Ashfords LLP - True Picture

Ashfords training contract review 2026

The Firm

In many ways, scouting out a potential law firm can be like scouting out a partner. Do our personalities complement one another? Does the conversation flow? Can they make me laugh? Oftentimes you can walk away from the first date with a pretty good idea. When it clicks, it’s as clear as day – and it certainly couldn’t be clearer for trainees at Ashfords: “I literally came away from the assessment centre smiling,” an insider beamed.

“The South West is my vibe – I need to be no more than 30 minutes away from a beach!”

And so, as is natural after any first date, our sources were keen to tell all on what had them hooked. First and foremost, it’s hard to argue with credentials. “They’re big in real estate and dabble in everything in the realm,” one insider headlined. Indeed, this South West star shines bright for its prominence in the region for a range of practices, with Chambers UK  bestowing top praise on the firm for its work across construction, social housing and corporate/M&A. Further afield, Ashford’s charities (legacy disputes) and sport (horse racing and equestrian) receive accolades nationwide.

Our colleagues over on Chambers High Net Worth also recognise the firm as experts in private wealth law and private wealth disputes, so there are plenty of bragging rights there. But credentials aren’t the be all and end all – the vibe has got to be good, too. And luckily for our sources, it was. “It’s a place where you can ask for help on an informal basis and not worry if you’re bothering someone, as well as have a casual conversation with anyone, including partners, legal directors and associates,” sources reflected. And sometimes it’s just plain and simple: “The South West is my vibe – I need to be no more than 30 minutes away from a beach!”

The Seats

Trainees were happy overall with the way that seat allocation worked, explaining that the first seat is assigned by business need. For the remaining three seats, trainees submit preferences to HR at the end of each rotation. “The HR team and talent managers put a lot of thought into seat allocation,” sources reassured, “I’m personally very happy with the seats I have done.” Most of the trainees on our list had sat in some type of either property or real estate seat, which makes sense as it is one of the firm’s core focuses.

Additionally, the majority of trainees are located in Exeter, however, the firm offers two locations to hopefuls – either Bristol or the South West. The firm offers some client secondments, but these are somewhat uncommon and tend to be on a more ad hoc or part-time basis.

The property litigation practice group covers both housing and private/commercial client work. “There’s also a really big paralegal team, which means if you have stupid questions, there are like 100 people to ask,” one interviewee laughed. Typical clients include landlords, property developers, and local authorities. As an example, the firm recently assisted the London Borough of Lambeth in relation to over 900 residential disrepair claims. On such matters trainees are encouraged to take on tasks such as drafting relevant letters, instructing barristers, and analysing documents.

“I think it’s an amazing experience for a trainee; I was leading about 40 matters myself.”

On housing issues, trainees can expect to lead matters. One interviewee explained, “I think it’s an amazing experience for a trainee; I was leading about 40 matters myself.” While that number may sound a tad high, fret not: “it sounds like a lot, but they go by very quickly, and everyone is really respectful of your time.” On top of this, “you are supervised and your work is always reviewed,” sources reassured, “But running the matters myself makes me so much more confident.” Overall, the seat was commented on as being one of the best for a “well-rounded experience.”

The firm’s corporate arm provided our interviewees with a “real mixture of work,” due to its expertise in both M&A and investment matters. This team also mixes it up on location, with a lot of employees working between offices allowing trainees the chance to strike up relationships outside their home office. One interviewee explained to us: “We act on some very large transactions compared to what we used to.”

For example, the firm recently advised AlphaReal on four acquisitions of a combination of solar and battery storage capacity, with a combined value of over £150 million. Typical trainee tasks include due diligence reports, drafting ancillary documents, and having the first pass on shareholder agreements. Ultimately, trainees explained this seat “gives you the chance to try out everything,” as well as seeing each stage of a matter.

In employment, trainees reported being heavily involved with assisting fee earners. This department was complimented for its focus on giving trainees exposure to important growth opportunities, such as hearings or meetings, by allowing them to attend in a note-taking capacity. The team has recently been advising the online grocer Ocado on all their employment and immigration needs.

In this seat, there is ample opportunity to work on bundle preparation, drafting responses, and managing general correspondence. As trainees progress, they may have the chance to draft settlement agreements. “They get the trainees involved as much as they can,” remarked one source. It was also apparently a great opportunity to see a matter progress from start to finish, which “gives you a great overview of the whole process.”

Over in the planning team, we heard that you can “take complete ownership of their work,” with trainees literally being assigned their own caseload. Therefore, you can expect to be drafting your own section 106 agreements, which are then reviewed by supervisors. If you have any questions, not to worry: “I’ve been able to sit next to the head of planning and just ask him questions,” said one interviewee.

There is also the opportunity to do some interesting research tasks on matters such as planning policy and judicial reviews. The firm has some major clients in this area, from Wessex Water to Homes England, and is currently advising the London Borough of Wandsworth on a £200 million planning application made by All England Lawn Tennis across Wandsworth and Merton. This team also has a whole department away-day training session between all the offices.

Trainee Life

The culture across Ashford’s four offices was described as “collaborative and approachable.” This manifests itself in a number of ways, from coffee machine catch ups to desk chats with colleagues. We were told in-office anchor days vary by department, but the general rule of thumb is to be in the office three days per week. Training principal Laura Reeve tells us, “We recognise the benefits of hybrid working. That said, there are so many advantages to having a physical presence in the office, especially for someone at the start of their career. The opportunities to meet and catch up with colleagues, the ‘learning by osmosis’ — you just can’t beat it, so it’s certainly something that we encourage."

“Even when my supervisor has been really busy, they still made time for me…”

Supervisors make themselves readily available for feedback and questions and are frequently in the office. “Even when my supervisor has been really busy, they still made time for me and helped me prep for client calls so I could contribute,” a source reported. Another stand out was the quality of feedback given to trainees.

The firm also makes an effort to ensure that trainees have different opportunities to network externally, through both the Junior Lawyers Division in Devon and Somerset, and the Exeter Young Business Club. Through this, trainees can attend different events such as black-tie dinners, with tickets available through the firm. They are also encouraged to organise their own trainee events and network with the junior lawyers.

“There’s always something going on,” remarked one insider. And this definitely seems to be the case: we heard there are pizza parties, easter egg hunts, as well as a running club, a walking club and a football team! The firm was also applauded for its inclusion efforts, recently hosting both neurodiversity and menopause awareness weeks, as well as supporting the charities St Mungo’s, The Ocean Conservation Trust and Trussell.

As for hours, trainees reported an average day beginning at 9am and winding up at around 6pm. While trainees noted there’s always plenty of work to be done, they were keen to add that “you aren’t pressured to stay later by any means. We have a really good work-life balance.” Trainees were also happy with the salary: “it is a good salary for the region. I’m pretty sure we are some of the highest paid trainees in the South West,” one beamed. There is also typically a company performance-related bonus as well.

When qualification comes around, things are relatively smooth. Trainees list their preferences with HR and speak with the departments they’re interested in. If more than one person wants a role, a short interview is held, otherwise, it’s a straightforward sign-off from the department head. “They are very good at making space for you in departments,” on trainee praised.Case in point: the firm boasted a 100% retention rate in 2023 and 85% in 2024. Keeping the good vibes going, in 2025, the firm retained 14 of 15 qualifiers.

How to get into Ashfords

Vacation scheme deadline (2025): 31 March 2026

Training contract deadline (2025): 31 March 2026

Trainee profile

Ashfords has 12 training contracts on offer for a 2028 start, split between Bristol and the South West. Candidates need a minimum 2:1, but does consider applications from those whose A-levels weren't so strong. Beyond that, we're told the firm is looking for people who are business-savvy, curious and ambitious – people who are team players and effective communicators. Links to the South West are not required, though candidates will need to show their motivations for wanting to work in the region, and demonstrate a commitment to staying in the area.

Entry routes

Applicants can either apply for a summer scheme or a training contract outright. In 2025 the firm received over 800 training contract and summer scheme applications. Both start off with the same online application form. This examines a candidate's qualifications and previous work experience, and asks several competency-based questions designed to assess their suitability.

Assessment day

Recruiters typically invite 40 direct applicants to the assessment days (including those who attend a summer scheme beforehand).

The assessment day includes three elements: a written exercise, role-play and an interview with a partner and a member of HR. The interview takes around one hour and involves competency-based questions. “I had to show evidence of standard things like working well in a team,” a trainee recalled, “and they also asked 'When have you been put under pressure in the past, and what would you do differently next time?'”

Summer scheme

The firm runs three week-long summer schemes in June each year. These take place in both the Exeter and Bristol offices, and there's room for 24 candidates in total. Attendees split their time between three departments, and past participants reported doing substantive, trainee-level work. Candidates complete the assessment centre in the middle of the week and spend their final day participating in various workshops, including a panel session with employees from various career levels.