We hope that any questions you may have will be answered below. However, if you can't find the information you require, then please contact the graduate recruitment team at graduate@bdb-law.co.uk
Please click on the links below to be taken to the relevant section:
1. Who is eligible for the Summer Placement Programme?
2. When are Summer Placements available and for how long
3. How many placements are available?
4. How do I apply for a Summer Placement?
5. What should I expect during my time on the Programme?
6. Do I get paid for my placement with the firm?
7. Do you hold open days?
8. How many Training Contracts are available?
9. How do I apply for a Training Contract?
10. What is the firm looking for in a trainee?
11. How will I spend my training contract?
12. Do you have a preference as to where I study the GDL and LPC? Do you ask
trainees to study particular LPC electives?
13. Do you offer course fees for law school or maintenance grants?
14. How much do trainees get paid?
15. How much do Newly Qualified solicitors get paid?
16. How many trainees did you retain over the last two years?
17. What social activities do you have going on at Bircham Dyson Bell?
18. What is the atmosphere and culture of the firm?
19. When do I need to apply for a Training Contract?
20. When do I need to apply for the Summer Placement Programme?
21. How do I submit an application for a Summer Placement Programme or Training Contract?
22. Do you consider candidates before the published closing dates?
23. Who should I address my covering letter to?
24. Do you ask for a minimum degree grade?
25. Do you offer sponsorship to foreign students?
26. What if I have a criminal record?
27. Can I update my final results once I have submitted my application?
28. I’m doing a four year joint-honours law degree. In what year do I apply?
29. When are assessments held and what is the selection process?
30. Can I postpone my interview if I’m away on the date offered to me
1. Who is eligible for the Summer Placement Programme?
You must have completed your legal studies, be a final year non-law student or a penultimate year law student.
2. When are Summer Placements available and for how long?
We have placements available from mid June until end of July. You will spend two weeks with us, gaining valuable experience with two of our legal departments.
3. How many placements are available?
Approximately 20-25 placements are available each year.
4. How do I apply for a Summer Placement?
Please click here to be taken to the Application Process page.
5. What should I expect during my time on the Programme?
We feel it is important you get practical experience so you can start to understand life as a solicitor. In each department you will be allocated a supervisor, one of our partners or senior solicitors, and also a buddy, one of our current trainees or newly qualified solicitors. They will allocate work and provide the support and guidance you need during your week in that department. This work will include a research exercise reflecting a task that trainees are commonly asked to carry out. A variety of organised activities, including a networking evening and a trainee social event, will allow you to meet a range of trainees, solicitors and partners across the firm, to ask questions and listen to their experiences first hand. Also, we hope during your time with us you will make friends and we encourage those on the programme to arrange informal activities to build relationships and network further.
6. Do I get paid for my placement with the firm?
Yes. This is paid at £100 a week (subject to any tax or NIC obligations).
7. Do you hold open days?
We do not currently hold open days, but, this is something we are considering for the future.
8. How many Training Contracts are available?
The firm employs a total of fourteen trainees, with seven training contracts available each year.
9. How do I apply for a Training Contract?
Please click here to be taken to the Application Process page.
10. What is the firm looking for in a trainee?
We are looking for well-rounded candidates with high professional standards, who can demonstrate business acumen, enthusiasm, initiative, teamwork and excellent communication skills. We recruit people whom we hope will have a successful future with the firm after qualifying. We are equally happy to recruit trainees with law or non-law degrees, but you should have achieved a 2:1 in your degree. If you received a lower degree grade due to mitigating circumstances, you should explain these in your application. We are interested in recent graduates as well as candidates who have had experience in other areas and may be coming to law as a second career.
11. How will I spend my training contract?
Over your two year training contract with us you will spend six months in four of the following practice areas: Charities; Corporate; Commercial; Employment; Litigation; Parliamentary, Public Law and Planning; Private Client and Real Estate. One or more trainees are usually seconded to one of our clients for six months as well. You will be allocated your first seat, but we encourage you to express a preference for your remaining seats. Although it is not guaranteed we will try to accommodate your preferences. As a trainee you will work closely with a partner or senior associate, so that you can be involved in your supervisor's work and hear how matters are handled on a day-to-day basis. We provide training which offers you the opportunity to take responsibility, run your own files and meet clients, secure in the knowledge that your work is carefully supervised. There is always someone to answer your questions and provide guidance and support.
12. Do you have a preference as to where I study the GDL and LPC? Do you ask trainees to study particular LPC electives?
We ask our future trainees to attend a BPP law school (Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, London or Manchester). If there are personal reasons as to why you need to study elsewhere, we will consider your request. We don’t stipulate any particular electives. If you are successful in obtaining a training contract with us we can provide further guidance before you make your final elective choices.
13. Do you offer course fees for law school or maintenance grants?
We pay the course fees for success training contract applicants who are yet to study the LPC and GDL.
14. How much do trainees get paid?
Currently our first year trainees start on £30,000 per annum. Salaries of trainees are reviewed every year.
15. How much do Newly Qualified solicitors get paid?
The salary for our newly qualified solicitors who started in September 2009 was £49,000. Salaries are then reviewed on an annual basis based on individual performance and the external market.
16. How many trainees did you retain over the last two years?
Of the seven trainees who qualified in 2008, six were retained, and of the ten trainees who qualified in 2009, four were retained. As a firm we have a positive history of retaining our trainees in our various practice areas.
17. What social activities do you have going on at Bircham Dyson Bell?
There is an active social committee comprising of representatives from across the firm. A variety of activities go on throughout the firm and are available for trainees to get involved in. We have a softball, netball and cricket team as well as a tennis tournament and rowing regatta. There is an annual firm quiz and we hold a Christmas Carol Concert as well as a separate Christmas event. Informally departments go out socially and on a Friday night the pub next door is usually frequented by the firm’s employees!
18. What is the atmosphere and culture of the firm?
The firm has a friendly and hardworking atmosphere. We pride ourselves on our integrity and high professional standards. We recognise that providing a good quality service to our clients is the result of a team effort to which members of the firm at all levels make an essential contribution.
19. When do I need to apply for a Training Contract?
The training contract deadline is 31 July. Any application received after this date will not be considered.
20. When do I need to apply for the Summer Placement Programme?
The deadline for the Summer Placement Programme is 31 January. Any application received after this date will not be considered.
21. How do I submit an application for a Summer Placement Programme or Training Contract?
Your application needs to be made online and full details of how to apply are on our website www.bdb-law.co.uk in the career pages. You are asked to complete your contact details, education, employment history and a number of competency based questions to demonstrate your suitability for a summer placement and/or training contract with us. It is the same application form for both summer placement and training contracts and you can apply for a summer placement and training contract together in one application, or a training contract only with us. We only accept applications that are completed on our online application form.
22. Do you consider candidates before the published closing dates?
We do not review applications on a rolling basis. Once the closing date for applications has passed we start our pre-screening exercises and then short listing will begin. The date of an individual's application is not taken into consideration as long as it has been received prior to the closing date.
23. Who should I address my covering letter to?
Address any correspondence to David Mundy, Training Principal, or the HR Department.
24. Do you ask for a minimum degree grade?
We normally ask applicants to have received a 2:1 or higher. If you received (or are predicted to receive) a lower degree grade due to mitigating circumstances, you should explain these in your application.
25. Do you offer sponsorship to foreign students?
We do not provide sponsorship to foreign students and as part of your application you need to confirm that you are eligible to work in the UK without any restrictions. This applies for training contracts and our summer placements.
26. What if I have a criminal record?
We ask all applicants to declare if they have a criminal conviction as part of their application. If you have a criminal record you need to contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to discuss your particular situation. Having a criminal record will not necessarily prevent you from being a solicitor in England and Wales.
27. Can I update my final results once I have submitted my application?
Once you have submitted your online application the only changes you can make are your contact details and no other parts of your application form can be changed or updated. If you are invited to an interview, you will be asked to bring with you your updated CV to include your final results. Please also note that the Bircham Dyson Bell Recruitment Team do not have access to make changes to your application.
28. I’m doing a four year joint-honours law degree. In what year do I apply?
You would need to apply in your penultimate year. As you are studying law as part of your degree you shouldn’t need to complete the GDL. Please check with your course tutor to find out the exact requirements to qualify as a solicitor for your particular degree course.
29. When are assessments held and what is the selection process?
As part of our pre-screening process you may be asked to complete online testing e.g. verbal and/or numerical reasoning tests. You will be advised by email if you are required to do this.
Summer Placement Programme
Offers are usually made in March/April. The assessment process is currently under review for 2010 and if you are short listed for a summer placement you will be informed by email if you have to undertake a formal assessment.
If you are successful in securing a summer placement with us you will be assessed for a training contract as part the programme.
Training Contracts
The assessment process is conducted mid August through to early September. You are asked to confirm as part of your application form any dates you are not available and the firm will take this into consideration, as much as possible, when scheduling the assessment timetable.
Currently two rounds of assessment are held. The graduate assessment panel consists of a number of partners and senior associates from our practice areas and HR. The firm uses various assessment tools including panel interviews, written exercises and a presentation. You will also have the opportunity to meet some of our current trainees so you can hear first hand about their experience with us.
Offers are usually made by the middle of September.
30. Can I postpone my interview if I’m away on the date offered to me?
The timeframe for conducting assessments is very tight. If you are not available on the first date offered to you there may be some flexibility depending on availability of other candidates but this is limited due to the number of people we have to schedule. Please do remember to include on your application form any dates you know you are not going to be available. Most law firms interview for training contracts in August/September so we recommend you schedule your other commitments and holidays outside of this time if at all possible.
If you have any further questions then please contact the graduate recruitment team on graduate@bdb-law.co.uk