Michelmores

Regional roots but London-level work? Here’s the sitch at Mich: more-ning, noon and night.

Michelmores training contract review 2026

About the firm

In the world of fine dining, there are a lot of factors that go into assessing the quality of a restaurant, including, but not limited to, the calibre of the ingredients, the level of service, and the variety of experiences. Those who excel above the rest stand a chance receiving a coveted Michelin star. In fact, it’s not so different for law firms, who can be valued using similar metrics. So here at Chambers Student, we wish to award a Michelin star, or should that be a Michelmores star, to this Southwest powerhouse.

“We’re a progressive and ambitious firm, who place culture at the forefront of how we operate,” begins training principal Benn Richards; “Our culture is more than just a headline, it genuinely is a collaborative, inclusive and approachable place to work.” Trainees agreed with the sentiment, noting that “if you’re quite an ambitious person and want to find that in a firm, you’ll find it here. Everyone is like-minded.”

“Now I’m doing high quality work, and I have a life outside of the office. It’s possible here!”

The other major factor that drew in trainees was the firm’s ability to maintain London-level work despite its regional roots. Headquartered in Exeter, the firm also has offices in Bristol, London, Sidmouth, and Cheltenham. “I didn’t want to work in London, but I did want good quality work,” one insider confessed; “now I’m doing high-quality work, and I have a life outside of the office. It’s possible here!”

Over at Chambers UK, that level of work is apparent with over 15 departments on the menu getting notices in practice areas including corporate/M&A, agriculture and rural affairs, real estate, employment, and litigation. If Michelmores is the kind of three-course meal that appeals to you, then prepare to tuck in.

Training Contract Structure

The departments at Michelmores are split into three areas of work: private client, real estate and business. “They’re all pretty well-proportioned,” Richards explains, "What we want our trainees to do is to see a few different areas of the firm, experience litigation and non-litigation and two of our three pillars." As a result, there are no specific mandatory seats for trainees, and they get to put in preferences before each rotation comes around.

How often those preferences bear fruit, however, had a mixed response from insiders: “We don’t have a rigid structure and although they try to give you what you want, it often doesn’t work out.” Some sources were more optimistic though, calling for a more proactive approach, “as long as you’re clear and make what you want known, then they generally help you with that.”

There is the chance to secure a secondment, in fact, a pretty good one. Client secondments usually centre on agriculture seats to water companies, the length of which depends largely on the client’s needs. Most notably though, office secondments were quite common, with the ability to move between Bristol or Exeter, or to spend time in the otherwise trainee-free London office.

Seat Experiences

Trainee Life

It goes without saying that every restaurant is only as good as its chefs, but who teaches those chefs? Sources told us that supervisors can really “take our lead” on what kind of supervision would be best for them. “It’s very much a give-and-take relationship,” explained one insider, “they ask you what you want to get out of the seat, and what you want to get involved with.” Whether they’re hands-on or not varied, but we heard they’re always available to answer questions, as is the wider team, so “you end up working with everyone; they’re all happy to help.”

Training sessions are also extensive, with juniors noting “that’s an area they really excel at. You can attend any session no matter what department you’re in.” These sessions are both internal and external and can range from talks on building resilience, personal brand or networking, LinkedIn masterclasses, and knowledge sessions on areas of the law.

Of its different offices, Exeter is the firm’s largest and is located just off the M5 which makes it “perfect for commuters”. The Exeter branch is also going through something of a refurb: “We’re going through a period of renovation, which is very exciting for everyone.” There’s also an on-site café and gym, so you can work off the pastries you just treated yourself to in the former.

The Bristol cohort were treated to an office move just over a year ago, much to the delight of our sources: “The new office is amazing! It’s so nice and modern.” All the offices are open plan with hot-desking, and although the trainees are expected to be in four days a week, we heard in reality this is a discretionary choice dependent on teams.

Sources were also pleased with the salary, noting it was competitive for the region and pointing out that “you have to weigh it up with the hours you’re working; most weeks I don’t log off later than half five.” Those hours were consistent across our interviewees, with 9am-5.30pm being the overwhelming consensus.

“I was naturally sceptical because all firms say they have the best culture in the world, but all I’ve seen is how great it is here!”

For our sources, a huge plus for the culture was the fact that “you don’t feel like a small fish in a big pond.” What this translates to is a friendly and collaborative culture that welcomes trainees in and makes them part of the firm in a way that feels genuine to our interviewees: “I was naturally sceptical because all firms say they have the best culture in the world, but all I’ve seen is how great it is here!” Outside of work hours, trainees get four firm-sponsored socials per year, and there are also sports events, the Michelmores Run (an annual charity run in Exeter), and impromptu drinks to be had.

Michelmores also strives for an inclusive working environment with well-being champions across the offices, affinity networks and events. Most notably, insiders highlighted the female representation, especially at higher levels, with one trainee commenting: “There’s a great number of female partners that we can look up to; the partnership is majority female.”

Qualification

Eventually, the dessert menu comes around, and it’s time to face qualification. Luckily for trainees, they weren’t met with any surprises. “It’s all very transparent, they’ve addressed it with us early so we’re not confused for weeks on end,” shared one interviewee. What that includes is a published job list where trainees can apply for up to two spots. From there, they submit a CV and covering email.

Be aware though, as sometimes it can be a little more complicated: “If too many people go for the same spot or if you haven’t sat in the seat you’re applying to, then there can often be an interview and a technical assessment.” Even if that stage gets competitive, trainees wanted to leave five stars on this experience and eat at the firm’s table for good: “They clearly care about their own talent and people progress here, so I want to stay as long as I can.” In 2025, the firm retained a full house of qualifiers!