Careers at Hugh James

Becoming a great solicitor and progressing in your career almost always requires more than pure legal skills. Training Contract Plus provides our trainees with the opportunity to learn those additional and valuable skills right from the start; the ‘over and above’ that will make you stand out as a lawyer.

A professional but human approach, we think, is vital to a successful career, so we’ll show you how to deliver excellent client care and provide guidance on how to deal with more vulnerable clients.

In time, you may be managing teams of people, so we’ll introduce you to concepts and theories of leadership, to help you begin to think how you might lead in the future.

We’ll teach you early on how law firms run; how we drive revenue, how we measure financial performance and how we drive success and growth.

You’ll see how our People and Planet workstreams are developing and evolving our business for the future, and how you can play your part.

Firms also depend on new work coming in so we’ll provide insight on how focused business development, and working on your own personal brand, can boost your professional network and complement your role at Hugh James, and we’ll teach you practical networking skills.

We recognise the benefits of constant performance enhancement and self-reflection, so throughout your two-year training contract you will be offered sessions to support your professional development with group coaching sessions.

The scheme is spearheaded by Training Principal and Partner, Matthew Evans and is part of the wider career development programme, Hugh James Potential.

Speaking about the scheme, Matthew said:

“I have now been a lawyer for over 20 years, and my role today is unrecognisable from when I first started. Throughout that journey I have been fortunate to have been taught many new skills that were never touched upon in my studies, but are now vital to me every day.

“I’ve also been lucky to have been mentored by some brilliant people. Not everyone is so lucky, so the aim of TC+ is to take the element of luck out of it, and to provide all of our trainees early with a foundational level of training and knowledge in those broader skillsets, that they can carry with them into their future careers.”

Our aim is to optimise the potential of our trainees, and to help build future leaders in the legal industry.”

Choosing Hugh James was an easy decision, and one I’ve never second guessed. Not only does Hugh James offer the scale and quality of a full-service top-tier UK law firm, it retains the warmth and community spirit of its Welsh roots, of which it is very proud. From the very first day, you feel part of ‘Team Hugh James,’ working alongside lawyers who are not only outstanding in their field but also approachable and genuinely supportive.

As a trainee, you’re trusted with early responsibility on complex, high-value matters, with the right degree of independence and guidance to help you grow. The firm not only champions its people, valuing fresh perspectives, but it also pursues an ambitious vision for itself, seeking out driven individuals who want to be part of that journey and help share in
its success.

Training Contract will be split into four seats, each lasting six months. Because Hugh James covers so many areas of law, you really get the chance to try out a broad mix of work. Whether it’s personal injury, probate or planning that piques your interest, Hugh James offers it all. So that you have the best experience as you begin your legal careers, trainees will undertake seats in both contentious and non-contentious departments. However, beyond that, it’s totally up to you.

Before each new seat, you’ll submit your preferences to HR, who do a great job of balancing everyone’s choices.

It means you can tailor your experience depending on where your interests lie.

Beginning any new job can be daunting, but right from the start you’ll feel the very real emphasis placed on your entrance into a community of people who want you to succeed. From the start, each first-year trainee is paired with a “buddy”, a second-year trainee who has just walked in your shoes and can answer any questions you may have.

In each of your four seats, you will also be allocated a supervisor, who will be your main source of support throughout those six months, and with who you will have regular appraisals, which essentially just boil down to a conversation whereby you can set your goals for the next few months. On your team, you will also have the support of any or all lawyers who are always willing to lend a hand or point you in the right direction.

You may also be paired with a mentor as part of the firm’s drive to encourage collaboration across departments.
Your mentor will be someone who’s walked the same path as you and has gone on to progress in their career. It’s a brilliant opportunity to pick their brains, hear their stories and get advice that really helps
you grow.

Finally, Hugh James also offers Training Contract Plus, which forms part of the wider Hugh James Potential scheme. Essentially, this is the firm’s commitment to you for the long term: investing in its junior lawyers today so that you can become a leader of tomorrow.

Alongside your legal training, you’ll be coached in the kind of skills that will serve you for the rest of your legal career (networking, resilience, personal branding etc). It’s all about helping you grow, not just as a solicitor, but as a well-rounded professional.

Hugh James trainees have always struck a great balance between working hard and enjoying life outside of it. As trainees, you’ll be given your own budget to organise social events throughout the year, including nights out or trips to the rugby, which have always gone down a treat.

Each team also runs its own social calendar, with events tailored to bring colleagues together. On top of this, the Partnership hosts end-of-month drinks across the offices, creating the perfect opportunity to connect with people across different departments in a relaxed setting.

The year rounds off with the firm’s annual Christmas party which is an absolute highlight of the social calendar. It’s always a lot of fun, and a great excuse to get dressed up. Definitely not one to
be missed!