Womble Bond Dickinson

The firm as it exists today was formed in 2017 through the merger of Bond Dickinson and US-based Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice. This followed a successful year-long “strategic alliance”, during which the two firms worked together more closely before formally joining forces. Lewis Roca joined the fray most recently, with the merger going live in January 2025.

Womble Bond Dickinson has continued to develop its international strategy. The firm entered into a strategic alliance with Brazilian law firm Schmidt Valois, adding a third continent to its global footprint. The alliance is part of the firm’s goal to boost its offering in the energy sector, where it is going from strength to strength. Most recently, WBD lawyers have been advising Storelectric on the acquisition of 550 acres of industrial land in Teesside for a major clean energy storage project.

The firm is also closely focused on innovation, and all that cutting-edge tech has made it to the frontlines as rookies across WBD’s offices rave about the firm’s “amazing” legal tech arsenal, looked after by Chief Innovation Officer Sam Dixon. “Sam Dixon, the firm’s Chief Innovation Officer, is very proactive and engaging and really encourages trainees to adopt and make the most of AI while using it responsibly”, one of our insiders told us, revealing that juniors are often asked to use and give feedback on the newest tech offerings.

WBD also rolled out legal AI assistant CoCounsel, developed by Thomson Reuters, firmwide, making it the first UK law firm to do so. On GenAI, one trainee explained how the firm encourages trainees to stay ahead of the curve: “There’s oversight and training, but there’s a genuine push for us to pick it up and not sit around and wait until it’s used everywhere”. CoCounsel is used alongside a host of other software systems, like Avail, which is said to cut down the time taken reviewing title registers and documents, and Definely, which helps pick up mistakes in contracts. As one recruit summarised for us: “The Practice Development Lawyers are also very good at promoting the use of responsible AI and sharing best practice through AI-focused working groups in each practice area”.

Practice area strengths in the UK include transport, energy & natural resources, chemicals & manufacturing, corporate, retail, real estate, financial institutions, insurance, public sector and private wealth. Regardless of where you end up, the level of work at WBD is said to be “the best thing about the training contract”, with one recruit revealing that, “Compared to what trainees at other firms say about the level of tasks they’ve been given, I’m really glad I’m here!” Across the board, juniors feel that they receive “a good level of responsibility”, “the right level of challenge” and are “always learning and developing”. Working on matters that hit the headlines is an added perk too, with one trainee noting that “a lot of our work is nationally significant”.

One rookie offered this assessment: “The firm does really interesting work, and the level of responsibility has been great. You’re not thrown in the deep end; it builds up as you get more confident, but there’s a real effort made to involve you in more complex tasks. Plus, if you volunteer to assist on something you’re interested in, they really try to make it happen”. This is echoed by other insiders, who report “fantastic” work combined with “very supportive” supervisors. Another recruit in the real estate team had this to say when asked about their work: “Excellent. In real estate, I was given substantive tasks and even had my own matters to manage myself, with supervision. In rail, I am three months in and have been doing work that a solicitor might do”. Take note, aspiring Wombles: rail in particular has received rave reviews from multiple sources.

Rookie Wombles even make the more routine tasks sound exciting: “As a trainee, not every task you are given is the most exciting, but overall the transactions you have the opportunity to work on are. As you progress through your seat and get a better understanding of the area, you are given more opportunities to draft longer, more complex documents”. One recruit told us, “In my first seat, I was involved in one very large deal of national significance; this was a great opportunity”. They added that “partners will try to get you involved even if you are just sitting in on calls and taking attendance notes”. Another first-seater was even let in on the firm’s global business strategy: “I was lucky to be involved in some research work as the team looked to grow its international practice”.

The training also comes highly rated, although there’s slightly more variation between seats: “Some seats were more structured than others. One in particular, whilst it had training, did not feel structured, and as it was busy I was not able to learn as much. Otherwise, it was pretty well structured, and I feel mostly confident”, one rookie explains.

These introductory sessions cover typical legal learning as well as tutelage on the legal tech and other software you’ll be using in that department. A trainee in real estate offered this insight into the training there: “When I started my real estate seat, we were given a two-week induction full of training sessions on how to use the Land Registry portal, submit applications and review titles. It was really thorough and set me up to do well in my seat”. Even in seats with a less structured process, we hear there’s “fantastic one-to-one training from supervisors and other senior colleagues, partners included”, and teams encourage newbies “to try to find answers ourselves through research, and time is built into tasks to allow for that”.

The money at the firm might not be at City levels, but juniors overall describe themselves as “satisfied” with the pay and perks, although one cheeky rookie joked that “of course a few more grand would be nice”. On the perks side, there is private healthcare, a decent pension, gym discounts, free fruit, and volunteering and wellbeing days. Though one recent gripe among junior lawyers is “a common feeling that non-published pay hasn’t kept up with benchmark firms in the area, or with inflation”. That said, not many transatlantic firms can offer “very reasonable hours” and an average leave time of around 6pm.

On work-life balance, one enthusiastic recruit had this to say: “You couldn’t ask for more, really. Holidays are untouched, and supervisors and HR help make sure you’re taking it. Weekend and late-night work is rare, particularly as a trainee; of course there are departments where deadlines play a part and you might be asked, but you’d never be forced to cancel plans if you let teams know in advance. Equally, it’s a balance, so if you’re enjoying the work and want to do more and learn more, they’ll let you. Finally, there’s no clock-watching at all: if you’re getting the work done, no one is going to ask why you’re leaving at 5”. This is, of course, team-dependent to some extent, but even when working late, insiders say “teams take care of you and it doesn’t go unnoticed”, and feel that the firm has “a real focus on life outside of work”.

There’s also good work-from-home flexibility, with trainees allowed to work from home twice a week and a “generous allowance” provided for all WFH equipment.

It’s probably no coincidence that the firm’s relatively unfrazzled partners are some of the most approachable in the country. “There is a very flat structure at WBD. While there are obviously, and limited, exceptions, I have found the vast majority of superiors very approachable and willing to treat you as an equal as much as possible”, we heard from one source. Rookies spoke highly of the firm’s open-door policy, with one offering this in-depth insight: “Every team I’ve been in so far has been brilliant when it comes to approaching partners. Teams work in open spaces, and there are no closed doors. I’ve been encouraged to ask questions, and I’ve never been told by a partner that they’re too busy to help. It’s not just about partners either; from NQs to MAs and legal directors, there’s a genuine attitude of collaboration”.

One junior even goes so far as to say that if it weren’t for their email signature, it would be difficult to identify someone as a senior partner. Another told us, “Sometimes you will find yourself making coffee with the managing partner or chair of the firm, and they will ask you how you are getting on”. Aspiring Womble Bonders impressed by the firm’s friendliness at open days and assessment centres will not be disappointed, we were assured: “The approachability and non-hierarchical structure was a key reason I accepted a training contract at WBD”, one trainee said. “This has continued, and exceeded my expectations, ten months in to working at the firm”.

Partner approachability is bested only by the support on offer from fellow Wombles. Trainees talk and grab lunch with their “really close” cohort every day, and as one particularly happy recruit puts it, “My trainee group is the best. They are a great support network, and I am really lucky to have such a friendly and supportive group”. Junior lawyers have also “been amazing to lean on”, according to our insiders, with another adding that “the trainees and juniors in the office have formed a tight-knit support network, which is useful when we are having a difficult time on a matter and want someone to talk to”. WBD trainees are also encouraged to extend their legal social network beyond the firm’s walls, as one Tyneside trainee revealed: “We also socialise outside of work and attend the Junior Law Division balls and events, and Newcastle Young Professional events. We get a £200 networking budget each, which helps towards the cost of this”.

All this support has translated into a great social life in some offices, with the themed “pop-up pubs in the London office”, which happen one Friday a month, said to be really fun. Those in the City can also join the office five-a-side team, and there’s always a “good younger group who often socialise together after work”. Typical nights out include bowling, cricket, crazy golf and pub crawls. Bristol is also said to have “a really friendly junior social side”, while Newcastle trainees report being regularly invited to client-schmoozing events, including the quirky “Wombledon”: “a Wimbledon-themed summer party for our local Newcastle clients and contacts”. Firmwide, trainees get together with their counterparts across the country for the firm’s annual Christmas and summer parties.

The firm’s intake of around 20 is spread across eight UK offices, and one trainee notes that “having a diversity of where you train really knocks the London chip off your shoulder, which I think other firms have”. Still, much of what you do depends on where you are: the firm’s Aberdeen office is known for its links with the oil industry, Newcastle for its market-leading rail practice, and Bristol and London are recognised for their strength in banking work.

Luckily, there’s not so much variation in the office spaces, as the majority of trainees from London to Leeds score their digs highly on the 2026-27 Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey. Those in the capital have now bedded into their newly designed sustainable offices, moving floors within their “highly impressive” Tower Bridge block. The move went down well with trainees, one of whom gushed, “London’s refurb is a 10/10”.

The Newcastle Helix office also received praise, with one insider commenting on the “stunning views”, and a refurb in Leeds left rookies there satisfied with “amazing views, great layout and a variety of work spaces which suit everyone”. Skylines seem to be something of a trademark, as one trainee in Bristol says you can get “great views” from the office there, depending on where you’re sat, although one envious junior noted that the recent London refurb “has made the Bristol office look somewhat outdated”. The “well-located” Plymouth office also boasts some scenic views. The subsidised canteens in Newcastle, London and Bristol also impress for being “fairly inexpensive and good quality”, although one source grumbled that “a coffee machine instead of instant coffee would be nice”. Be warned, however, that the Leeds office does not have a canteen.

There’s a decent number of client secondments up for grabs at companies including FTSE 100 companies, global retailers and major insurers. “We have a good choice of around eight secondments, including the likes of IBM, the National Trust and AIG”, one trainee told us, while others mentioned having completed secondments at Barclays, Parkdean Resorts and major retailer AS Watson (owner of Superdrug and The Perfume Shop).

The transatlantic law firm has taken steps in recent years to improve its green credentials. The firm’s carbon reduction plan outlines its aim to dramatically reduce paper consumption and business travel emissions, eliminate single-use plastic and power its offices with renewable energy. A recent initiative has even seen the firm introduce a £300 charge on business class flights for its staff, with the funds going towards restoring oyster populations on the south coast. Womble Bond Dickinson has also been certified by Planet Mark for nine consecutive years, so it’s no surprise the firm is often in the running for Most Eco-Friendly at the Legal Cheek Awards.