Northridge - True Picture

Northridge training contract review 2026

The Firm

Now while we at Chambers Student say that all areas of legal practice have their charms, there’s no getting past the fact that some might have an edge over others. Of course, it’s all subjective, but if like us you are passionate about both sports and the law, you’ll be glad to know that there’s a firm that is too. In fact, as one trainee put it: “Everything Northridge does is centred around sport.” This means practices covering the likes of employment, gaming, and media and entertainment, all with a sports focus. It’s also worth noting that when we say sport, we mean sport. Serious sport. Put simply, fans of law’s beautiful game will have a hard time finding a name the firm hasn’t worked with. We’re talking the FA, Newcastle United FC and Premiership Rugby. No big deal…

“Everything Northridge does is centred around sport.”

While there are a number of firms with sports practices, there are very few sports-focused firms, and Northridge has certainly carved out a niche for itself. The firm has been awarded top-tier rankings in sports law in Chambers UK for the last seven consecutive years. That’s on top of acknowledgments in gaming law nationwide too. This kind of reputation builds connections, and all trainees at the firm will undertake at least one client secondment to the likes of Chelsea FC or the FA.

The Seats

Northridge’s approach to seat allocation was described as both fluid and flexible. The firm is split into two sides - litigation/contentious and non-contentious - and a seat in one or the other leaves room for trainees to work across all the departments on that side of the coin. As most trainees do a secondment, this equates to three seats, leaving the fourth for trainees to spend dedicated time in the specific area of practice they’d like to qualify into. However, some may choose to go on another secondment if available.

We heard that secondments, as a well-established part of the traineeship at Northridge, are simply a case of expressing a preference.  While on secondment, trainees still have ample contact with the firm and are assigned a supervisor. They are also assigned a ‘buddy’ who has previously completed the secondment, typically at an associate level. “I got exposure to a new area in the same industry,” one told us, “you can apply your knowledge differently, so you learn a lot from it.” Secondees were quick to highlight the responsibility on offer too: “In-house, you can run things on your own.” The work isn’t limited to a particular practice area either, and will likely adapt to whatever is needed in the moment. For any FOMO sufferers, secondees are still invited along to all firm events.

On the litigation side, the firm advises its star-studded client list where contentious issues arise. This includes the likes of specific sports litigation cases, where the firm advises clients through all stages of a matter making its way through forums like the Court of Arbitration for Sport or the High Court. In one recent case, the firm advised strategic investment company Atairos on becoming a minority partner in V Sports S.C.S, the owner of Aston Villa Football Club and Aston Villa Women’s Football Club. The firm also handles investigations for both sports clubs and regulatory bodies, particularly in football: “Whether that’s the club being investigated, or, equally, the governing body on regulatory side.” Typical trainee tasks in the space include research ahead of a potential dispute, administrative tasks like bundling, and managing court deadlines. Generally, our interviewees spoke of the opportunity to take charge of case management, as well as letter writing for pre-action and pre-claims work. There is also plenty of room to liaise with barristers and attend client meetings. We heard the firm also doesn’t shy away from getting trainees involved in presentations.

“They give you responsibility when you want it and assure you there are no stupid questions.”

The non-contentious arm of the firm is much larger and “even more varied,” encompassing “corporate, commercial and employment practices.” In reality, this means work on the likes of buying and selling controlling shares in clubs and teams, player endorsement of products, licensing and contracts work: “More specifically, the making of a contract – drafting through to contract review.” This means plenty of research, but there are opportunities to have a go at the first draft. We heard that the review process is a “big task,” simply as a result of the size and length of these contracts. However, it is a valuable opportunity to flag any potential issues and have a go at marking things up. Across the board, interviewees appreciated the responsibility they were given: “They give you responsibility when you want it and assure you there are no stupid questions.” As you’ve probably come to expect at this point, one of the standout features of work in the seat was how “very high profile it is.” In one of the most heavily reported deals of the year, the firm advised Farhad Moshiri’s Blue Heaven on the sale of its controlling stake in Everton FC to Roundhouse Capital Holdings. Elsewhere, the firm acted as lead adviser for The FA on the transfer of its ownership of the top two tiers of women’s professional football in England to a club shareholder model resembling the existing Premier League structure.

Trainee Life

The Northridge HQ is based in Farringdon, a convenient spot for those both in and out of the city. The open plan structure allows for juniors to work directly with more senior lawyers, as well as across teams: “I’ve been sitting next to the department head each time I’ve been in.” As a trainee, you can work from home once a week, but there is scope for that to be two when it’s needed. “They trust you to make the right decisions, most people come in on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.” The working hours were praised for being mostly balanced, with the average finish being around 7pm. Therefore, trainees felt adequately compensated compared to their hours, which currently sits at £52,500 for first years and £55,000 for second years. “We are getting paid the same as all the other big firms, but you aren’t sacrificing your life like you might be at one of them.”

“…the firm lacks that old-fashioned law firm culture.”

Since the firm is on the younger side, at only eight years post-founding, “the firm lacks thatold-fashioned law firm culture.”  This was welcomed by juniors who appreciated that “everyone gets along so well,” and that there “are no bad eggs.” The firm also hosts an annual trip, with the inaugural vacation being to Barcelona to watch football. This was followed by a ski trip and, most recently, a homestay in a “really big, gorgeous house,” for lots of team bonding activities. Can we come next year?

All of these opportunities were described as a great way to unwind over nice meals and drinks with colleagues. Further, the trip was described as a great way “to facilitate partner relations and bridge a relationship across all levels at the firm.” Aside from the yearly holiday, there are also social events such as quizzes or more ad hoc activities like trips to the pub. We were told there is also a firm anniversary party and a Christmas party (both with the opportunity to do karaoke). The firm environment was described as “inclusive,” and there is a diversity and wellbeing committee there to focus on running events and initiatives.

In terms of supervision, the firm’s setup of providing both a buddy and a supervisor received top marks from our trainees. Juniors have a scheduled meeting with their supervisor, who is a managing associate, every two weeks, but can also go to them with questions whenever they arise: “Everyone here is good at giving you feedback and making sure everything is going okay. The people here are really approachable too, so you aren’t just confined to your supervisor or buddy.” There is also a trainee forum every quarter where there is the opportunity to raise any issues, as well as for seniors to check that juniors are happy with the amount of feedback they are receiving.

Trainees also receive training from the knowledge lawyers through a set programme. These often take place over breakfast or lunch, and food is provided. There are also team training sessions, and we were told there has recently been an increase in corporate training. There has also been a push to get external trainers to come in, as well as ad hoc refresher sessions when big sports cases take place. The firm has some charity partners and pro bono partners too, such as ParkPlay, which allows trainees to get involved in work outside of the sports field.

When it comes to qualification, we heard that trainees will find out early in their fourth seat if there is a qualification spot for them, and in what department. This came as a big relief, “as it is early enough time to give you peace of mind, and if anything does go wrong, there is plenty of time.” The process was described as informal - there are no interviews, just a chat with the partner about preferences, who will then communicate the decision. However, there certainly isn’t any need to worry, as one trainee put it: “It's very rare for people to leave; they only take on two trainees each year, so they are very committed to making sure everyone stays on.” In 2025, the firm retained both of its qualifiers!

Get Hired

How to get a Northridge Training Contract

Training Contract Deadline (2027): 30 January 2025

The Application Form

Applications are made via an online CVMail form, the link to which can be found on the firm's trainee recruitment page (when applications are open). The firm makes it clear from the off that being interested in sports law is a prerequisite of joining the firm: "We are impressed by candidates who are able to show a genuine interest in sports law. Whether this is through previous work experience or by an awareness of current trends and the ability to speak informatively about sports law issues."

The Vacation Scheme

Successful candidates from the application form screening process are invited to complete the classic Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Assessment. The top performers from this assessment will then be invited to attend an assessment centre, which may comprise a group and written assessment, as well as an interview. These interviews involve a sit down with a couple of the senior members of the team to discuss their written assessment as well as their motivations for joining Northridge. Successful candidates will then be invited to attend a four-day  vacation scheme in the summer, usually in June.

Applicants who are offered a place on the firm's vacation scheme will get an insight into life and work at Northridge, including hands-on work experience and various activities which allow applicants to immerse themselves fully into the firm's way of life and feel like part of the team.