Ward Hadaway is a northern-based, client-focused legal firm that believes in the strength of its people and business. With offices in Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester, the firm has a substantial client base of regional, national and international clients from both the private and public sectors.

We have a vast depth of expertise and experience to meet the diverse needs of all the clients we work for, whether they are businesses, built environment sector specialists, healthcare providers, public sector organisations or private individuals. We recognise that an exceptional service can only be provided by exceptional people, which is why we strive to recruit, recognise and reward the very best in legal talent.

Our approach is firmly commercial, with a clear focus applied to delivering the outcomes our clients require in the most appropriate and cost-effective way. We value our client and workforce diversity, and our trainees have the opportunity to interact and work with some of the best lawyers and specialists in the country, who support and inspire them every day.

As a trainee, you'll be offered varied and challenging work from our portfolio, within a friendly and open culture. Ward Hadaway is invested in supporting the development of its people, as well as recruiting and maintaining talent across all areas of the business.

Trainees can apply for NQ roles three months prior to the end of their training contract. 

We offer a three-day vacation scheme, which will take place in spring/summer (depending on your availability).

The vacation scheme is a great way for us to get to know you and for you to get to know us! During the vacation placement you really will experience life as a trainee lawyer at Ward Hadaway. You'll get plenty of hands on time dealing with real client matters and engaging in quality time with a wide range of our people.

You'll be given a structured programme made up of a range of learning tasks,and we deliberately include a variety of extra activities including welcome meetings and social lunches/evening events to ensure you leave having obtained an understanding of our culture, our people, and how we operate.

Once you've proved to us that you are part of the next generation of lawyers, we'll make you an offer for one of our training contracts. We aim to support you through every day of your training contract from your induction to your qualification. We'll also keep in touch before you join us and introduce you to the other trainees, so you'll feel at home before you arrive.

All of our trainees are given a comprehensive two week induction at the start of their training contract, which blends a hybrid approach of online training sessions and in-person sessions at our Newcastle head office, with the entire trainee cohort from all three offices. This ensures you can get to grips with our systems and processes, meet each other and the key individuals within the firm, such as the managing partner, training principal and heads of departments.

During your training contract, you'll get experience of four different practice areas, spending six months within each 'seat'. This provides a wide range of experience, as well as helping you to decide where you want to qualify. From the outset, our trainees are given responsibility in their seats which ultimately prepares them for qualification.

During each seat you will be given a supervisor. If you're working in an open plan office, you'll sit near your supervisor and among the wider team. If you're working on a floor with a more traditional office plan, you'll share an office with your supervisor. Both set-ups make it easy for you to ask questions about any work that is delegated to you. You will get a full appraisal at the end of each seat, a mid-seat review, and regular formal and informal feedback.

We encorage you to tell us your preferences so that, where possible, we can tailor your training contract to the areas you are most interested in. We'll also ensure you develop in a range of contentious and non-contentious areas to achieve a well-rounded legal experience.

We'll ask you to tell us in which department you might like to start your journey as a trainee and although we can't guarantee you'll always get your first choice, we will do everything we can to accommodate your specific preferences.

There is a breadth of opportunities to get involved in outside of your training contract at Ward Hadaway, such as charity and pro-bono work. Each year, our trainees have a day out of the office to volunteer with an organisation of their choice. Throughout the year, the trainees also offer mentoring to sixth form college students who are interested in a career in law through various schemes, support school-aged children in business enterprise programmes and represent the firm at the various law fairs we attend year on year. While this is extremely beneficial to those receiving the support, it's equally as important to our trainees when developing their skills and networks.

We will sponsor law students who are successful in gaining a training contract with us to undertake a one-year SQE preparation course and take the SQE1 and 2. We will sponsor non-law students who are successful to undertake a one-year PGDL prior to the SQE preparation course. 

We are still accepting applications from individuals who have already commenced or completed an LPC course (to include any courses which build in the LPC, such as four-year combined undergraduate in law and LPC course), and these candidates will not need to complete the SQE as part of our training contract.

Our solicitor apprenticeship allows you to obtain a qualifying law degree at the same time as gaining real life commercial experience of the law at work.

Apprentices will spend the first two years of their programme in one seat, followed by two further one year rotations in different departments. Apprentices will obtain a qualifying law degree at the end of the fourth year of their apprenticeship programme and spend the final two years of their apprenticeship completing our training contract programme giving them further exposure to different areas of law. At the end of the six-year apprenticeship, you will qualify as a solicitor.

As an apprentice, you'll be offered varied and challenging work from our portfolio, within a friendly and open culture. Ward Hadaway is invested in supporting the development of its people, as well as recruiting and maintaining talent across all areas of the business.

We work hard to ensure a progressive approach to our working lives. To help our people realise their potential and enable them to grow throughout their careers. To develop a culture of trusted leadership where our people feel safe, connected and supported. Where they are treated with respect and kindness in a manner consistent with our values. A place where they enjoy working.

We take our social and moral responsibility to eliminate discrimination very seriously, and promote equality, diversity and inclusion across the firm, recognising that individuality and difference brings strength to the teams we work in, to our firm, our clients and our communities. This is embedded in our approach to recruitment, promotion and development.

We are committed to maintaining an environment where people are recognised for their talent and contribution.

GDL/SQE funding available.

• Corporate
• Commercial
• Commercial litigation
• Employment
• Housing & social housing
• Real estate
• Private client
• Health & regulatory
• Construction

• Corporate & Commercial
• General Commercial

• Newcastle
• Leeds
• Manchester

• IntoUniversity
• Mindful Business Charter
• Sutton Trust