Stevens & Bolton

There’s no need to sacrifice high-quality work for a more agreeable work-life balance at this regional firm where trainees invariably come out (St)even(s).

Stevens & Bolton training contract review 2026

About the firm

Sacrifice and compromise are generally considered deeply noble feats. But if we’re truly honest with ourselves, we’d all prefer to have our cake and eat it if we could… Well, if the ingredients of your ideal cake happen to be City-firm work and clients without the City-firm hours, you might want to grab a fork. “We’re like a City firm operating outside of the City,” an insider headlined in reference to their reasons for joining Stevens & Bolton, “We’re not in the hustle and bustle but still have the range of clients and the work.”

“We’re like a City firm operating outside of the City.”

If the high-quality nature of the work isn’t yet apparent enough, take it from our colleagues over on Chambers UK who award the firm top marks across a range of practices, including banking & finance; construction; corporate/M&A; employment; environment; information technology; intellectual property; litigation; real estate; and restructuring/insolvency. The firm also scores big in Chambers High Net Worth which highlights S&B as a national leader in private wealth law.

Training Contract Structure

A training contract at S&B sees trainees sit in four six-month seats. Before starting, trainees rank their top three seat preferences, which the training principal tries to accommodate, though we heard mixed results from sources. “I am really happy with the array of practice areas,” one noted, “I just wish the process was more transparent. I had a meeting with HR to discuss the fact I didn’t get what I wanted but nothing came of it.”

However, they acknowledged, “It is a difficult task to balance business need and trainee preference. There’s bound to be growing pains during expansion and each team has had a concerted effort to get trainees involved and give them opportunities.” There are also a few client secondments on offer, a few sources did however note that they were unsure of the processes involved to secure one. In the past, trainees had been approached with opportunities depending on the seat they were in at the time.

Seat Experiences

Trainee Life

The work-life balance on offer to S&B trainees was one of their most attractive selling points, according to interviewees. “I have worked the occasional late night, but it is very rare,” one trainee divulged, “We have people from Magic Circle firms join us who don’t like the late hours of London firms – despite the higher pay!” The firm operates a hybrid working model, with trainees expected in the office three days a week (though this can vary by department). In terms of hours, trainees are required to clock at least seven and a half hours a day, with busier days pushing nine hours, though sources were keen to note that these were rare.

The culture is also respectful of trainees’ personal lives. “On certain days I leave at 5.30pm regardless of work demand due to my extra-curricular activities and they completely understand,” said one interviewee. Another added, “My supervisor asked if I had plans one evening. I said yes, and so they rescheduled a partner meeting as they didn’t want to impose on my personal life.”

“There’s something going on every other week…”

S&B also has a lively social calendar. We were told that there are summer cook outs, Pride parties, and local networking events such as the Guildford junior professionals which trainees can attend. “There’s something going on every other week,” enthused a source, “We recently had a party in the town hall to celebrate a team achievement!”

Pay is lower than city levels, but trainees felt it was fair in relation to the hours they work and the quality of life on offer. “They could be more generous with travel allowances (£750 a year for rail), but I have saved money by not commuting into London,” one interviewee considered, “After weighing it all up, I feel happy with the salary and compensation.”

As for inclusion efforts, nearly half of the firm’s partners are women. This is perhaps, in part, down to the various diversity committees at S&B, which trainees highlighted, including LGBTQ+ and Women in Law. The firm also offers employees access to wellbeing initiatives, including therapy sessions. In terms of CSR-related activity, the firm partners with Guildford-based children’s charity Challengers.

Training and supervision efforts were highly praised by interviewees. On the former, newbies undergo formal training sessions when they initially start at the firm, covering the basics of how to navigate firm systems. Certain departments also provide team specific training upon commencement of each rotation, though we heard the quality of these sessions very much depended on how busy the team was at the time.

As for supervision, our interviewees had nothing but glowing reviews. “I think very highly of my supervisor,” one beamed, “we speak regularly to check on my work and hope I’m coping.” Alongside informal catch ups, trainees have mid and end of seat reviews with their supervisors to speak through feedback and objectives.

Qualification

The qualification process was described as informal, and trainees speak directly with department heads and HR to express their preferences. Our sources voiced a few concerns about retention, particularly with the firm’s focus on growing the trainee cohort. “Only 60% of last year’s cohort were retained which makes me quite anxious,” one interviewee divulged, “There’s not a lot of space now they’ve doubled the intake.”

That said, every trainee we spoke to told expressed a desire to stay at the firm long-term: “I have nothing but nice things to say about my team. The time has flown by. It has been a fantastic experience.” This year, Stevens & Bolton retained 5 of 9 qualifiers.