Applications are now closed for training contracts starting July 2025! We offer three training contracts each year for law and non-law graduates from a variety of backgrounds. Keep an eye on our website for the next round.
Machins Solicitors is a highly regarded full-service law firm with over 100 staff working across our two offices in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. We offer a wide range of legal services across both commercial and private client sectors, with our client base ranging from individuals, soles traders, SMEs, national, international businesses and multinational corporations.
We are recognised in the latest edition of Legal 500 UK achieving seven practice area recommendations including a top-tier firm recommendation in the area of family law.
We are proud of our highly experienced legal team with backgrounds from reputable local and City firms. We achieve great results when it comes to staff retention; take a look at our partners, some of whom joined us as trainees! Cultivating a sense of pride in your work is at the core of our staff ethos – we aim to go above and beyond when it comes to valuing and investing in our employees.
We want Machins to be a great place to work so we take the time to listen to feedback and understand what we can do to support our workforce from both a personal and professional perspective. We understand the importance of well-being, home and family so we take the time to actively encourage a healthy work-life balance recognising that all our staff need to enjoy their life at work as well as outside the office
We have a great team and the winning combination of our friendly people and inclusive culture is what makes us great to work for. We’re down to earth, likeable and caring.
We are incredibly proud of our diverse workforce that reflects all backgrounds, talents and routes into the legal profession. We want you to achieve your full potential so our training programme ensures every employee has the chance to develop their core skills to progress and succeed in their legal careers
A training contract is the first step in your legal career. We make every effort to provide our trainees with the opportunity to gain experience outside of just developing their technical expertise and to become well-rounded solicitors with a real investment in the firm. We involve trainees at the earliest stage in marketing and business development initiatives valuing your contribution to the firm’s future. Every voice counts and thanks to our flat hierarchy our working environment is collaborative and supportive from day one.
Our trainees and newly qualified solicitors are the driving force of our charity fundraising events. We aim to offer a steady balance between responsibility and support, and you’ll be surprised at the degree of client contact that you will have from an early stage in your training contract.
During your training with us, you can expect:-
We pride ourselves on employing people who are approachable, and if you have any questions, you won’t be short of people to ask.
Strong all-round, commercially-minded individuals. We recruit on the basis of potential. We are interested in you and what you can bring to Machins to enrich our expanding team.
In particular, we look for:-
Applications are now open. Please send your current C.V. together with a covering letter to [email protected]. The deadline for our July 2025 intake is 1st March 2024. Please ensure you let us know how you you heard about our training contracts.
Applications for Training Contracts starting in 2024 have now closed.
Initial interviews will then take place in early April and final interviews for successful candidates towards the end of April.
If you take the time to submit an application, we will take the time to read it.
Do you offer any sponsorship or grants?
Unfortunately, no grants are currently offered.
Will I be working across both offices?
Yes, trainees could be based in either our Luton or Berkhamsted office, and applicants should have means of transport to either office.
I’m still doing my degree, when can I apply?
If you are in your final year and are due to complete your LPC/SQE by June 2025, you can apply from 1st December 2023 for our training contract commencing July 2025 which is when our applications open. However, if you are in your penultimate year and will therefore not have completed your LPC/SQE by June 2025, you can apply from December 2024 for training contracts commencing in July 2026. We look forward to receiving your application!
Can I choose which seats I do?
For each of your seats, you can express a preference as to which team you would like experience in. We try to take these preferences into account where possible, but sometimes the seats offered depend on the business needs of each department at the time. We will usually try to accommodate your preference for your final seat which will be the team you hope to qualify into.
We offer three training contracts each year for law and non-law graduates from a variety of backgrounds.
The aim of our training contracts is to offer a rich variety of work experience providing on-the-ground team-based experience enabling each and every individual to find the practice area that they are best suited to. We offer four seats lasting six months each. You will work directly with a partner in each department who will be your training supervisor. You will also be allocated a mentor, who will be a partner or senior solicitor, who can provide ongoing advice, support and feedback along the way.
Training seats currently offered are:-
Placements are operationally driven but we try to take into account individual preferences where possible.
We pride ourselves on offering top quality training and view the development of our trainees as critical to the future growth of the firm. It will leave you equipped with excellent career prospects as well as hands-on legal experience and strong commercial acumen. We are confident that, once qualified, you will choose to stay with us. Our retention rate is high – you will see from our team profiles that a high number of our partners and solicitors trained with Machins.
I have just embarked on my final six months as a trainee solicitor, and reflecting on my training contract experience so far, the past 18 months have undoubtedly been an invaluable learning curve. As I progress towards qualification, I have begun to reflect on the lessons learnt and experience gained. As a prospective trainee I
It is important to note when applying for training contracts at regional firms, your role is more than understanding the law in which seat you are training in. Here at Machins, as a trainee you are viewed as the future of the firm and so from day one you will have an active role in
“My experience as a trainee so far at Machins has been invaluable. I have been exposed to the real legal world, participating from day one in client meetings, conferences with counsel and attending court hearings. Machins has placed its faith in me to produce high quality work and I am fully supported by a team of experienced professionals. I have been given the space to engage with charity causes and input on the firm’s social events. Being a trainee at Machins has given me a great insight into my future career and I cannot wait to qualify!”
Zarenna Porter, (Trainee Solicitor in the Company Commercial team)
“From day one of my training contract I have been trusted with direct client contact and undertaking key legal tasks. I have felt challenged, but supported throughout and a valued member of the team. Every trainee has a mentor to support them and there is a real focus on learning and aiding me to be as prepared as possible for qualification.”
Thomas Palmer, (Newly Qualified Solicitor in the Family Team, Past Trainee)
I have been a paralegal at two law firms before commencing my training contract at Machins. Machins has so far been the best in relation to the support provided by senior colleagues and partners. From day one I have been trusted with key tasks in commercial property transactions and have developed relationships and communication with long standing clients of the firm. I have also been encouraged to develop my skills with extracurricular activities such as attending networking events and taking part in internal initiatives such as the Mental Health and Diversity and Inclusion Committees.
John Kam (Trainee Solicitor in the Commercial Property team)
