Bevan Brittan

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Bevan Brittan

Trainees at Bevan Brittan consistently pointed to the “culture,” “values,” and “friendly environment” as key reasons for choosing the firm. Many had previous paralegal experience and were drawn back by the “approachable colleagues” and the “diverse range of sectors” on offer. The firm’s strong reputation in both “public and private sector work” was another major draw, particularly its “expertise in the health sector” and “focus on third sector clients.” As one trainee summed up: “The balance of private and public work stood out as an interesting opportunity to experience a wide range of work during my training.” The training contract is praised for its balance of responsibility and support. According to one insider, “we are exposed to a greater degree of work and given real responsibility.” Others highlighted “better supervisor contact,” “no outrageous demands,” and a culture that “encourages collaboration with other trainees and juniors.” The firm’s “supportive culture” stood out across the board, with trainees describing colleagues as “approachable,” “keen to help us develop,” and “always willing to chat and help.” A collaborative atmosphere, coupled with a “fantastic hybrid-working policy,” contributes to what trainees describe as a genuinely sustainable approach to work. One even noted: “There is no pressure to attend the office over and beyond what fits into your home life.” Whilst on the whole, trainees found hybrid working “very good” and “completely flexible,” some noted that the model can “lead to low attendances in the office” and result in “very limited face-to-face contact with the team.” Trainees’ highlights ranged from “being offered a position after my first seat” to “advocating in court,” with several citing high levels of responsibility on complex matters: “completing large property deals myself,” “being involved in a surprise adjudication,” and “helping deliver positive impact in local areas.” While the experience is broadly positive, trainees acknowledged some inconsistencies. One explained: “work-life balance can be very department-based, so sometimes can be doing multiple 12-hour days in a row.” A few cited “working until the early hours,” “lack of senior lawyer visibility,” and, at the other end of the scale, “struggling to obtain chargeable work.” Others raised issues around infrastructure, including “slightly outdated IT” and “cycle provisions in the Bristol office”, while several trainees felt the “pay is significantly behind similar-sized firms.” CSR and pro bono opportunities are widely available and well regarded, with the firm running a “great CSR forum” and “lots of different schemes” — even if a few felt these opportunities could be “talked about more” or were “slow to come to fruition.” For trainees looking to make an impact across both the public and private sectors — with meaningful responsibility, strong support and flexibility — Bevan Brittan presents a well-rounded training experience with plenty of scope to grow.

A day in the life of… Abigail Evason, 2nd Year Trainee

Departments to date: Local Authority; Commercial Property

University: University of Nottingham University of Birmingham

Degree: BA English – First Class; PGDL – Distinction; LLM SQE – Distinction

7.00am: I wake up and get myself ready for a day in the office. I like to be prepared (and also to maximise sleep!) so will have laid out my clothes and packed my bag the night before. Bevan Brittan has a “dress for your day” policy which I take full advantage of. This afternoon I have a client meeting on Teams, so go for a smart on the top and more comfortable on the bottom style.

I have a bit of a commute to our Birmingham office. The firm’s fully flexible working policy means that I can choose when I go into the office. Of course, trainees are encouraged to go in when they can to maximise contact with and learning from more senior colleagues. I tend to split my in-office days and work from home days about 50/50. Today is the property team’s “anchor day” so I am heading in to catch up with colleagues.

I have woken up a bit earlier this morning so that I can take the scenic route on my walk to the station. To start my day off in the best possible way, I find it important to get those steps in early and to clear my head before work.

8.45am: When I arrive at the office, the first thing I do is find my desk, drop off my bag and head to the kitchen. I will usually opt for a herbal tea and a big glass of water to start the day. The kitchen is often a social hub on anchor days so I have nice chat with colleagues as they arrive to the office.

The next order of business is to head back to my desk and deal with any urgent emails or Teams messages. After this, I write out a to-do list for the day. You never really know what might come up on any given day, so I find this helps me to prioritise as the day evolves. It also gives my day some structure.

9.15am: My first task of the day is to draft some transactional property documents for my supervisor to review. As a trainee in the Commercial Property team, I have learned to draft a huge variety of documents – ranging from your more typical transfers and leases to some very niche types of licence! On today’s list is a lease and licence for alterations which I begin to draft. Simultaneously, I am marking up the documents to flag points I will need to discuss further with my client and points on which I might require my supervisor’s input.

11.30am: It is now time for my weekly catch up meeting with my supervisor. We like to have formal supervision in the diary once a week so that we both know what I have on, how my capacity is looking and to discuss if I need support with anything. However, she is very much only ever a Teams message away and in practice we end up catching up a lot more than that! Today we run through my case load and the queries I have on the lease and licence I drafted this morning. She also gives me some background on an upcoming project she would like my assistance with.

12.30pm: At about 12.30pm I head out to grab lunch with colleagues. My choice today is a burrito bowl which I order to go. We then head back to the office and eat together out on our lovely roof terrace to get some vitamin D and a nice break ahead of what promises to be a very busy afternoon.

13.30pm: It is now time for our social committee meeting. The juniors in the Birmingham office have always been very involved in coordinating its social scene which presents a great opportunity to meet people working across all different teams. Today we are planning a venue visit ahead of our office Christmas party.

14.00pm: After taking some time to focus on drafting this morning, I now turn to managing my ongoing case load. This involves reviewing amendments to legal documents suggested by the other side as part of negotiations, sending update emails to clients and sorting out lease registrations and SDLT returns for recently completion transactions.

15.30pm: I now attend a client meeting with my supervisor relating to a high-value transaction where I am completing the due diligence – including drafting the title report. My supervisor and I take it in turn to lead discussions around the respective parts of the matter we are involved with, providing a progress update and taking client instructions.

16.00pm: Next up is our CSR committee meeting. I joined Bevan Brittan’s CSR committee within my first month at the firm and it has been really rewarding to contribute to our fundraising and community initiatives. At the meeting I provide an update on the two projects I lead on: the first being a scheme where we support our fabulous office charity AgeUK Birmingham by visiting their local community groups and the second being a pro-bono clinic which I help to coordinate.

17.00pm: As the day is winding down, I make sure I have checked off as much of my to do list as possible and that my time recording has been completed before I head off home and get ready to do it again tomorrow!

About the firm

Introductory paragraph about the firm:

Bevan Brittan is a leading commercial law firm. Alongside our recognised expertise in housing, local government, and health and social care, we are specialists in the construction, energy and resource management, higher education and financial services sectors.

Our award-winning and growing legal teams are led by over 100 Partners. With vital backing provided by our valued business services professionals and support teams, we work together to support almost 2,000 organisations with commercial, corporate, property, finance, regulatory, employment and litigation (commercial and clinical negligence) legal and advisory services.

 

Senior partner: Jodie Sinclair

Managing partner: Duncan Weir

Other offices: Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, London.

Who we are: As a responsible business, we embrace four values: Relationships, Reputation, Responsible and Results. These give us a sense of purpose. They influence the decisions we make and how we work with each other. Importantly, they motivate us to deliver meaningful outcomes for our clients and the communities that we’re part of.

Consistently recognised as one of The Times Best Law Firms and highly ranked across the legal directories, we are proud of our hard-earned reputation, which helps us to attract and retain the best talent. Our 2024/25 financial results confirmed both revenue and profit growth for a Twelfth consecutive year, ensuring our ability to continue investing in our people.

Looking to the future, we’re targeting ambitious growth and success. And we’re looking for the best people to be part of it.

What we do: Our award-winning teams provide commercial, corporate, property, finance, regulatory, employment and litigation (commercial and clinical negligence) legal advice.

What we’re looking for in a trainee: We are looking for individuals with enthusiasm, especially for the sectors and areas of law in which we specialise. Individuals who are happy to work in a team, with a good understanding of commerciality.

What you’ll do: At Bevan Brittan we provide aspiring lawyers with the skills and support to set them up for a successful career. Our trainee solicitors get a tailored training and development programme that gives them early exposure to real work for real clients, and this careful management of the learning process allows confidence to grow alongside experience.

Perks: Life insurance, private healthcare insurance, pension, group income protection, health assessments, cycle scheme.

Sponsorship

We sponsor fees for you if you have not yet completed the PGDL/SQE. We will also pay you a £5,000 bursary while you study.

Seat options

Health and care;

Employment;

pensions and immigration;

construction;

banking;

energy and resource management;

corporate;

ICT;

commercial and public law – health;

commercial and public law – local authority;

litigation advisory and regulatory;

housing;

housing management;

social housing;

property – independent health;

regeneration;

commercial property, and;

property litigation.

Tips from the recruiter

Understand the Business of Law – Not Just the Law

Law firms are commercial businesses, top applicants show commercial awareness – meaning they:

Understand the firm’s clients, sectors, and revenue drivers.

Can talk about how current events or market trends might affect the firm.

Know what makes Bevan Brittan different from competitors.

Demonstrate Resilience and Self-Awareness
Legal work is high-pressure, we want people who are self-aware, emotionally intelligent, and realistic about the demands. Strong candidates:

Are honest about setbacks and what they’ve learned.
Talk about how they handle pressure or feedback.
Show a growth mindset — willing to learn, adapt, and improve.

Understand our Strategy and Sector Focus
Bevan Brittan has strategic priorities — growth areas, key sectors, and preferred client types.
Great candidates:

Reference specific sectors that Bevan Brittan operates in.
Show they understand how Bevan Brittan competes within the legal market (e.g. value-added services, tech investment, client relationships).
Show curiosity about how Bevan Brittan runs and grows.