Stevens & Bolton

About the firm

When asked to picture the home of a typical law firm, one might imagine a towering skyscraper in the heart of the Square Mile. But if cobbled streets and country hills are more your sort of thing, it might be worth hopping onto Trainline and booking yourself a ticket to Guildford. Here, you’ll find the office of Stevens & Bolton just steps from the station. A training contract at S&B promises “lots of good training, dedicated supervision, exposure to clients from day one, in an environment that’s good fun!” training principal Ian Craig tells us, and trainees assured us that quitting the City doesn’t mean sacrificing quality: as one interviewee put it, “we have City-level work, but in Guildford.”

“We have City-level work, but in Guildford.”

Contrary to what might spring to mind when you think of regional firms, Stevens & Bolton is a full-service firm, offering everything from corporate M&A to intellectual property. That means there are plenty of opportunities for trainees to try their hand at both contentious and transactional work. No matter the sector, trainees felt that “everyone here is proud to be working on top-end work with top-end clients.” The firm boasts a wealth of top-tier rankings from Chambers UK in the South, including banking & finance, construction, corporate/M&A, employment, information technology, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, and restructuring/insolvency.

Why trainees joined the firm

City calibre, Surrey postcode

“It’s not a London firm, and that was a big thing for me,” one trainee shared, “but they do a lot of the work that London firms do.” Another interviewee was keen on the fact that S&B supplies “the same level of clients and work, but in a different environment.”

Broad practice area offering

The wide range of seat options appealed to those who were keen to try out all kinds of lawyering: “I knew I wanted something full-service, because I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” one insider explained.

Stellar work-life balance

“I didn’t want to sell my soul; I wanted a healthy work-life balance!” exclaimed an interviewee. Luckily, they felt that S&B was “not the kind of firm who want you to slave away at all hours. They want you to have a life outside of work.”

Trainee satisfaction rankings

Training contract structure

Seat allocation

First seats are allocated blindly, and for subsequent rotations, trainees sit down with the training partner and HR to discuss their top three preferences. Although our interviewees warned that “getting what you asked for isn’t a given,” they noted that “in your second year, you’re prioritised,” and were generally happy with how allocations played out; one added that “there have been departments that I’ve been put in that I didn’t want at first, but I ended up loving them!”

Client secondments

The firm sends one trainee per rotation on a part-time secondment to a client, with the rest of the week spent in S&B’s intellectual property department. Full-time client secondments have also previously been available on an ad hoc basis.

Seat Experiences

Trainee life

Culture and environment

Data from our annual trainee survey

Trainees described the culture at S&B as “empathetic and very supportive,” highlighting that “they want to invest in their own.” One trainee summarised that “there is a focus on achieving excellence, but with a sense of mutual respect for each other’s time and wellbeing.” In particular, interviewees sensed that “the firm really values work-life balance, and they want you to have a life outside of work.” That doesn’t mean that there’s no ‘life’ to be had at work, though: the social calendar includes a firmwide Christmas and summer parties, as well as seasonal events (including a ‘Bavarian Bash’ last October) and departmental away days. Trainees did feel that, apart from these events, the social life at S&B tends to be “more bottom-up than top-down,” with regular informal pub trips, bowling, dinners, and mini golf.

“The firm really values work-life balance.”

A recent refurbishment meant that the office received rave reviews, with a special mention for the ‘town hall’ communal space and an outdoor garden decked out with Roman pillars: “It transforms where you are, you wouldn’t think we’re at work!” one interviewee gushed. The office runs on an open-plan hot-desking system, with ‘neighbourhoods’ for different teams. This was a bonus for trainees, who felt that “that’s the ethos of a one-office firm like this: everyone knows each other.”

Working patterns

Data from our annual trainee survey

There was a strong feeling that the firm delivers on its promise of a good work-life balance: “I felt like my time was respected a lot,” recalled one source. Trainees reported typically working between 9am and 6.30pm, with one insider noting that “I’ve finished at 10pm before, but those times were few and far between.” On the whole, they agreed that “working late was the exception rather than the norm.” Remote working varies by department, with an expectation of at least two days a week in-office, but trainees told us that they’re often in much more than that. “We do encourage the trainees to come in as much as possible, because that’s still the best way to learn as a trainee: hearing conversations, speaking to people, enjoying the buzz of the office,” training principal Ian Craig explains.

Pay

On the question of salary, one trainee commented that “for working outside of London and doing fewer hours than you would do at a typical City firm, we’re compensated very fairly,” and another pointed out that “in terms of regional firms, we’re definitely at the top end.” Our insiders did note that the NQ salary could be higher, but acknowledged that “when you’re finishing at 6pm, 66 grand is good pay!”

Our interviewees were also pleased that the firm has introduced a ‘Work-Ready Payment’ for its vacation schemers, paying £300 two weeks before the scheme begins.

Supervision and training

Data from our annual trainee survey

“I’ve always known that I can go to my supervisor with any problem,” one trainee was quick to point out. Formal feedback is provided during mid- and end-seat reviews, with plenty of chances for informal catch-ups along the way. Usually, these will be weekly or fortnightly, and are “very constructive,” according to our sources. First-year trainees are also matched with second-year ‘buddies’ for “all the silly questions you don’t want to ask a solicitor about,” and our interviewees appreciated that “there’s always someone at different levels you can go to” if you have an issue.

“I’ve always known that I can go to my supervisor with any problem…”

On the training side, the TC kicks off with a two-week induction that includes sessions on compliance and IT. From then on, at the beginning of each rotation, department-specific training sessions bring new starters up to speed, supplemented by a handover from the outgoing trainee. Insiders felt it was “a great opportunity to fill in the gaps.” The quantity of training varies between teams; for instance, in corporate, the training is “very comprehensive,” whereas in seats that are “more niche” like construction, “training is more on-the-job.” Most teams have “regular know-how meetings,” and trainees informed us that “junior lawyers are strongly encouraged to give presentations” during these.

Pro bono & CSR

Although pro bono makes up a smaller part of life at the firm, there is a big emphasis on charity work, with “plenty of opportunities to get involved.” The firm partners with a different local charity every year (currently The Lighthouse), running fundraising events such as a promises auction, a raffle, bake sales, and a carol service. Our interviewees felt that “the firm is constantly doing things, and the trainees are always involved.” Trainees are also encouraged to raise money individually, with a dedicated time-recording code for responsible business activities.

Inclusion

We heard that “there’s definitely a focus” on diversity and inclusion, with the caveat that “we’re a law firm in Surrey, so there’s a limit” to the levels of representation within the firm. Nevertheless, our interviewees noted that diversity is “really important to the firm, and they actively try to do what they can to support and promote it.” For instance, an LGBT committee and various D&I groups hold regular events and educational lunches, as well as a Pride party in the summer with drag queen bingo.

Qualification

When qualification time comes knocking, Stevens & Bolton releases a list of available jobs and trainees can apply for those they are interested in. Our interviewees told us that the process has recently become more formalised, remembering that “it used to just be an informal chat with the head of department.” Now that the intake has increased, “there’s more competition for the seats,” and if multiple applicants have their eye on the same role, the firm holds “quite structured” interviews. Trainees felt that the process might benefit from increased transparency but added that “they’re working on it and it’s getting better; they’re good at taking feedback.” If they do end up qualifying, they’re keen to stick around: “You tend to get people staying for a very long time. There’s a number of partners who trained here!”

See you in court...

…at S&B’s netball and padel clubs!