Trainee solicitor programme

Once you’ve accepted your training contract, we’ll stay in regular contact to help you feel confident and supported ahead of your start date.

You’ll be matched with a buddy—usually a current trainee who joined the year before you. They’ll be on hand to offer advice, answer questions, and share insights from their own experience. We’ll also introduce you to the other trainees starting at the same time, so you’ll have a ready-made network from day one.

Then, in the summer, we’ll invite you to a ‘Hello Day’ at our Tunbridge Wells office. This day includes seat talks from lawyers across the firm, giving you a clear picture of the work each team does and helping you make informed choices about your seat preferences. It’s also another chance to catch up with your cohort and socialise together before your training begins.

You will be based at our offices in Tunbridge Wells (although we do have a few London seats). On the whole you will be office based, feedback from previous cohorts indicates that being physically present with their supervisor and team results in a more effective learning experience, however there is flexibility to work from home when needed.

Your training contract will begin with a comprehensive induction programme in early September, designed to give you the tools, knowledge, and confidence to thrive from day one in your first seat.

The induction is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your trainee cohort, meet Partners and colleagues across the firm, and get a real sense of our culture and values. You’ll be introduced to key teams and initiatives, including our charity committee, EDI and wellbeing programmes, and learn how you can get involved.

You’ll also meet our professional support lawyers, the talent development team and participate practical and skills-based sessions to ensure you’re fully equipped for the journey ahead.

Our training contract runs for two years, and we ask all trainees to commit to the full duration—even if you have “time to count” under the LPC route or have completed Qualifying Work Experience under the SQE pathway. We believe the breadth of experience gained across the full programme is invaluable, and the structured training and development you receive will set you up for success as you transition into a newly qualified role.

Trainees join us in September and rotate through four seats over the course of the contract. There’s a wide range of seats available across real estate, corporate, and private client, spread across our three office locations. We expect trainees to complete seats, across all three of our office locations. You’ll have the opportunity to express your seat preferences, and while we do our best to accommodate them, seats are subject to availability and business requirements.

From day one, you’ll be working on live matters, engaging directly with clients and other professionals. You’ll be supported through regular supervision, a mix of formal and informal training, and a working environment that encourages collaboration while empowering you to take initiative and grow with confidence.

Investment in and empowering you to take ownership of your development is a key component of our Training contract. All our trainees participate in our Future Lawyers programme. Our Future Lawyers Programme is a standout feature of our training contract, designed to bridge the gap between aspiring lawyers and confident professionals. Running alongside your training and into your first year of qualification, the programme offers a structured pathway of development across four key areas: personal effectiveness, client service and business development, business management, and core legal skills. With input from experienced lawyers and business experts, you’ll gain the tools, insights, and confidence to thrive in a modern legal environment—setting you up for a successful and fulfilling career from day one.

You’ll benefit from comprehensive technical training delivered by our experienced team of professional support lawyers, who run in-depth subject matter sessions at the start of each seat. Most of your learning, however, will take place ‘on the job’, guided by your supervisor. To support your development, you’ll receive a tailored checklist for each seat to ensure key areas are covered, alongside monthly progress meetings with your supervisor.
At the end of each seat, we’ll conduct a performance review and provide honest, constructive feedback focused on identifying your strengths and development areas.

Beyond formal training, you’ll be encouraged to take initiative in organising firm-wide and charitable events, and to actively participate in our wide range of sports and social groups.

In 2021, the SRA introduced the SQE route to qualification as a solicitor and over time this will replace the LPC route to qualification. Future trainees joining our 2026 cohort, and beyond, will follow our SQE programme delivered in conjunction with BPP University.

Unless you have already passed the SQE, successful candidates will join BPP’s SQE preparation courses in readiness to sit SQE1 in January and SQE2 in April or July. These courses comprise a 15 week SQE1 preparation course and an SQE2 Coaching course which takes about 6 weeks.

You will also attend BPP’s new Essentials for Practice Course. This is a 15 week course which builds upon and develops the specialist knowledge and skills needed beyond the basic SQE curriculum. Successful completion of this course leads to a Postgraduate Certificate in Legal Practice, and combined with the earlier SQE1 preparation course leads to the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

During the Essentials for Practice course you will study four knowledge streams such as Advanced Commercial Property and Commercial Dispute Resolution. You will also study a module called Business in Law. This module is designed to develop the wider knowledge and skills you need to be a successful lawyer, as well as your understanding of the role of technology in the delivery of legal services.

We recognise receiving exam results is a challenging time, particularly those related to the SQE exams. The Firm may use its discretion to support one resit of SQE1 and/or SQE2.

Where a resit is agreed, the firm will pay the cost of the resit and will consider a deferral of the training contract start date. It is important to note that a deferral to the following year cannot be guaranteed.

Our training contract offers will continue to be conditional on a first time pass on the SQE, but this is subject to the resit policy above.

Not at all! We welcome applications from both law and non-law students and graduates. Our cohorts join us with a variety of experience, having studied a range of different subjects. If you have not studied law, and are made a training contract offer, we will ask you to study the PDGL (the course replacing the GDL) before beginning your SQE studies. This will allow you to develop your legal knowledge and key professional capabilities as well providing you with important foundational elements for your SQE1 assessment.

We no longer offer sponsorship for candidates who wish to study the LPC. However, if you have already completed and passed the LPC, please feel free to apply in this recruitment round.

We cannot reimburse the cost of your LPC should we offer you a training contract.

We run our recruitment two years in advance, so our earlier intakes are usually already full. However, should there become spaces available for candidates to join an earlier cohort, we will consider this on a case-by-case basis.

SQE

Cripps will pay 100% of your course costs if you study BPP’s SQE preparation courses (including the Essentials for Practice course). We will also pay the SRA candidate fee for one attempt at SQE1 and SQE2.

PGDL

Where needed, we will pay 100% of the course costs of BPP’s Law Foundations Course (PGDL). We cannot fund the cost of a law conversion course delivered by any other training provider.

LPC

We no longer fund the cost of the LPC. However, candidates who have already completed and passed the LPC are free to apply.

Training costs already paid

Unfortunately, Cripps are unable to reimburse any training costs already paid to BPP or any other training provider.

Trainees also receive a comprehensive benefits package from their first day of employment, including a salary adjustment while undertaking any London based seat as well as the associated travel costs to London. Salaries are benchmarked regularly against the market and are reviewed in May each year.