Collyer Bristow LLP - True Picture

Collyer Bristow training contract review 2026

The Firm 

Snuggled up to St. Paul’s – and with a focused yet full-service workforce – Collyer Bristow has spent the last century gently weaving its fingertips into the London legal scene. It has historically been known as top of the class in anything to do with private client, but trainee interviewees were clear that “you have got to make people aware of the diversity of the practice!” Now, the firm has a reputation which far outweighs its modest size (of 80 lawyers and counting!) and has earned recognition from Chambers High Net Worth  in  private wealth law and family/matrimonial finance, and has a real estate ranking from Chambers UK to boot. 

“You have got to make people aware of the diversity of the practice!” 

So, it’s certainly established itself as a go-to destination for wealthy individuals, medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs and, of course, the budding trainee looking to kickstart a well-balanced legal career. As our interviewees explained, “I was looking for a firm that wasn’t too big but was still full-service, and Collyer Bristow ticked all the boxes.” Trainees were more than happy to tell us all about how they’ve been able to try a bit of everything, all while having access to good training and a genuinely decent work-life balance. Look no further, Goldilocks, Collyer Bristow seems to have nailed the art of getting it just right. 

The Seats 

Collyer Bristow operates a fairly informal seat allocation process for each of the trainees’ four seats. While we heard from one insider that “you just have chats with the HR director and say what you’re interested in,” others told us that, to give yourself the best shot, “you’ll want to take people out for coffee and show some interest in the seat.” According to trainees, it’s worth noting that it’s unlikely to get a top preference in the first rotation since priority goes to second-years, but some seats are almost guaranteed. “There are no official compulsory seats,” a trainee explained, though most people do a property seat and “they want everyone to do at least one contentious seat, such as family, employment or commercial disputes.” 

The firm has three real estate seats, including private client property, commercial real estate and real estate litigation. Here, the firm covers “anything with a real estate nexus, helping out real estate clients with any contentious issues they have, such as tenants who might be kicking off!” Day to day, newbies take on typical trainee tasks like managing bundles for hearings and trials, helping take witness statements, preparing filings, and “sometimes serving things in person at court or a defendant’s address.” Even though the seat counts as a contentious seat in the firm, trainees told us that the practice is still “very much separate from litigation” but, like litigation, “you get to do most parts of the court procedure.” 

There is a separate commercial disputes seat on offer, as well, where trainees also help prep bundles, draft witness statements and attend mediations. A difference highlighted by trainees, however, was that newbies here “speak directly to counsel and the client’s lawyers who have instructed us. They might fly in, and you’ll deal with bits of trial on the day.” IP also sits within dispute resolution, and is split between trademark infringement, copyright infringement, data protection and patent disputes. “More than 75% of the work is disputes,” one interviewee surmised, which means trainee tasks include bundling, maintaining action lists, attending conferences with clients, and drafting correspondence, NDAs, policies and licensing agreements. 

A commercial real estate seat covers the transactional side of property work, with many property developer and investment company clients. While we heard that “you can’t expect to be working directly with banks on loan agreements,” trainees do get to help on property finance matters, too. Most of a trainee’s work involves Land Registry applications and drafting leases, licences and reports on title. “It’s a lot of document management and drafting as you help transactions tick along,” a trainee summarised, though we heard that trainees might run completions on smaller matters. 

“… you learn how to deal with people in very emotional situations.” 

Private client property covers (you guessed it) the private client side of real estate. This side of the practice has both global and national clients looking for help handling their high-value residential properties. This means that trainees get to work on various bits and pieces, including sales and purchases, deeds of variation, work with the Land Registry and responding to enquiries. Meanwhile, under the wider private client practice umbrella, trainees can sit with the private client family team. Newbies here were happy to report that the work comes with “a lot of independence and responsibility.”

On the daily, trainees will get to draft documents, but apparently “clients will call you out of the blue with their issues, which are always immediate and essential!” It’s the sort of work that requires a human touch, and trainees are responsible for “giving advice and helping them see the wood through the trees. You get to cut your teeth on client management, and you learn how to deal with people in very emotional situations.” 

Like private client, an employment seat also comes with plenty of client contact. Classic tasks for trainees here include sitting in on client calls, undertaking research to help advise a client and drafting settlement agreements. A lot of the work is advisory, as the team typically helps clients navigate things like exit negotiations and redundancies. There’s also a contentious side to the practice, and interviewees were involved in cases like unfair dismissals and discrimination claims. Much of the work is employer-side, though there is some work for executives as well. Trainees on employment disputes typically attend preliminary hearings, tribunal hearings and assist with any preparation as needed. 

“You have a say in the balance.” 

The wider commercial services group offers a corporate and commercialseat, which largely focuses on M&A. However, trainees were clear that “you have a say in the balance. You can choose how much corporate or commercial work you want to do.” To sum up, the commercial side of the practice involves a lot of drafting, reviewing and researching contracts. The corporate part of the work, meanwhile, is “what you’d expect – due diligence, ancillary documents and a bit of client contact.”  

Trainee Life 

“You can tell you’ve got a pretty good work-life balance when working after 6pm is considered a late night!” 

Our interviewees had very positive things to say about Collyer Bristow’s culture, noting how “you can be yourself! It’s not super relaxed – as in, you can’t wear a T-shirt and jeans – but there’s no sort of snotty vibe.” Trainees were relieved that “you’re only judged on the work itself,” and that the firm creates a supportive atmosphere where newbies can “reliably ask people questions and for feedback.”

Adding to insiders’ optimistic view of the firm was the hours. “By ten to six, most people have either gone or are packing up,” a trainee outlined, “You can tell you’ve got a pretty good work-life balance when working after 6pm is considered a late night!” As such, trainees were very satisfied with the salary on offer which, though a bit below market, is “pretty good considering the work-life balance!” 

Trainees are also only expected in the office three days a week, two of which are team days. The officeitself, at least in terms of location, is “unreal,” as one newbie emphasised: “It’s right next to St. Paul’s, so I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be working.” There’s also an open plan hot-desking system in place which is “good for mingling about and chatting with people” and has helped get people back in the office. 

The firm has made other conscious efforts to encourage office attendance such as social events, though a few noted that “it would be nice if they were better attended. Perhaps there could be more of an emphasis on going to them.” According to insiders, much of this could be down to the fact that “there are a lot of parents here, so the turnout at drinks isn’t always that high.” Still, interviewees were looking forward to the summer party (a rooftop barbecue in the City), and the firm recently started a series of monthly events called ‘Collyer Connections,’ where everyone is encouraged to go into the office for breakfast or drinks.

Collyer Bristow also has a social committee which organises events like bowling or karaoke. Our trainee interviewees, however, were most keen to highlight their annual £2k social budget, which allows them to “plan a lot of events throughout the year, and that helps us stay close and become genuine friends.” 

“… there are so many people you can go to for help.” 

Trainees were also grateful for the firm’s mentor programme, which pairs newbies with third- or fourth-year associate buddies. They also get development coaches who take on the role of supervisors in each seat. A development coach is typically a partner in the team but, even if things get especially busy, trainees have several avenues for support: “We’ve got a really good network, and there are so many people you can go to for help, including your development coach.”

Each department also has an associate in charge of learning and development, and most teams have lunch-and-learns at least every other month. Nevertheless, trainees advised that you still shouldn’t be complacent, as learning and development is “on the trainee at the end of the day. Either way, you learn a lot as you go and from trying out the work.” 

Qualification was described as a swift process by those who’d been through it. Trainees meet with the HR director to discuss qualification and, once a jobs list is released, they can apply for their preferred NQ roles. This includes a one-page summary on why they should be considered, and interviews typically only happen when there is competition for a role. However, qualifiers were clear that it’s otherwise “pretty informal.” Insiders did caution that spaces are dependent on business need, but were still confident that “the firm really wants to keep the people it has invested in.” In 2025, Collyer Bristow kept on 3 out of 5 trainees.

How to get a Collyer Bristow training contract 

Applications  

Each year the firm receives over 300 applications for its four or five training contracts. Candidates complete an online form covering “the standard questions about qualifications, strengths and previous work experience,” current trainees told us. Applicants are asked to submit a CV and cover letter alongside their application form.  Advice for the cover letter is: “The cover letter should only provide an introduction and be no longer than three to four well-constructed paragraphs.  It sets the scene for the CV and application form.”  

Assessments  

The firm invites around 25 applicants to an assessment centre. Prior to the assessment centre, candidates are asked to complete an online GIA assessment.  This is an aptitude and ability assessment which measures how quickly candidates will learn and retain new skills and procedures. The assessment centre begins with a welcome meeting, then lunch with some of the current trainees so the candidates can relax and get to know the firm from a trainee perspective.   

In the afternoon, attendees are asked to undertake a written exercise and then attend a 45-minute panel interview, with two partners and the HR Director. Current trainees recalled this as “a challenging but friendly interview – they do try to make you feel at ease.” According to the HR team, “the feedback we receive from applicants is that, aside from the assessments, they find it an enjoyable day and leave feeling positive about the experience.”  

Ideal candidates  

When it comes to impressing, “we're looking for a self-starting individual with good common sense,” the HR team tells us. “Potential technical excellence is a given. We need candidates to demonstrate commercial awareness and an understanding of the importance of delivering the highest-quality client service.”  

The advice to candidates is “Come prepared. That means having an insight into the firm, which you can get from our website and other relevant publications. This will allow you to relax and focus, so that when you come for an interview your potential will shine through.”