- Manchester
- health and safety, inquest and inquiries
- j.down@hempsons.co.uk
- 0161 234 2496
Build your legal career at a leading healthcare law firm
A training contract at Hempsons offers high-quality legal training, early responsibility and the opportunity to build a long-term career in a specialist national law firm. We are consistently recognised for our expertise in the health, social care, charity and social enterprise sectors, and our trainees play an active role in delivering practical, commercially focused advice to clients from day one.
About Hempsons
Hempsons has been supporting organisations across the health, social care and charity sectors for decades, advising on the legal, regulatory and commercial challenges that shape vital public services. Working with clients that make a real difference to people’s lives, we help navigate complex issues with clear, pragmatic advice and a strong understanding of the environments in which they operate.
As part of the HF group of companies, we combine specialist legal knowledge with innovative technology and modern ways of working to deliver effective solutions for our clients. With offices in London, Harrogate, Manchester, Newcastle and Southampton, we offer the reach of a national firm alongside the collaborative culture and sector focus that set us apart.
Training contracts at Hempsons
As a trainee solicitor at Hempsons, you will complete three or four seats over two years, gaining broad experience across our specialist practice areas. Depending on business need, your seats may include:
- Healthcare litigation
- Healthcare advisory
- Regulatory and crime
- Employment
- Commercial real estate
- Corporate and commercial
This structure allows you to develop a strong foundation while identifying the areas where you may wish to qualify. From the outset, you will:
- Work closely with experienced and highly regarded lawyers
- Take on meaningful responsibility with appropriate supervision
- Be involved in real client matters rather than observational work
- Develop both legal and commercial skills
Your work may include: Drafting legal documents and correspondence
- Supporting lawyers on live matters
- Attending client meetings and hearings
- Assisting with project planning and case management
- Gaining exposure to court work where relevant
Training and support
Your training contract will be overseen by our Training Principal, James Down, supported by our Talent Acquisition team. You will receive:
- Ongoing supervision and feedback
- Access to experienced mentors across the firm
- A structured and supportive training environment
We take training seriously, which is reflected in our consistently high retention rates and our commitment to supporting trainees through qualification and beyond.
Why join Hempsons?
We offer a supportive, inclusive and professional working environment, where trainees are encouraged to develop confidence, independence and judgement.
Salary and benefits
Our trainee solicitor salaries are:
- £30,000 (regional offices) / £38,000 (London) in year one
- £32,000 (regional offices) / £40,000 (London) in year two
In addition, you will benefit from:
- 25 days’ annual leave plus a discretionary day at Christmas
- 5.2% employer pension contribution
- Private medical health cover
- Group income protection
- Death in service benefit
- Interest-free season ticket loan
- Employee assistance programme
- Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
- Employee referral bonus scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Sports and social events
What we are looking for
We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including mature candidates. You will be:
- Motivated, adaptable and intellectually curious
- Keen to work in a specialist, client-focused firm
- Comfortable taking responsibility and learning on the job
- Interested in building a long-term career at Hempsons
Academic requirements
Typically, we look for candidates who have:
- Good A-levels (or equivalent qualifications)
- A strong undergraduate law degree, or a non-law degree plus GDL
- Already completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC)
Application and hiring process
Our 2026 graduate recruitment round is currently open to internal applicants only. Full details for 2027 applications will be published as soon as they are available.
We are always keen to hear from individuals interested in working with us. If you can’t see a role that would fit your skills and you would like to work for a leading health and social care law firm, please feel free to get in touch with us at recruitment@h-f.co.uk
Please consider completing our optional equality and diversity survey to assist us in monitoring our employment applications process. Any application submitted and unsuccessful will be retained for a period of twelve months only, under data protection guidelines.