Welcome to our Trainee Hub – here you can find a raft of information and resources to help you decide if you’d like to apply for one of our regular Training Contracts here at Machins.
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 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:-
Dispute Resolution
Company Commercial
Commercial Property
Employment
Family Law
Private Client
Residential Conveyancing
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
During the application season, it can feel like the whole world is announcing that they’ve accepted an offer for their top choice firm or are choosing between three placements. So, how do you stay focused and avoid the trap of comparison culture? You’re already trying to balance ongoing studies alongside writing applications, attending events, networking
Thinking about the area of law that you would like to qualify into can be tricky. Some trainees know exactly what area of law they want to qualify in before they even start their training contract and others have absolutely no idea. Some trainees start their training contracts thinking they know exactly what they want
I am currently in the third seat of my training contract in the Commercial Property department and this will be my second time working as a trainee in the team. I thought it would be good to give an overview of what a Commercial Property trainee does on day-to-day basis, although no two days are
It is no secret that the work of a trainee solicitor can be taxing at times. There are deadlines to meet and just as you start to feel comfortable and on top of everything, you are switching seats and starting the whole process again. All this means is that it is especially important to take
At Machins we have three committees that welcome and encourage involvement from all members of staff, and I am lucky enough to be a member of all three. The Social Committee is responsible for planning, organising and overseeing social events and activities throughout the year, including our annual Christmas party. We also run a number
Normally the return to work in January as a trainee comes as a big shock to the system – you’re often starting in a new department with new colleagues, and have to shake off the brain fog brought on by too much food over the Christmas break. This time around, however, I am staying in
Take a look at what it is like to be a trainee solicitor here at Machins.
Who are we?
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
“My training contract at Machins has given me real responsibility from day one, I have been able to build client relationships and my understanding in commercial property with support from experienced colleagues.”
“As a trainee I feel well respected as I have been given work that challenges me from the outset. All of my colleagues at Machins have invested their time in me, making sure no question goes un-answered and I have all the resources I need to develop into a better solicitor.”
Amelia Chivers (Trainee Solicitor in the Private Client team)
“Machins has really set me up to thrive as a newly qualified lawyer, from the excellent hands-on training, the face-to-face contact with clients pretty much from day one, and the mentoring I received throughout my training contract. As a result of my experience in my training contract, I felt prepared and supported to really hit the ground running on day one as a solicitor.”
Stephen Nolan (Newly Qualified Solicitor in the Public Family Law team)
“My move in July wasn’t just from paralegal to trainee but also a move from the Employment department to the Private Family department and from our Luton office to our Berkhamsted office. Since staring my training contract I have had the opportunity to be directly involved in client matters from start to finish including attending court and conferences with counsel. I look forward to expanding my knowledge on family matters and seeing what other opportunities this seat will bring.”
We offer three training contracts each year for law and non-law graduates from a variety of backgrounds.
You can email our HR Department with a covering letter and a current copy of your CV. Please send CVs to [email protected]
