide a better salary/benefits package for London’, ‘Administration of the training/qualification process can be a bit disorganised and at times not very transparent’, ‘I only had one seat during the training contract that was a preference’, ‘More BD opportunities for early careers’, ‘Increase the seat opportunities available to trainees’, ‘Invest in an in-house AI system to streamline work’.
What has been the best moment of your training? ‘Trainees get involved at basically day one in organising firm-wide events, which has been fun!’, ‘Looking back at my work and experience when writing up my handover notes before moving seats and realising how far I have come’, ‘Getting stuck in with the work’, ‘Joining my current team, very nice people’, ‘Supporting junior members; paralegals aspiring to be in the same position as me’.
What has been the most challenging moment of your training? ‘Seat changes and matter handovers’, ‘Having to prepare for and take SQE2 during the first few months of my training contract due to some administration issues’, ‘Dealing with difficult clients’, ‘my property disputes seat was very busy’, ‘The initial stage of the seat in which you are getting to grips with the basics’, ‘Feeling overwhelmed early on before I learned how to effectively prioritise competing tasks’, ‘Increase in workload and responsibility’.
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Ashfords LLP
Ashfords offers high-quality work without sacrificing a supportive, people-first culture. Its South West presence is a particular draw for those seeking ‘a successful career as a lawyer with a variety of exciting work, whilst staying in the part of the country I love’. The firm’s growing national profile, ‘wide range of seats’ and ‘exposure to clients from a junior level’ give the training contract broader appeal. Recruits were also attracted by Ashfords’ ‘reputation for work-life balance’, ‘positive culture’ and the sense that ‘everyone – even senior members of the firm – is incredibly welcoming’.
The best thing about Ashfords is, overwhelmingly, ‘the people’. Respondents praise ‘hugely supportive’ teams, approachable partners committed to training, and a culture where ‘workplace politics are minimal, and everyone understands you have a life’. One trainee summed it up neatly: ‘I don’t feel stressed by work and enjoy coming in.’ Another highlighted the supportive trainee cohort and its ‘encouraging environment’.
There are areas for improvement, particularly around pay and benefits, with London respondents feeling that the package is ‘far from competitive’. The feedback also asked for more transparency around seat choices and NQ roles, stronger supervisor training, broader seat opportunities, and greater investment in IT and AI. Trainees find seat moves demanding; balancing working with studying is also challenging.
Nevertheless, the work at Ashfords is varied and, at its best, hands-on. Trainees praised ‘wide exposure’, responsibility for major tasks, attending hearings, mediations and even trial, as well as presenting at client events and getting involved in firm-wide initiatives.
For those seeking strong regional roots, quality work and a culture that makes people ‘always happy to be at work’, Ashfords offers a training experience with real warmth, breadth and promise.
About the firm
CEO: Louise Workman
Other offices: Exeter, Bristol, London, Plymouth
Who we are/what we do: Ashfords is a valued legal partner to a wide range of corporate, public sector and private clients across the UK and internationally, counted on by clients to get the right result – whether that’s delivering commercial objectives, protecting assets, making investments or solving disputes.
With four UK offices and an international network, we are able to draw on legal expertise in over 70 countries worldwide.
What we’re looking for: There is no magic recipe for the perfect trainee. However, at Ashfords, there are characteristics that we value. We are looking for individuals who are curious, ambitious and willing to put forward innovative ideas. We need excellent communicators who are adaptable and ready to accept the variety of challenges that a career in law can throw at you. We expect our trainees to get stuck in and integrate with each team they are a member of, so an open mind and personable, can-do attitude is essential!
We want our trainees to be our partners of the future, which is why we ‘recruit to retain’. Our commitment to this is demonstrated by our consistently high retention rates (100% in 2023). We’re really proud of this achievement, and our trainees choosing to remain at Ashfords to grow their careers is testament to our collaborative and supportive culture, combined with the high-quality work that we offer.
What you’ll do: You will experience four areas of law during your training contract, spending six months in each seat. You can choose to apply for a Bristol or a South West-based training contract. Our South West trainees will have the opportunity to work across our Exeter and Plymouth offices. We also offer flexibility for trainees to complete a seat in another office if the opportunity arises, including London.
As an Ashfords trainee, you will be immersed in the life of a full-service law firm. We offer hands-on experience, early responsibility and client involvement. You can expect to be working alongside experienced lawyers and partners, who are leaders in their field, on a daily basis, to develop your technical skills and broaden your commercial awareness.
Perks: 26 days holiday + bank holidays + Ashfords day, rising to 31 days with 10 years’ service; holiday purchase (option to buy up to one week additional leave); health cash plan – ability to claim back certain medical expenses; free flu jabs; free access for you and up to five others to the Calm App; gym discounts and free onsite gym in Exeter office; retail discount portal – savings and cashback with hundreds of retailers; dental insurance – voluntary benefit, corporate rates; health screening – payable over 12 months; Cycle to Work Scheme – save money on a bike and accessories through salary sacrifice; free eye tests – every two years plus discounted glasses for VDU use.
Sponsorship
We cover the cost of SQE1 and SQE2 prep courses (and GDL if relevant), the SQE exams, up to £500 travel/accom and £4,000 maintenance grant per course (up to £12,000 for non-law grads and £8,000 for law grads).
Seat options
Real estate; planning; residential and rural property; construction; property litigation; employment; commercial/IP; commercial litigation; corporate; banking and finance; trusts and estates; family.
Tips from the recruiter
- Be firm-specific – you need to know exactly why you want to train with Ashfords.
- Be authentic – there are no ‘magic’ skills or characteristics that we specifically look for in applications.
- Be proactive – if you have a question, reach out!