Trainee Solicitor

Nash & Co Solicitors LLP; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks holiday

Health cash back plan

Death in service benefit

Bonus scheme

Enhanced maternity/paternity pay

Job summary

Nash & Co Solicitors LLP in Plymouth invites applications for a Trainee Solicitor starting September 2027. The scheme rotates trainees through Corporate & Business, Employment, Commercial Property, Family, Wills/Trusts/Tax/Probate, and Personal Injury & Medical Negligence, allowing deep exposure to multiple practice areas.

Based in our Plymouth office on a full-time permanent basis, the program emphasises practical learning, with shortlisting and interviews scheduled for early 2027.

Qualifications

• We are looking for candidates who are on track to achieve or have already secured at least a 2:1 degree in any discipline.
• Supportive and collaborative approach to training with exposure to multiple teams.

Skills

Legal skills

Analytical thinking

Effective communication

Teamwork

Education

2:1 degree

Job description

Full time, Permanent, based in our Plymouth office

We are delighted to have opened our applications for Trainee Solicitors who will start with us in September 2027.

The teams involved in our Trainee scheme

All Trainees at Nash & Co Solicitors will rotate through two different teams. A lot of other firms will offer 4 rotations, but we want to give you the time to really understand the work, the teams involved and to be able to make a properly informed decision on which area of law that you’d like to work in. If you are shortlisted for interview, we’ll discuss with you the teams below, and which we think you would be the best fit for.

The teams involved are as follows:

Corporate & Business

Employment

Commercial Property

Family

Wills, Trusts, Tax and Probate

Personal Injury & Medical Negligence

Closing deadline for the Trainee Solicitor role will be Wednesday 9th December 2026. Shortlisting will then take place with interviews scheduled for early 2027.

Emily Nunn Trainee Solicitor in the Conveyancing team

The selection process and 2027 start

We want to make sure that we select the right people for our Trainee schemes. This has to work for us, as much as it has to work for you.

We will acknowledge your application by email, and will then sift through the applications that we’ve received.

Closing date for applications is the 9th December 2026. Shortlisting will then take place with interviews scheduled for early 2026.

Selection Day

This will involve meeting key people from around the firm. You’ll spend lunch with some of our current trainees and newly qualified solicitors, allowing you to find out what it’s like working here. In the afternoon, you’ll do some prep work on a short presentation that we’d like you to give to us before the end of the day. More information about this will be provided at the time of shortlisting.

Final Interviews

Final interviews will then be held soon after the Selection Day, and we’ll let you know the outcome soon after.

More information about our Trainee Solicitor scheme

Ellie-Rose Cloney is a Trainee Solicitor with our Commercial Dispute Resolution team, having joined from a large international law firm in Plymouth. She joined the firm earlier in 2026, and has thrived in her new position. We recently sat down with Ellie-Rose to find out how her time in the role had gone so far.

Before you started your training contract at Nash & Co Solicitors, what did you expect life as a trainee solicitor to be like, and has anything surprised you?

Coming from a volume litigation background, I expected my training contract to offer greater variety and help me build on the legal foundations I had developed in my previous role. While that has certainly been the case, I was surprised by the breadth of work available and the range of clients Nash acts for. Another unexpected highlight has been the firm's culture. Whilst there is a natural chain of command, it never feels overly hierarchical; everyone is approachable and contributes towards a shared goal of delivering excellent outcomes for clients while making a meaningful contribution to the wider profession and the local community.

No, but seriously, if there’s one thing I’ve learned as a trainee, it’s that there’s no such thing as a “typical” week. The variety keeps the role interesting and means I'm constantly learning something new. What I've enjoyed most is being trusted to take ownership of my work while having the reassurance that support is available whenever I need it. It's a great balance that allows you to develop confidence, make mistakes in a supportive environment, and gradually take on more responsibility as your experience grows. That balance of autonomy and guidance has done a lot for my confidence and development.

In the Commercial Dispute Resolution team, I've worked on a range of contentious matters, including TOLATA disputes, commercial property, consumer rights claims, data protection matters, intellectual property disputes, residential landlord and tenant cases, and probate-related disputes, amongst others.

How much responsibility have you been given during your training contract, and how has that changed as you've become more experienced?

The responsibility I’ve been given has increased steadily throughout my training contract. Now at 6 months in, I manage my own caseload alongside supporting the head of the team on more complex matters, which has exposed me to a wide variety of work and clients. The level of responsibility has increased steadily as my confidence has grown, but always at a pace that feels manageable. Nash is particularly good at checking in and ensuring support is available whenever needed. From the outset, I’ve been encouraged to contribute ideas, strategies and solutions, and they’ve always been taken seriously, regardless of my level of experience. For me, what stands out about Nash is that development isn't measured by how quickly you can be thrown in at the deep end, but by how confidently you can swim when you get there.

What have you found most valuable about spending your training contract within the same team, and how has that helped you develop?

Spending my training contract within the same team has allowed me to develop expertise in an area of law I knew I wanted to practise from the moment I first encountered litigation. While some might assume a single-seat training contract limits development, I’ve found the opposite to be true at Nash. The breadth of contentious work has exposed me to a diverse range of legal issues, many of which closely align with the SQE syllabus, helping to bring the theory to life through practical application. The variety keeps things interesting, while the procedural framework that underpins litigation provides a consistent foundation on which to develop confidence and expertise. If nothing else, my training contract has confirmed one thing: I enjoy a good argument (provided it’s backed by evidence and conducted professionally, of course).

The support at Nash is one of the things that has impressed me most. Whether it’s a board member, a solicitor, or a member of the support team, everyone seems genuinely invested in my development and progression. There’s a real open-door culture. If I’m grappling with a point of law, a procedural issue, or even an SQE topic, there’s always someone willing to talk it through. Given that contentious work can be demanding, the people make a huge difference. Litigation will always bring pressure. What surprised me at Nash is how much easier that pressure is to manage when you're surrounded by talented people who want to help each other succeed.

The environment is supportive, light-hearted and collaborative, which makes even the busiest periods feel manageable.

If you were speaking to someone who was considering applying for a training contract at Nash & Co Solicitors, what would you tell them about the experience and what advice would you give them before applying?

My advice would be to take the time to understand the firm's values, the work it does and the clients it serves. If possible, speak to people at the firm before applying to gain a deeper insight into the culture and day-to-day reality of the role. While technical ability is important, so are enthusiasm, curiosity, and a genuine willingness to learn. After all, your personality cannot be taught, but the Civil Procedure Rules can be! Therefore, above all, be yourself. Nash is full of talented people who are not afraid to let their personalities shine through, and I think that's one of the firm's greatest strengths. Clients often remember how you made them feel just as much as the legal advice you gave them. Being approachable, authentic and someone clients genuinely enjoy working with can be every bit as important as producing excellent legal work.

I wish you the best of luck in your application and will hopefully see you around Beaumont House soon!

About you

To apply for a position as a Trainee Solicitor, there are a few important criteria you’ll need to meet:

We are looking for candidates who are either on track to achieve or have already secured at least a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in any discipline.

In addition to academic achievements, we’re seeking individuals who demonstrate the key skills and qualities essential for success as a trainee solicitor at Nash & Co:

Legal Skills (a willingness to learn along with analytical thinking and effective communication)

Personal and Professional Growth (someone who actively seeks opportunities to learn, and someone who works well within a team)

Business Insight (shows an understanding Nash & Co Solicitors’ goals and strategic vision, and someone who has good time management skills)

Client Focus (shows a passion for delivering not only the best quality work, but the best quality client service, and an ability to build strong relationships with clients)

About us

We’re a firm of Solicitors in Plymouth who passionately believe in providing our clients with the very best client experience and service.

We work with clients across the City, throughout the South West, and nationally too. We’re a law firm that punches well above our weight and our client list would be the envy of a lot of larger firms nationwide.

We put a very significant emphasis on providing our clients with exceptional client service and experience, and are keen for our lawyers to use their experience, knowledge and expertise to provide an outstanding quality of work as well. We currently have the highest average score and by far the most Google Reviews of any law firm in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the majority of Dorset.

Our Corporate and Business Law, Employment Law, Commercial Property and Litigation teams together provide companies and organisations with a comprehensive and joined-up approach to all of their legal requirements.

For individuals and families needing legal support, we understand that visiting, talking to and trusting in a lawyer can be a daunting experience. As a result, we tailor our approach to ensure that the needs of our clients are catered to and that we balance professional advice and assistance with a friendly atmosphere.

Salary & benefits

We offer a highly competitive salary, 5 weeks holiday per year, a health cash back plan, death in service benefit, a healthy bonus scheme and enhanced maternity/paternity pay.

Outside of work, we organise various events for our people throughout the year and live and work in undoubtedly one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Plymouth is a lively city, and has recently been named in PwC’s report as the number one city in the UK to live.

It’s vitally important to usthatourpeople can maintain healthy and happy lives, both in and out of work; we have a number of resources andinitiativesdesigned tosupporthealth and well-being.

This really is a two-way relationship. Our clients benefit from your hard work, your expertise, commitment and experience. In return, you’ll be an important and valued member of the firm, and we’ll do whatever we can to make sure that you have access to the resources that both you and your family need to thrive.

You can find out more about the benefits of employment at Nash & Co Solicitors, by clicking here .

Our values

Everything that we do at Nash & Co Solicitors, is done with these values in mind.

Be Fair – we do not expect you to work ‘silly hours’, in fact we discourage it. In our view, work is part of our lives, not all of it.

Be Kind – we are committed to being kind to both clients and our people. This helps to create an environment where our people produce their best work, and our clients return time and again. We should always be supportive, compassionate and act thoughtfully.

Be Transparent – we should always be transparent about costs, timescales, and the work that we do for clients. We should be in regular contact with our clients, keeping things understandable and avoiding legal jargon wherever possible.

Be Honest – if something goes wrong, or circumstances change, we should always communicate this with our clients as soon as possible.

Be Brilliant – We should constantly challenge ourselves to be better, think bigger and work to find creative solutions to clients’ challenges.

Diversity and inclusion

At Nash & Co Solicitors, diversity and inclusion naturally underpins how we as a firm live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our firm, where everyone can feel comfortable coming to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the one of the top law firms in the area; and because of this, we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

Our environmental and community commitments

We have a range of long-term environmental commitments, particularly with ocean-based charities and organisations - the Ocean Conservation Trust, the National Marine Aquarium, Surfers Against Sewage, and Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Plymouth is known as Britain’s Ocean City, and we want to do our bit to help look after the seas and rivers that surround us. We’re also running our own rewilding and tree planting scheme in our grounds and the adjacent public park, to encourage wildlife to thrive. You can find out more about our environmentalcommitments here .

Here at Nash & Co we have always believed in doing whatever we can to help and support our local community, and this will always be an important part of the firm. From buying Christmas presents for young carers across Plymouth to paying for our staff to enter half marathons, 10k and 5k events. From doing beach cleans and street cleans to cycling the equivalent of Plymouth to the South of France and organising bake sales and charity quizzes etc. Supporting our community is something that we’re all really passionate about and more than happy to do. Click here to find out more about the work that we do in the community .

Because of the nature of the job of a Trainee Solicitor, we would need you to be in the office at all times. It’s particularly difficult to learn from senior lawyers, or others in your team, when you’re working from home and they’re in the office.

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where relevant, we may conduct pre-engagement screening checks. These may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the UK, any criminal records, and work-related references.

If you have any questions, or you’d like to speak to us direct, you can contact us at [e-mail] or by calling Joanne Arnold, our Office Manager, on 01752 664444 . Thank you.

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