Bristol training contract
We have four training contract opportunities per intake in our growing Bristol office. If you’re a creative thinker who wants a career that values personality as much as professionalism, we want to hear from you.
As a trainee, we believe you’ll deliver your best if you’re free to be you. And that means being able to ask questions openly, being supported to develop your strengths, and having the right opportunities to grow.
Our physical offices are non-hierarchical and open plan. This means from day one you’ll be sitting close to a partner. In our virtual office, we use video call technology to ensure support is available and to maintain our non-hierarchical culture. Whether you’re handling complex insurance claims, resolving large-scale global disputes, or providing commercial advice and transactional support, your opinions will be listened to and respected.
We believe personal growth comes from being challenged. You’ll be given real responsibility throughout your time with us, but you’ll never be left to fend for yourself. You’ll have award-winning training and a supportive network of people around to help you.
We also believe you’ll grow if you’re free to explore. At least six months will be spent in four different areas of our Insurance practice, so you can discover where you fit in the best. You may have an opportunity to be seconded to one of our clients as an in-house lawyer. In addition, you may get an opportunity to spend six months of your contract seconded to our Singapore office.
We know you might have lots of questions for us, so we asked our partners to answer some of the toughest...
The application process
We run a blind recruitment process at RPC.
Recruitment for Bristol training contracts usually takes place in April. If you're shortlisted, you'll be invited to one of our assessment days during which we’ll get to know each other.
There are a variety of exercises designed to help us see if you’re the right fit for RPC and, while they might be hard work, they’re also a lot of fun. You’ll meet some of our partners, lawyers and trainees and get a real feel for our unique culture. Our assessment days can be run virtually.
If you're successful following the assessment day, your training contract will start two years later.
Who can apply?
The recruitment process is very important to us. We only recruit trainees who share our values in order to help grow our unique firm.
Although proven academic ability is important (we require a 2.1 degree or above, not necessarily in law) we value personality, energy, creative thinking, business sense, loyalty and diversity just as highly.
* Please note that we will consider the impact of COVID-19 when reviewing all applications completed in 2021 and 2022. Please provide us with any relevant details in the mitigating circumstances box on the application form.When should I apply?
- Applications open on 1 October 2021
- Our 2024 Bristol training contract deadline is 13 March 2022
- Law students should apply in their penultimate and/or final year. Non-law students should apply in their final year
- Graduates can apply at any time
Apply now
Still got questions?
If we haven't covered it below then please get in contact with the recruitment team on 020 3060 6000 or by emailing us at strikinglyreal@rpc.co.uk.
FAQs
Information about the SRA Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) & funding
We remain committed to providing first-rate training and support from the moment you receive a training contract offer from us.
Effective 1 September 2021, the SRA are implementing a new, independent centralised assessment for all would-be solicitors; the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). Trainees joining RPC from September 2024 onwards will undertake the SQE.
The SQE consists of two parts; SQE 1 tests functioning legal knowledge and SQE 2 assesses the legal written and oral skills of a solicitor. This will replace the GDL, LPC and PSC. If you would like to find out more about the SQE please visit the SRA's website.
Future RPC Trainees will complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (only if you are a non-law graduate) and the Masters in Legal Practice at the University of Law. Bursaries are available for course fees, the SQE examinations as well as maintenance grants up to £8,000. Both SQE 1 and 2 will be completed before you start your training contract. We are still accepting applications from candidates who have successfully completed the LPC (which currently means that you may be exempt from completing SQE 1).
Please speak to a member of the early talent team strikinglyreal@rpc.co.uk if you have any questions.
What is the benefits package?
Our competitive annual salary starts at £37,000 and rises to £38,000 in your second year. Effective July 2022 your salary post-qualification will be £56,000 . Along with this, you’ll be offered a creative full package of benefits.
We’re all unique. And that’s why RPC’s benefits package is too. We respect we’re all real people with passions, families and lives away from our desks. So we offer you the chance to tailor your benefits, offering choice and flexibility to everyone who works here.
Our benefits package covers almost everything, from wellness festivals and social events, to extra annual leave, and family and wealth-related rewards.