Graduate Recruitment

Starting your career at Forsters

Choosing a career in law and deciding which firm to train with is one of the most important decisions you will take. Law firms come in many different sizes, have very different practices and are found in very different places. You will want to find a firm which will be right for you and will give you that all important start to a stimulating and successful career. If you are looking for a firm that is different and one that values you as an individual, you should think about Forsters.

As the partner responsible for graduate recruitment I take a close personal interest in the recruitment and development of our trainee solicitors. The whole firm is committed to investing in high calibre trainees and providing them with a first class training programme. Our trainees are the future of the firm.

At Forsters we pride ourselves on being a distinctive firm. We are a new firm but one which has a strong sense of tradition. We are not a large firm but are still able to offer a wide range of high quality work and the same standard of training and experience found at the big City firms. We are regularly described in the legal directories (Chambers/The Legal 500) as a firm which “punches above its weight” with our quality being reflected by the number of our lawyers recommended and named as “leading individuals”.

At Forsters we also care about our community, both local and global. We have an ongoing association with local charity St Andrew's Club and the sustainability initiative we launched in 2007 has resulted in the firm achieving carbon neutral status.

We very much hope that the information in these pages will help to give you an idea about what training at Forsters would be like and about whether we might be the right place for you.

Emily Holdstock
Graduate Recruitment Partner


Key dates

2024 Summer Vacation Schemes

Applications will open 5 October 2023 and close 11 January 2024.

Vacation Scheme 1: Monday 1 July – Friday 12 July

Vacation Scheme 2: Monday 15 July – Friday 26 July

Please note that assessment days for the vacation schemes will take place in February 2024.

2026 Training Contract

Applications will open 5 October 2023 and close on 3 June 2024.

Please note that assessment days for training contracts will take place in July and final interviews will take place in August 2024.

Open Days

We are hosting 3 open days during the 2023/2024 recruitment cycle. October and December open days will be held in person at the firm, the April open day will be held virtually.

The day will give you a great insight into what life is like at Forsters. You will hear from our lawyers in different practice groups and have opportunities to network with various members of the firm.

Open day 1: 25 October 2023 (applications open 5 September – 16 October 2023)

Open day 2: 13 December 2023 (applications open 17 October – 17 November 2023 – closed early due to number of applications)

VIRTUAL Open day 3: 10 April 2024 (applications open 17 November – 1 April 2024)

Please apply to all opportunities here


About us

Forsters is not just another law firm; our ability to meet the exacting requirements of our clients is enhanced by our approach, size and location. We do not seek to offer everything to everyone, but to excel at what we do, as leaders in our chosen fields.

Glasses on a meeting room table at Forsters


Training at Forsters

Every year Forsters takes on ten trainees. The training contract at Forsters is divided into six four-month seats, not the traditional four.

People talking and laughing while working - training at Forsters


Meet us

Here is your chance to get to know some of our staff and find out what they think life is like working at Forsters.

People talking and laughing while working - training at Forsters


Vacation Scheme

In 2024 we will be running two vacation schemes between June and July. As a vacation scheme student, you are a potential trainee and are therefore treated as such. You will sit with either a partner or a solicitor and you will experience 'real work' of the type that a trainee would undertake.

A woman working on a document at Forsters


Open Days

Open Days allow students to learn more about working at Forsters.

People reviewing documents around a table at Forsters


Frequently Asked Questions

Our frequently asked questions will hopefully answer any queries you have.

People talking and smiling at Forsters


Podcasts

We've collated some of our recent Graduate Recruitment themed podcasts below to help provide further information about life at Forsters, what it's really like training with us, and how to go about completing your application.

A solicitor reading a document in a beautiful meeting room at Forsters' Hill Street offices.


How to Apply

Apply to become part of our team and start your career at Forsters.

Someone typing on a computer keyboard.


"They’re trusted and the team works so well together."
Chambers HNW Guide, 2020
×