Thrings

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Thrings

Thrings has a ‘wide variety of seat options’, including ‘specialist expertise in the agricultural sector’. Recruits at the south west firm are likely to spend time in a number of the firm’s offices in Bristol, Bath, Swindon, London and Romsey. Thanks to a small intake, there is ‘more seat choice availability and trainees get their top choice of seat most of the time’. The ‘excellent NQ retention rate’ also keeps recruits motivated, and trainees reported feeling ‘very hopeful that we will be kept on at the end of our training contract’. ‘Extremely personable and friendly people’ make for a ‘nice environment to work in’, with ‘senior lawyers and partners always open to questions and very approachable’. Many respondents had ‘heard many great things from previous clients and people that worked at the firm’, which confirmed their decision to join. What’s more, the ‘hours are great, the training is personalised and the HR team is incredible’. Less impressive are the ‘legal technology’ and the limited social life; recruits would like to have ‘more opportunities to socialise outside of work with colleagues and other trainees’. Respondents also complained about ‘the travel to different offices if you are in a seat split’, because ‘moving between different locations can be tiring’. Most of the time though, the opportunity to be involved in high-quality, high-responsibility work makes up for any shortcomings. A clear highlight for one trainee was ‘truly feeling like a solicitor during my second seat. I really enjoyed this seat and this has elevated my confidence, and I now feel like I am working at a completely different level’. If a firm with a ‘broad range of areas of expertise’, including a unique agriculture focus, and ‘excellent training’ sounds like the perfect package, research Thrings.

A day in the life of... Sam Longmore, trainee, Thrings

Departments to date: Succession and tax; Planning and environmental; Succession and tax

University: University of Law (Bristol)

Degree: Law LLB (Hons) 2:1

8.00am: Morning prep. A cup (or two) of coffee in hand, I skim through legal journals and news to stay updated on recent changes in my practice area. Before diving into my workload, I catch up with the team and then review emails to ensure I address any client queries that have come in overnight.

9.00am: Meeting with supervisor. One of the most valuable parts of the day is meeting with my supervising partner to discuss my workload. This mentorship provides me with guidance through the complex legal matters of ongoing cases, strategies and any queries I may have. The support I receive from my supervisor and team is invaluable towards my professional growth.

9.30am: Client meeting. I have a meeting with executors to discuss a new probate matter, trusts arising out of the will and taking instructions for updating the will of the surviving spouse. This is a complex meeting advising on various different elements, answering the clients’ queries to arm them with the information required to take their decision to advance the estate, discuss the ongoing trust and to carry out tax planning for the surviving spouse.

11.00am: Trainee team meeting. All the trainees have a Teams catch up every two weeks, which is a really good opportunity to see everyone as we are spread across the offices. In our chat we will discuss what we have been up to both in and out of work and use this time to plan the upcoming Christmas party for the firm.

11.30am: Clearing a property, registering a death and organising a funeral. The partners of the firm are appointed as executors in a will and so we take on responsibility for administering the estate. Part of this role is collecting the keys for the property and then liaising with estate agents and auctioneers to ascertain the value of the home and its contents. I need to find as much paperwork as I can to work out who the deceased banked with, whether they have shareholdings, etc.

On this occasion, it also fell to me to register the death with the Registrar, so my name appears on the death certificate as the informant. After I have obtained the death certificate, as they had no relatives, I organise their funeral.

1.00pm: Lunch break. Taking a slightly later break today to recharge, with a few colleagues, we head outside to the square – when the weather is nice enough. We are really lucky to have an office in the centre of Bath so I can take a stroll and get my steps in for the day.

2.00pm: Client enquiries. I am on the enquiries’ rota today and so it’s my turn to field the calls from prospective and existing clients who are looking to get our help and expertise. I really enjoy this part of the job because it offers lots of client contact and the opportunity to get to know people – every call is different with varying client needs and complexities. Once speaking with them, I can offer fee estimates for our work and set up appointments to confirm their instructions.

2.30pm: Drafting. This afternoon, I have a large inheritance tax account and probate application to prepare for one of the numerous high-net-worth estates on the firm’s books. As there is inheritance tax to pay because the value is in the millions, I need to liaise with the institutions to check on their requirements to release money to pay the tax bill; it is important to ensure that we are using the right assets to pay the tax and, of course, paying the right amount.

4.00pm: Networking. I get a slightly earlier finish from the office today to attend a networking event in Bath – axe throwing, playing electronic darts and enjoying a G&T. Trainees have so many opportunities to get involved in networking opportunities across all the offices, not just in their base.

6.00pm: End of the day. I’ll pop back to the office briefly to check over any emails that came in towards the end of the day and start preparing my to-do list for tomorrow.

About the firm

The firm: Thrings is focused on providing exceptional legal service and collaborative long-term business relationships which enable its increasingly broad client base to succeed and grow. From its offices in London, Bristol, Swindon, Bath, Romsey and the Wye Valley, Thrings’ teams of experts act for clients across a range of sectors, from agriculture and development of land to business growth, banking and finance, as well as through a comprehensive array of private client services.

The clients: Newland Homes; Truespeed Communications Limited; The National Farmers Union (NFU); Lovehoney; GS Yuasa; HSBC; Sothebys International Realty (UK Franchise); Boost & Co (now Growth Lending); The Government of Romania; NatWest Bank.

The deals: Negotiating the legal aspects of one of the UK’s most significant environmental mitigation schemes, spanning four local planning authorities in Norfolk which will help new development in the area reach nutrient neutrality; representing Fridays Ltd, one of the country’s largest free-range egg producers, in the Upper Tribunal, securing a nationally significant judgment in seeking business rates exemptions; acting for charity Avon Needs Trees in securing multimillion-pound funding and the corresponding land purchase to create the South West’s largest new woodland; acting for a national agricultural group in connection with a £50m refinancing involving a number of high-street banks; acting for property developer Baylis Estates in relation to the sale of land with associated infrastructure arrangements to technology giant Siemens for the creation of a new digital engineering facility in Wiltshire; advising the National Farmers Union (NFU) and its members on the legal aspects around compulsory purchases of land in relation to the delivery of the HS2 rail line.

Senior partner: Jonathan Payne

Managing partner: Simon Holdsworth

Other offices: Bath, Bristol, Swindon, Ross-on-Wye, Lydney, Romsey and London.

Who we are: Thrings is based in the South West and is a major player along the M4 corridor and surrounding area. We are a vibrant law firm with a diverse client base, offering excellent structured career prospects to ambitious trainees. We operate from offices in Bristol, Bath, Swindon, Wye Valley, London and Romsey.

What we do: Thrings is a trusted legal partner offering specialist advice to a number of clients across a variety of disciplines; our clients range from small start-up organisations to household names you would know and recognise. We have specialists who support in areas such as agriculture, banking and finance, development of land, business growth and private client, with a growing presence of clients operating internationally.

What we’re looking for: We’re seeking talented graduates to join us in 2025 and beyond.  We typically look for candidates who have a 2(1) as a minimum who have already completed (or are imminently completing) their LPC.  We haven’t yet transitioned trainee recruitment solely to the SQE route but expect this will happen in a few years.  Someone who has an eagerness to learn, will throw themselves in to a challenge and put our clients and colleagues at the heart of what they do will fit in well at Thrings.

What you’ll do: With a dedicated Thrings Academy to support the development of skills outside of those trained within your team, you can expect professional development that will equip you for a long and varied career at Thrings. It is one of the reasons our trainees really rate the opportunity at Thrings. We feel it’s important to develop your skills from the get-go and a supported training contract will mean you will get the opportunity to experience at least three different legal disciplines. Outside of everything legal, you’ll be involved in supporting our social calendar, alongside getting the opportunity to go along to networking events to represent the firm. All in all, a training contract at Thrings teaches you more than just the legal skills you need to succeed.

Perks: We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, including life insurance, private medical insurance, health checks, discounted shopping at a number of retailers, gym discounts, season ticket loans, cycle to work schemes, 25 days’ holiday plus Christmas closedown days, and a day off for your birthday.

There are a number of office organised social events that run throughout the year that everyone is encouraged to join. Joining Thrings is more than just joining a law firm.

Seat options

The seats typically available include: corporate; real estate; family; commercial disputes; property litigation; succession and tax.

Tips from the recruiter

1. Personalise your application – make it clear that you’re keen to work for the firm; generic applications don’t stand out.
2. Be yourself – don’t tell us what you think we want to hear, we want to know you.
3. Really research us, and tell us why you want to be a trainee with us – the authenticity shines through.

Diversity and inclusion