Solicitor Training Contract

We provide four seat rotations during the training contract, which are designed to provide a wide breadth of experience, and opportunities ranging from Corporate Commercial, Residential and Commercial Property, Dispute Resolution, Family, and Private Client.

During the two-year training contract, you will be exposed to all aspects of work within each training area, working with lawyers who are experts in their field and a supervising Partner who will support your learning and development. We endeavour to assign seats according to candidate preference whilst balancing this against business needs. We will ensure that allocated seats are complementary to ensure you gain the maximum benefit for your longer-term career.

How we will support you

To ensure you achieve the best results during your training contract, you will have a wealth of support at your fingertips including: 

     - Supervising Partner

     - Training Principal

     - HR & Early Careers Manager

     - Trainee buddy

Training Contract Sponsorship

We typically offer five training contract places each year and provide sponsorship for the cost of the LPC or SQE if applicants haven’t already enrolled on one of these courses.  We have partnered with the University of Law for our LPC and SQE courses.

Applying for our Training Contract

Applications for our Training Contracts 2026/2027 are currently closed and will reopen in Autumn 2026.

What are we looking for?

In addition to our eligibility criteria we are looking for bright and enthusiastic people who share our Firm values. Our recruitment process is designed to identify people who have the potential to succeed and grow with Porter Dodson and encompasses a variety of assessments to test your academic abilities, interpersonal skills and aptitude for our Training Contract. 

Our Recruitment Process

If you are successful following your application you will be invited to complete a short video interview and online assessment. If you are successful in your video interview and online assessment you will be invited to our Assessment Centre which will be in-person in our Yeovil office. During the Assessment Centre you will take part in a group exercise, a written task and an individual Partner interview. 

Application Top Tips

Do your research. Take your time to get to know us and what we stand for, personalise your application and show us you have taken the time to understand our expertise and what we stand for. 

Proofread your application. Ensure the accuracy of your application by proofreading at least twice. Don’t let an otherwise brilliant application fail because of unnecessary spelling or grammatical errors.

Be yourself. Our recruitment process is designed to help us get to know you as an individual so please don’t be tempted to use AI tools to help create any of your written answers. Let your individual qualities and passion for a career in law shine through.
  

Training Contract Eligibility

We continue to run a parallel intake of LPC and SQE candidates and invite applications from candidates pursuing both routes to qualification. All future trainees will be required to have completed either the LPC or the SQE1 and SQE2 exams prior to joining the firm to undertake your 2 years’ qualifying work experience (QWE).

To apply for a training contract, you will need to either be in your final year of study of a law degree or non-law degree, or have already graduated. 

We typically encourage applications from those with a 2:1 Degree and who have connections to the South-West. We consider all applications on their individual merits and will consider any mitigating circumstances, please reach out to our Recruitment and Early Careers team with any queries in relation to this on recruitment@porterdodson.co.uk

Work Experience

Visit our Work Experience page here to find out more about our work experience programme. 

Key Dates for your Diary

Taunton Independent Schools Careers Fair - 24th February 2026