Devonshires
- London
- Birmingham
- Leeds
- +2
"A household name in social housing, Devonshires brings heavyweight expertise paired with a relaxed atmosphere."
About the firm
- 26
- Trainees
- 113
- Associates
- 69
- Partners
- 5
- National Offices
A home can feel empty without the people who bring it to life, and law firms can be much the same. Devonshires understands this better than most. With social housing at the heart of its practice, the firm has a clear sense of purpose. “It’s very well known in the social housing world and amongst registered providers,” training principal Helen Curtis tells us, adding that “the firm feels as though it is raising its head above the parapet and becoming more visible outside its traditional markets.”
Our sister guide Chambers UK confirms that Social Housing and Social Housing Finance are where Devonshires shines, giving it the gold stamp of approval for these practices. It also receives rankings for its Third Sector Employment law and Construction practices. In particular, Curtis notes that the corporate team is expanding into owner-managed business work, the litigation team is gaining recognition for fraud matters and the employment practice is growing rapidly.
“We’re a growing firm.”
We also heard suggestions that further growth may be on the horizon and, as part of this, the firm has recently opened the doors to its new Cardiff office. “We’re a growing firm,” insiders agreed, highlighting that “it’s nice to be a part of something that is growing: practice areas expanding and different locations.” Trainees have the opportunity to explore a broad range of legal work within a full-service firm, including a seat in the firm's clinical negligence offshoot, Devonshires Claims.
The majority of trainees are based in London, with smaller trainee intakes in Leeds and in Birmingham, the firm’s second-youngest office, which launched in 2022. “About half are internal candidates, such as former paralegals, and we’re very conscious that it’s a great pool of excellent candidates,” Curtis notes. “A lot of our partners were trainees and so we think it’s worth investing in!”
Why trainees joined the firm
Real estate focus
Contact time with partners
Investment in internal candidates
Real estate focus
With Devonshires’ focus on real estate, particularly social housing, and the full-service offering that complements that, the built environment was a shared interest among trainees.
Contact time with partners
Trainees sit with supervising partners throughout their seats, for the most part. “There is a lot of contact time with partners, it was a big pull,” an insider explained.
Investment in internal candidates
The firm recruits trainees from its internal candidates alongside external candidates, undergoing the same application process. Even those joining the firm externally highlighted this as a positive, seeing it as a “green flag” for the investment provided and trajectory available with plenty of homegrown partners.
Trainee satisfaction rankings
- Excellent
- Hours & work-life balance
- Strong
- General satisfaction
- Strong
- Supervision & contact time
- Strong
- Qualification
Training contract structure
- 4x6
- Seat Structure
Seat allocation
Newbies are allocated their first seat when they join. For the remaining rotations, they meet with HR to discuss their preferences and submit their top three seats. We did hear, however,that “when it comes to seat rotation, it’s your own destiny.”
Trainees are required to complete stints in real estate and in housing management and property litigation during the training contract, as they’re integral practices at Devonshires.
- N/A
- International secondments
- Yes
- Client secondments
Client secondments
“It’s a little nuanced,” one trainee explained, “Devonshires Claims is separate but within the family of Devonshires, there is normally a seat in the department and they take people on there – so it’s similar to a secondment to another office.”
International secondments
The firm does not offer international secondments.
Seat Experiences
Real estate is one of the building blocks of Devonshires and among its largest departments. It is structured into several teams, including real estate, development, conveyancing, planning, commercial and procurement, and trainees can explore these various specialisms during their seat. Social housing is at the heart of the practice. The team acts for non-for-profits and charities, such as the Peabody Trust and Places for People, though it does also have private developers and landlords on the books as well. Its work includes residential development, portfolio acquisition and disposals, regeneration projects and property development joint ventures.
“I took those from contract to exchange to the hammer falling for completion!”
Newbies gained insights into a variety of areas, such as leases and licenses, intercompany transfers and larger transactions including buybacks and sales. For instance, the firm acted for L&Q on the sale of 3,500 tenant properties in a single transaction, valued at £300,000 – the largest transaction of its kind, to another social housing provider.
Auctions were a common workstream for trainees, as they allow for more independence. “Around ten to twenty of those rolled through each month,” an insider shared, adding: “I took those from contract to exchange to the hammer falling for completion” with the rubber stamp from supervisors. Trainees also rolled up their sleeves with leases and licenses, deeds and implementing comments, as well as more bespoke pieces of advice.
On larger development transactions, they assist with transaction management, helping move the matter along and “pushing it across the line.” This includes verification exercises, liaising with stakeholders and managing signing processes. Sources were happy with the development opportunities provided. One trainee warned that the pace of work “can be intense if you don't have real estate experience.”
Housing management and property litigation, or HMPL, as it’s known to its friends, is another staple at Devonshires. The firm acts on behalf of the largest social housing providers and private sector landlords. The HMPL team tackles everything from disrepair, antisocial behaviour, gas injunctions, possession proceedings, boundary disputes and data protection matters: “It does anything and everything related to housing management.” For example, the team represented Notting Hill Genesis in an appeal concerning over £1.5 million of unpaid service charges.
Compared with real estate, sources found the pacing to be different: “you can be asked to do things on short notice,” especially with urgent applications. As one explained, “there is always disrepair work, but it can range from a gas outage in a skyscraper or social housing not being structurally safe; that’s urgent work.”
Though experiences differ depending which partners trainees work for, the majority of our interviewees had disrepair work and injunctions fall within their remit. Insiders were regularly sending emails to clients and drafting advice notes, such as quantum. They also picked up the pen for their fair share of legal drafting, from statements to instructions to counsel and court orders, as well as collecting evidence and preparing bundles for mediations and court.
Trainees also gained experience by attending court. One shared that “sometimes sitting in front of a computer doesn’t make it feel real – you get to go to court all around the UK.” There was also plentiful responsibility in this seat. “Everything has oversight, but the beauty of Devonshires is once you have proved yourself, you’re allowed to run with things,” said an interviewee.
The banking, governance and corporate team represents buyers, sellers, borrowers, funders and investors on financings and transactions. Borrowers include social housing clients raising finance to support future development projects. In particular, the governance side of the practice “is a good insight into how advice is tailored to clients and understanding how they operate.” Work varies from advising on restructuring processes to amending governing documents and considering “what routes would be best,” an insider explained.
Our interviewees had particular experience on the banking side. “I got to see how facility agreements are negotiated, what we will and won’t accept from the banks,” one source shared, and “how those changes are expressed to the clients.” Trainees attend meetings with clients and lenders, gaining insight into how commercial factors influence transactions. Responsibilities include drafting ancillary documents such as resolutions, internal agreements and consent letters, preparing reports, and managing conditions precedent checklists through to completion.
Recent work includes advising Bromford Housing Group and Flagship Housing Group on obtaining lender consents and new funding arrangements in connection with their merger, which aimed to support the delivery of more affordable homes. The matter also involved the firm's property securitisation team, which carried out preparatory work relating to approximately 4,500 units to facilitate funding from the new lenders.
Construction is a smaller team compared with its real estate and HMPL counterparts, but it still encompasses both contentious and non-contentious construction work. Recently, the team advised Riverside Group on the purchase and development, valued at £200 million, of 449 modular dwellings to be used for affordable housing as well as a school and associated infrastructure.
The construction team advises on social housing as well as large scale residential and mixed-use developments, often in relation to the Building Safety Act. Work related to that legislation features on the disputes side of the practice too, alongside final accounts, insolvency and construction defects disputes. The team acts on arbitrations and adjudications – “adjudications are completed within 28 days! It’s rough justice and, oh my days, it’s quick,” an insider quipped.
Here, trainees recalled liaising with clients and taking notes during client meetings. They also analysed some “quite complex construction contracts” and worked to identify causes of action, as well as helping to draft pre-action claims and settlement agreements.
Employment is a small but growing team at Devonshires that handles advisory and contentious work. Social housing clients also feature here. Trainees gain insight into each stage of a claim, from drafting the initial Claim Form or Defence, through to disclosure and preparing bundles for hearings that they also have the opportunity to attend.
“…they do throw some curve ball questions.”
On the advisory side, trainees have assisted with advising employer clients on changes to their employment policies related to the new Employment Rights Act. The team also advises on other workforce and pension matters. Ad hoc questions from clients also land on trainees’ desks, allowing them to take a first stab at advice notes. “They do throw some curve ball questions,” a source mused.
Trainee life
Culture and environment
- 97.1%
- Trainees were happy in their current role
- 100%
- Felt they chose the right firm
Data from our annual trainee survey
Sources were keen to highlight how approachable everyone is at Devonshires. The firm's open-plan offices were seen contributing to “a more relaxed atmosphere” where “people are approachable, whether they're partners, senior associates, trainees or paralegals,” adding to the learning environment. The firm’s culture was repeatedly described as warm. “Not to sound corny, we get on well, but we're all different human beings,” another trainee emphasised, adding that “there isn't a typical Devonshires person. I don't put a mask on when I go to work. In a good way: I can be unapologetically myself, not a guy in a white shirt.” As another put it: “I'm not sure I'm a model old-fashioned lawyer. I've found the modernisation I was looking for.”
“There isn't a typical Devonshires person. I don't put a mask on when I go to work. In a good way, I can be unapologetically myself, not a guy in a white shirt.”
Each quarter, trainees get together at their own social event in London, with the travel costs covered for those coming from other offices. One interviewee reckoned that “it feels like a Friends episode, with recurring characters coming through the door… it’s really nice.” Highlights have included Duck & Waffle restaurant – “the one on the top of the skyscraper” – a concert and escape rooms. Departments also host their own socials on a less regular basis, typically twice a year, and there are office-wide events too.
Working patterns
- Team dependent
- Expected office attendance
- 39.1
- Typical billable hours in a week
Data from our annual trainee survey
The offices received solid reviews across the board from trainees, from Leeds’ with its recent move to Aire Park to London’s Finsbury Circus office which is centrally located. In-office expectations vary from department to department, but as a general rule, trainees are expected in between two to four days a week. As for hours, insiders noted that they’re “contracted to work from 9am – 5.30pm with an hour’s lunch and, most of the time, that is accurate.” That said, if there are deadlines or something is urgent, such as preparing for court or an adjudication, later hours can be expected. “There are a few late ones chucked in there as well,” a trainee added.
Pay
- £40,0001st Year Salary
- £43,0002nd Year Salary
Trainees agreed that compensation was fair for the working hours. Some felt it was a little below natural competitors, particularly the NQ salary, but sources were quick to reiterate that they aren’t “doing crazy hours.”
Supervision and training
Some larger departments, such as real estate and housing management, offer trainees specific sessions as they start out, and they have knowledge development lawyers on hand for any questions. Departments offer monthly training or monthly update sessions for all their lawyers. There are also webinars available to keep up to date. Insiders noted that there is an emphasis on on-the-job learning. “You’re not doing grunt work, they are looking for you to improve to qualify,” one shared, adding that “my preference is being thrown into it and working through it with the safety line on.”
Supervisors are usually partners or senior associates. It was noted that supervision varies from person to person, with some more involved in the day to day and providing regular feedback. More broadly, we heard, “I’ve always had the support from people around me, who are open and willing to help.” Trainees receive formal feedback at the mid-seat and end-of-seat review where the bulk of feedback is covered. They also have support in place of a trainee buddy – “someone to bother with all the silly questions” – and a partner mentor who checks in every seat and acts as “a useful soundboard.”
Pro bono & CSR
Devonshires has a firm-wide charity committee, “so it feels like you’re able to contribute” to its CSR efforts. Each year, the firm fundraises for a selection of local charities, currently AFK Charity, Birmingham Central Foodbank, SkyWay and St George's Crypt, and “people can vote for who the core four are.” Fundraising activities have included participation in the Leeds Sleepout, marathons, quizzes and bake sales. Interviewees did note that pro bono is not a focus of the firm.
Other opportunities include:
Participation in legal walks
Volunteering at local food banks and community kitchens
Corporate sports tournaments
Inclusion
Interviewees suggested that, although diversity and inclusion is embedded within Devonshires, it is not always outwardly vocal about it. “It’s a diverse firm across gender and race,” sources said, with gender balance at the partnership level and around over 25% of members of staff coming from BAME backgrounds. “It’s a very open culture,” an insider observed. The firm’s EDI programme is led by senior leaders who regularly meet to plan how the firm can better promote EDI and whether it’s meeting its objectives. E-magazines are sent around marking occasions such as Pride, South Asian Heritage and Black History Month. The firm is also involved in the Housing Diversity Network supporting its inclusion initiatives.
Qualification
Before the formal qualification process kicks off, trainees are highly encouraged to speak with their desired teams and let HR know. “It’s always best to make your interests known,” a source advised. Formally, a job list is released outlining the number of positions. If more than one trainee applies to a role, the firm will hold interviews and/or assessments to ensure a fair process for all. Sources viewed Devonshires as a firm where they could build their career long term, as “so many partners have trained here; it’s a good indicator.”
- 88.9%
- Trainees Retention
Birmingham receives a boost
Having opened its first office there in 2022, Devonshires has made an upgrade: moving to a new office at Northspring, Temple Street in March 2026.
Contact this law firm
Top Figures
- £40,0001st Year Salary
- £43,0002nd Year Salary
- £65,000Newly Qualified Salary
- 10
- Training Contract Vacancies
- 30th Jun 2027
- Application Closing Date
