Bevan Brittan

At trainee level, the firm now offers 15 TCs annually, and several trainees told us it’s a good place to learn the craft of being a lawyer. “The firm provides excellent training and gives trainees the autonomy to take on more complex tasks and responsibility when they feel ready,” said one, while another praised “the quality of the supervision, range of work and responsibility given.” Rookies describe being given opportunities to lead in transactions in seats like commercial property, along with exposure to a wide variety of work across every stage of a litigation claim. Supervisors are also said to be receptive to requests for particular types of work, with property, litigation, and clinical negligence and malpractice claims among the popular choices. Regardless of seat, recruits across the board say the firm makes a genuine effort to give good quality work that forms a solid basis for qualification. There are inevitably some more routine administrative tasks passed down too, but these are relatively few and far between. One insider told us they’d been given “amazing opportunities” and “a large level of responsibility” once ready. This included hearings and trips to the High Court, as well as the chance to draft documents such as pleadings and applications. “It truly feels like you are rewarded for good work and putting the effort in with the smaller things,” they added.

Successful applicants complete four six month seats across the firm’s departments, which include clinical risk, commercial and infrastructure, litigation, advisory and regulatory, employment and property. International secondments aren’t on offer at Bevan Brittan, but there are client secondment opportunities that see trainees posted to NHS Trust legal departments, the London Ambulance Service and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Bevan Brittan (don’t spell it “Britain” in your application) is headquartered in Bristol, with three further bases in London, Birmingham and Leeds. The firm takes trainees across all of its offices, though the lion’s share of the intake tends to head to Bristol and London. Those considering an application are advised to apply for the firm’s vacation scheme, since Bevan Brittan fills most of its trainee spaces through this route. The firm’s careers website also has a helpful section giving its take on the training contract applications it receives, along with top tips for prospective applicants.

The relatively small cohort is, luckily, a supportive one, perhaps a knock on effect of a client base dedicated to public service rather than profit. “I think one of Bevan Brittan’s biggest selling points is the friendly atmosphere, which isn’t hierarchical at all,” one current trainee told us. Another reflected on their peers: “I feel incredibly lucky to have had such a good cohort of other trainees, both from within the Bristol office and at the other three offices, over the last two years. Everyone is genuinely supportive of each other and there is no competition for roles. Also, when I’ve taken over seats from peers they have always been more than happy to help with any queries going forward.” Trainees have two supervisors and a buddy for each seat, so there is consistent support and guidance on hand when needed. All the offices are open plan too, meaning trainees often find themselves sitting beside more senior members of the team, including the odd partner.

Networking drinks for juniors are commonplace year round, and the firm runs something of a rookie initiation whereby first year trainees are encouraged to take part in a round of fundraising for its sponsored charities. There has also been a marked effort to add some pizzazz to the social scene. As one current rookie told us, “the social life at the firm has definitely developed in the last year or so. There are now regular junior drinks, with people of all levels encouraged to attend, and in terms of firmwide social events there is a pizza lunch once a month, a summer and Christmas party and other fun events peppered throughout the year.” Legal Cheek has even heard that the London office recently ran its own version of BBC’s Traitors, with an in person roundtable from partners to paralegals.

Fee earners themselves have a reputation for going above and beyond to provide clear feedback and praise, according to LC spies. As one sentimental trainee recalled, “This is one of the standout aspects of the firm for me. My superiors are incredibly approachable, and quite often I find myself forgetting that I’m speaking to senior, legal directory ranked colleagues. The conversations I have with partners and other seniors go beyond just work, and I genuinely cherish the working relationship that I have with them.” This can vary by seat, and some do report feeling disconnected from seniors, who can be harder to reach given the firm’s very flexible home working policy. On the whole, though, the lawyers we spoke with said they feel able to ask anyone a question, whether a partner or an NQ.

The silver lining of that slight disconnect is that Bevan Brittan’s fully flexible working from home policy extends to trainees as well, which can make it tricky to track down partners but is great for those days you don’t fancy the commute. The home set up itself is said to be really good, with the firm providing anything you need, from monitors to docking stations to ergonomic desk chairs, usually within 48 hours of a request.

Perks include the standard private medical and gym subsidy package, which has left a few trainees with a touch of perk envy on hearing about free food and ski trips elsewhere. But by far the best perk on offer here is a healthy work life balance, with lawyers generally expected to log off between 6pm and 7pm. This is greatly appreciated by the firm’s juniors. “Work life balance is probably the biggest perk of this firm,” one insider explained. “I don’t feel the need to check my emails or work phone in the evening.” Another offered a shorter version: “The work life balance could not be better at this firm.”

There is, of course, a trade off. As one insider summarised, it’s a “better work/life balance than a lot of other commercial firms, but then our pay also reflects that.” Still, most seem happy with the deal, and it’s not hard to see why given stories like this one: “I have had fee earners come up to me in the office or message me on Teams if I am too deep in work late on a Friday, and they have told me to either leave it until Monday if it can be done, or they have asked if there is anything they can do to help.”

The facilities themselves aren’t world beating. One newbie dryly described their office space as “fairly average,” and several of the firm’s top perks, including an on site gym and subsidised café in Bristol, were scaled back a few years ago. We even heard a few grumbles about the absence of a coffee machine for staff use, though there are whispers of a possible move once the current lease ends. On the brighter side, there are positive reports of standing desks, agile working spaces and a sunny terrace on the tenth floor of the new Birmingham office. The London office in Fleet Place House, just around the corner from St Paul’s, is described as nice and shiny and well located, with one trainee calling it “the classic corporate office, modern, open plan and with glass walls creating an airy environment.” Bristol is good, even if it isn’t quite as new as the others, and Leeds gets some credit for its modern feel and nice views from the seventh floor.

The firm’s tech offering is, as it stands, described as basic and a little unsophisticated at times, though not to the point of hindrance. The firm is said to be looking at trialling AI and other legal tech in the future, but our sources suggest there’s room for improvement here.

Bevan Brittan also has a strong focus on sustainability, reflected in its logo. Trainees praised the firm’s environmental credentials and its Green Ambassador internal network, which focuses on ways to make the firm more environmentally conscious. The firm has recently onboarded two new roles dedicated exclusively to responsible business and green initiatives. Travel to in person events and printing are both closely moderated, and even the more traditional fee earners are cautious about printing when anything can be handled digitally instead.