Ashfords

Take a seat: the Ashfords trainee podcast

Business EN ↓ 5 episodes

What is it like to train at Ashfords? Join us as we explore trainee life in different seats across the firm. Each episode offers a deep dive into the work you can expect to get involved with, the team dynamics, and the opportunity to hear directly from our people as they discuss their journeys to qualification and career highlights. We'll also discuss top tips for current and future trainees and how to get the most out of their training contracts.

Author

Ashfords

Episodes

Episode 5: What to expect from the early careers recruitment process 24.03.2026 53:51

In episode 5 of Take a Seat, Bella is joined by Toby Tompkins, talent attraction manager at Ashfords. Toby is predominantly involved in the recruitment of fee earners at the firm and has a wealth of experience of both the trainee solicitor and wider early recruitment process. Toby and Bella work together on all aspects of training contract applications, from attending law fairs and hosting insight...

Episode 4: What to expect from a seat in commerical & intellectual property 26.02.2026 53:50

In the fourth episode of Take a Seat, the Ashfords trainee podcast, host Bella sits down with three partners from our commercial & intellectual property team: Clare Jackman, Brian Farrell, and Suzie Miles. This in‑depth conversation offers a unique, behind‑the‑scenes look at what it’s really like to complete a commercial seat at Ashfords, the work the team does, and the trainee experience. The...

Episode 3: What to expect from the SQE 29.01.2026 50:05

In the third episode of Take a Seat, Bella is joined by Alice Payne and Peter Liver from the College of Legal Practice to discuss what trainee solicitors can expect from the SQE. Bella, Alice and Peter provide an overview of the SQE and what it entails, and offer advice for graduates or trainee solicitors who are going through this process. The discussion explains the different pathways that are a...

Episode 2: What to expect from a seat in real estate 18.12.2025 47:45

In the second episode of Take a Seat, Bella is joined by partners Robin de Wreede and Simon Bailey to discuss what trainee solicitors can expect from a seat in our real estate team. Real estate is our largest division at Ashfords, and with that comes a wide variety of work which touches on commercial development, retail, energy projects, the public sector and more. Robin and Simon explain how trai...

Episode 1: What to expect from a seat in commercial disputes 27.11.2025 40:57

In our first episode, host Bella Gartside is joined by partners Anusheh Burcher and Liam Tolen from our commercial disputes team . Together, they discuss the variety of work you can get involved within this seat, striking a balance between contentious and non-contentious seats, and the value of non-legal work experience when applying for training contracts. We also hear about their most memorable...