Fladgate increases trainee recruitment to annual intakes and offers postgrad sponsorship

London-based commercial firm Fladgate LLP has significantly boosted its trainee recruitment, in a welcome development for aspiring solicitors.

Fladgate previously hired trainee solicitors every other year, but this has been stepped up, with the firm now recruiting trainees annually. In a new development, the firm also now provides sponsorship to future trainees enrolling on the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and/or Legal Practice Course (LPC). In addition, Fladgate has moved to widen access to its training opportunities and now offers maintenance loans to future trainees – £6,000 per year for those studying in London and £5,000 for students outside the capital – which are then repaid over the course of training.

The size of each intake has also been increased from four to six, reflecting the firm’s commercial success - most recently evidenced by stellar increases in revenue (paywall). This year Fladgate is playing ‘catch up’ as it transitions to its new recruitment model, so the firm is currently recruiting two intakes of trainees – with six training contract vacancies commencing in 2017 and another six commencing in 2018.

Philip Turner, Fladgate’s training principal, said: “The funding by the firm of the GDL/LPC and a maintenance loan will, we hope, widen significantly the pool of potential applicants for a training contract at Fladgate. Bright individuals, of all backgrounds, with a strong personality and a commercial bias will find a base to launch their legal career that both stretches and supports them in equal measure.”