Charles Russell Speechlys - True Picture

Charles Russell Speechlys training contract review 2025 

The Firm 

As training principal Hamish Perry is keen to point out: “We’re an international law firm with a focus on private capital at the intersection of personal, family and business.” That said, it’s worth noting that while private client is undoubtedly one of the best cards in Charles Russell Speechlys’ hand, there’s more to private capital than just private client: “By private capital, we don’t mean purely private clients at all, it means that we are working for privately held money, so that might be private equity, it might be family offices, it might be wealthy individuals, it might also sometimes be big corporates.” This also pulls alongside particularly strong litigation and property offerings too.

“…interesting clientele in the Cotswolds.” 

Sporting nine overseas offices, the perspective of the firm is far broader than you might think. Part of the evolution of this aspect in recent years has been the introduction of the firm’s Hong Kong training contract, where one or two trainees are taken on each year via the firm’s placement scheme there.

CRS pulls in a number of Chambers High Net Worth medals, including those for its private wealth law prowess in London, Cheltenham and surrounds, Guildford and surrounds and the South. The firm also tops the charts for private wealth disputes in London and the South, while its real estate (high value residential) teams outside London as classified as national leaders. UK-wide, CRS also snags top spot for its family offices & funds structuring work. 

Our interviewees “liked that, even though they have that specialty, they have a broad range of departments” beyond private client seats. These departments’ calibre is demonstrated in Chambers UK, where the firm receives further top marks for its work in corporate/M&A; family/matrimonial; agriculture & rural affairs; construction; employment; litigation; real estate litigation; and restructuring & insolvency across the southern regions of England. 

The firm’s got three UK offices dotted across Cheltenham, Guildford and London, with equally substantive work across each. In fact, “Charles Russell is unique in that we have such an interesting clientele in the Cotswolds,” meaning the kind usually found in “a big city like Bristol or Birmingham, not sleepy old Cheltenham!” an interviewee laughed. 

The Seats 

The firm recently introduced a new electronic seat allocation system: trainees enter their top four choices with a short “blurb” explaining their reasons for choosing each seat and an AI-supported algorithm helps allocate the seats. “It’s made the process go a lot quicker,” sources praised. Since “there’s appetite to do a private client seat if you’ve come here,” trainees warned this and similar departments are particularly sought after, but we didn’t hear of anyone missing out. If a trainee really wants to do a seat that’s not on offer in their office, such as corporate not being available in Guildford, there’s the option to go ‘on secondment’ to another office for that specific seat. 

As for client secondments, there are “always the same three every rotation”: one is a commercial bank, another is a private equity fund manager, while the other is a construction company. International secondments are available in the Dubai, Hong Kong and Switzerland offices. “Some trainees go out to our Paris office as well, and as it’s a Francophone office, they would need to be able to speak French,” explains Perry. The application process involves a CV and cover letter. If several trainees are interested in an international secondment, “the partners in that office will interview all trainees interested.” 

“The work in private client blew my socks off…” 

Private client (formerly known as tax, trusts and succession, which one trainee told us “sums it up quite nicely”) is one of the firm’s largest departments. It’s “technically three sub-teams: UK private client, international private client and the UK and international private client pool.” So where do trainees slot in?All juniors are in both the UK and international teams, but “it often ends up that you’ll do more of what your supervisor does.” Most of the international work is handled by the London office and the Cheltenham office does a lot of “trust matters and other matters related to landed estates.” Trainee tasks include drafting emails to clients and generally keeping clients up to date, collating assets on an estate, filling in probate applications and drafting wills and lasting powers of attorney. Trainees were sometimes even able to work with a client from their initial inquiry meeting all the way to the end of the process: it’s “really nice getting to know them and what they want on a practical level and implementing it in a legal sense.” One source exclaimed: “I loved it … the work in private client blew my socks off, the average quality of the work is so high!” When asked for examples, one trainee explained it was “little me sitting there in London disposing of literally tens of millions of pounds of assets into different pots, which just felt extraordinary.” As for learning opportunities, “listening to seniors is awe-inspiring – the knowledge level is incredible, they’re so forward-thinking, they’re real role models.” 

Private property is a transactional seat, dealing with the sale and purchase of high value properties: “I would start a matter and close it a month or two later … you could focus on a matter and see it through from start to end, I like that ownership.” Be aware that “every office in private property is area-specific: London is more very expensive residential buildings with high net worth clients, Guildford is Surrey country houses, Cheltenham has a lot of landed estates work.” Managing those country estates “could mean leasing fields to people” or “selling off parcels of land.” For example, “we have a lot of charities we act for – they have random pieces of land they lease out,” one trainee explained.Another trainee described “looking at shooting agreements, all sorts of agriculture stuff that was really alien to me – when someone starts talking about stalking you think, ‘Oh, you do mean the deer!’” In contrast, in London, “we’re usually taking about leaseholds in terms of how a flat is owned, it has more complexities than a freehold would, so that was really interesting for me,” said one.Trainees might find themselves responding to queries from clients and the land registry and overseeing matters.  

Private wealth disputes is “definitely a seat where you get into the main court documents which are most key to the matter,” for example “drafting the witness statements and preparing the final packs.” Trainees are also on calls with clients, in contact with specialists like accountants and surveyors, drafting letters and managing cases. Clients include “some from the landed gentry – dealing with their houses. It’s great to be involved in preserving that for the future.” Another trainee found the subject matter of the disputes “really interesting” because it’s “dealing with family dynamics.”  

“You’re getting to work with the CEOs and CFOs…” 

A corporate seat at CRS covers the whole range, from private equity to public market work and joint ventures. Day to day, “it’s a lot of matter management,” and other typical tasks are drafting ancillary documents and working on filings for Companies House. That’s not to say a seat here is dull. “The underlying deal itself and the kind of movements that are being made are really, really interesting,” insiders underlined.The department’s work spans several sectors, from providing advice on the £630 million restructuring of Stonegate Pub Company – the largest pub company in the UK – to acting on sales and acquisitions of English football clubs. Even as a trainee, “you’re getting to work with the CEOs and CFOs, which is great. It’s the same with public companies: you’re working with the top guys at that company, it’s great exposure.”  

Trainee Life 

Sources in all offices emphasised that an open-door policy isn’t just a slogan at CRS: “You can approach pretty much anyone.” Similarly, “they’re very hot on making sure you’re happy and feeling supported,” sources gushed.In fact, we heard “colleagues are one of the best bits of the job! The people always make the place,” said one insider, “you can look around and see these leaders in their fields – you’re inspired every day.” One trainee even told us: “My only criticism is the coffee could be better!”  

The London canteen turns into a pub dubbed the Charlie’s Arms in the evening and hosts “semi-regular meet ups” and socials. At the junior end, the trainee social committee in London hosts events, such as taking new trainees to the F1 arcade. “Guildford are very proud of their rounders,” which is an annual event timed to usually fall in the new trainees’ first week. 

“Building your own network is really important in this day and age,” so trainees were delighted to have plenty of opportunities come their way, from organising social events with client companies to attending CRS’s annual croquet event in Cheltenham for their clients and intermediaries. Newbies can also build their internal network through getting involved in the firm’s societies and charity committee, which put on events like strawberries and cream during Wimbledon.  

“Walking up to the office is an experience…” 

The firm is currently refurbishing the Guildford and London offices, which trainees were keen to report is making them “a really nice environment to work in.” Perks in the London office include “subsidised food made fresh every day by caterers,”“fruit smoothies they make from scratch” and a “nice balcony where you can sit and have your food.” London is open plan and Guildford will be as well after the renovations. Cheltenham’s office could be said to encapsulate CRS’s culture. Blending the firm’s rich history with a modern outlook, it’s a classy old townhouse with a new extension: “Walking up to the officeis an experience, clients adore it!” 60% of a trainee’s time should be spent working from the office but our sources were keen to be in the office as often as possible. “In the trainee cohort most people come in at least four day per week, if not five,” we heard. 

On average, our sources were working 9am to 6.30pm days with some departments sometimes requiring longer hours to meet deadlines. “The hours are not mental, but you’re not paying for that with a lack of interesting work or career progression,” shared one trainee. What about salary? One insider said: “I’m always impressed with the salary you get, especially for the work/life balance and the areas of work you can be involved in.”  

The firm has ramped up its pro bono offerings in recent years, too. To name just a few initiatives, trainees can help at housing clinics, aide applications for British citizenship or even help food banks with their taxes. There can be a bit of a waiting list for the more popular ones “because they’re interesting topics.” One insider told us: “Because some of our clients are ultra high net worth, it’s nice to bring yourself down to earth and deal with the foundational law” through pro bono initiatives. The firm also recently introduced a policy that allows trainees to bill hours spent on pro bono projects, and this was well-received by interviewees. Trainees “can get seconded to the pro bono team” where “you manage all the projects and get involved in the projects yourself.” Those who show a significant dedication to pro bono may have the chance to go to Athens or Lesbos for a few weeks to help migrants claim asylum in Europe. 

“I would probably stay here for the long haul, they train you up almost in the sense they want you to be in the team,” one interviewee proclaimed. Newbies can expect to have regular catch-up meetings with their supervisors, so “anything you hear in your appraisals shouldn’t be a surprise.” Come qualification, trainees submit a CV and cover letter to the department(s) they wish to join. Interviews take place a few weeks later and the results come out a few weeks after that. One recently qualified source told us: “They were always really transparent, which I thought was great.” CRS did not disclose its retention rates for 2024.

How to get a Charles Russell Speechlys training contract

• APPLY HERE
• Placement scheme deadline:  15 January 2025 (opens 1 October 2024)  
• Training contract deadline (2026): 15 January 2025 (opens 1 October 2024)   
• Open day deadline: 20 November 2024 (opens 16 September 2024) 

Recruitment scope 

Each year, the firm recruits around 25 trainees across its offices in London, Guildford, Cheltenham and Hong Kong. About half its future trainees are picked up from the placement scheme and half from the direct training contract route. The firm encourages you to “please apply for what suits you best rather than what you think we want! We also encourage candidates to come to either an in person or virtual open day to get to know us.” 

The application process 

All candidates – whether they're applying for the placement scheme or directly for a training contract – complete the same application form. When reviewing the forms, the firm are looking for “talented individuals who are aligned with our values of being Authentic, Collaborative, Committed and Forward Looking, along with a client centric approach and commitment to driving high standards. It’s also key to have a focus on your own personal development and champion an inclusive culture,” says early talent manager, Joanna Stevens. 

How much work experience is necessary? “We appreciate it’s been harder to gain work experiences over the past few years, but it helps to have some legal experience whether in person or virtually. There are lots of ways you can get this through joining virtual insight sessions or completing modular online programmes.  These can be used to showcase why law is the right career for you and give examples of the sorts of things you’ve enjoyed. Non-legal experiences are just as important to highlight the transferable skills you've learned and how they're useful – customer-service skills, for instance, help with developing client relationships.” 

Following the application form, candidates will be shortlisted to complete a video interview. “Here we want to see more of your individual personality and why you’re keen to join us. We also want to understand your broader commercial acumen and international outlook as this is a big focus for us as an international firm,” explains Joanna.

For those that have applied for a placement scheme, successful candidates will then be offered a place. During the scheme candidates are required to take part in the assessment centre that ascertains their suitability for a training contract. For those that have applied directly for a training contract, an invitation to attend an assessment centre is offered upon successful completion of the video interview. 

All candidates experience the same assessment centre, which is made up of a mix of group and individual tasks. The assessment centre includes a face-to-face interview and other exercises which are designed to assess potential and identified performance criteria. 

People come to us from a variety of backgrounds and degree disciplines, with a range of views that combine to give Charles Russell Speechlys its distinctive perspective on the law – the assessment centre is designed for candidates to showcase their best self and also to get to know the firm in return. Joanna explains, “our aim is for candidates to come out the other side having enjoyed the day and feeling that they have showcased their best self.  Hopefully you’ll have got a real sense of our people and culture. We want to get the best out of you and are never there to catch you out.”

Joanna also highlights: “We are able to make adjustments for those who require it so encourage you to get in touch with our Early Talent team if you think this might apply. It’s important to us that you have the right arrangements to perform at your best. So if you aren’t sure, it’s always best to ask and we are happy to help.”

The placement scheme 

Placement schemes take place in all UK offices across April, June and July and in Hong Kong over the summer. Those who make it through to the scheme spend time in either one or two practice areas. Candidates can list preferences on a form and the Early Talent Team will do its best to accommodate their choices. According to Joanna Stevens, Early Talent Manager, the scheme is like “a very mini-training contract. We try and give candidates as much exposure as possible: they'll attend client meetings and do real fee-earning work, like research on a case or checking through a document.” Candidates have a supervisor, though “they might not be the only person giving them work. They also have a trainee buddy for the whole period.” There are also social events to get a real insight into our people and culture.

At the end of the scheme all candidates receive detailed feedback on how they have performed both during scheme and on the assessment centre. “It’s a two-way process,” says Joanna; “we also like to receive feedback from the students so we can continually work to improve our schemes.” 

Key dates

Vacation schemes:

London:

• Spring 2025: 7 – 17 April 2025
• Summer 2025: 2 – 13 June 2025

Guildford:

• Spring 2025: 31st March – 4th April 2025
• Summer 2025: 7 – 11 July 2025

Cheltenham:

• Summer (1) 2025: 23 – 27 June 2025
• Summer (2) 2025: 30 June – 4 July 2025

Open days:

• London in person:  Wed 4 Dec 2024
• Guildford in person: Thurs 5 Dec 2024
• Cheltenham in person: Wed 11 Dec 2024
• Virtual Open Day: Thurs 12 Dec 2024
• Virtual Open Day:  Tues 7 Jan 2025
• London in person: Thurs 9 Jan 2025