FAQs trainee UK

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If we haven't covered your question below then please contact the Early Talent team or email us at strikinglyreal@rpc.co.uk.

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Trainee

What is the reward and benefits package?

London

Our competitive annual salary starts at £46,000 and rises to £50,000 in your second year. Your salary post-qualification will be £90,000 in the commercial group and £80,000 in the insurance group.

Bristol

Our competitive annual salary starts at £40,000 and rises to £42,000 in your second year. Your salary post-qualification will be £56,000.

Along with this, you’ll be offered a creative full package of benefits. We’re all unique. And that’s why RPC’s benefits package is, too. We respect we’re all real people with passions, families and lives away from our desks. So, we give you the chance to tailor your benefits, offering choice and flexibility to everyone who works here. Learn more about our benefits package here.

Information about the SRA Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) & funding (UK)

We remain committed to providing first-rate training and support from the moment you receive a training contract offer from us.

All RPC future trainees will need to complete the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) prior to commencing their training contract. SQE 1 tests functioning legal knowledge and SQE 2 assesses the legal written and oral skills of a solicitor. If you would like to find out more about the SQE please visit the SRA's website.

Future RPC Trainees will complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (only if you are a non-law graduate) and the Masters in Legal Practice at the University of Law. Bursaries are available for course fees, the SQE examinations as well as maintenance grants up to £12,000. Both SQE 1 and 2 will be completed before you start your training contract. We are still accepting applications from candidates who have successfully completed the LPC (which currently means that you may be exempt from completing SQE 1).

Please speak to a member of the early talent team strikinglyreal@rpc.co.uk if you have any questions.

Will RPC provide visa sponsorship?

You will need the right to work full-time (35 hours a week) in the UK to complete the London summer scheme. Should you accept a UK training contract offer with the firm we will provide sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa.

How much responsibility will I have?

This will be very much up to you! Depending on your ability, you’ll be given real responsibility from day one. We like to give our apprentices a challenge, but you’ll never be asked to take on more than you’re confident with. Your supervisors will decide exactly how much you should take on at each stage of your training.

How will I know how I'm progressing?

We’re proud of our open and honest culture. So you’ll have regular, informal feedback from your supervisors. We'll also give you formal reviews every three months which will provide you, and us, with an opportunity to assess how you’re getting on and areas where we can help you progress further.

Do you do any international work?

Yes, 30% of our work is international in nature. We have offices in London, Bristol, Hong Kong and Singapore and are founding members of the TerraLex network of law firms which gives us ready access to lawyers in over 100 jurisdictions. We also have international secondment opportunities to Hong Kong and Singapore.

What's the firm's dress code?

At RPC we dress for our day, using professional judgement to dress appropriately. We embrace hair worn in all styles as well as religious and cultural dress. This may mean dressing in more traditional business wear for a particular event whilst being free to dress more casually for a day which involves internal meetings or meetings with clients who you know are comfortable with a more casual dress code.

For an interview or summer scheme, we expect people to choose more traditional business wear although a suit is not required. If you have any questions about dress and/or hair styles at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact the Early Talent team.

Do you offer work experience?

We don't offer informal work experience. However, candidates can apply for our London summer scheme, apply to one of our Insight Days and complete our virtual work experience programme.