Meet our trainees

I first heard about the firm during work experience elsewhere and it seemed to match exactly what I was looking for. I then undertook a vacation scheme in the Guildford office of Penningtons Manches Cooper, where I was given challenging but rewarding work. The culture of the firm encourages you to take your work seriously, while also emphasising a healthy work-life balance – I was even given the opportunity to participate in the firm’s football team games during my vacation scheme. I have spent periods of time at several firms, but only at Penningtons Manches Cooper did I feel like I was contributing to the team effort. Everyone I met was very welcoming and I am excited to start my training contract in 2021!

The firm did a great job of putting together informative virtual workshops for potential trainees, covering a wide range of practice areas. I hadn’t considered working in the shipping sector before, but the trainee on the call described it well and the work seemed very interesting. The trainee buddy scheme was also valuable - for my application, interviews and ultimately my perception of the firm. My buddy gave me helpful advice on working practices as well as informal details on life at Penningtons Manches Cooper. We also experienced a partner Q&A, which included a chance to ask the managing partner questions. This was a good opportunity to get first-hand information about the firm’s strategic direction.

Katharine took part in a virtual workshop which ran in place of our 2020 vacation schemes.

I first heard about Penningtons Manches Cooper when I was researching firms with a strong presence in Cambridge, which is where I am from. I wanted to be able to do city-quality work from a regional office, so the firm was a perfect fit for me. I did the vacation scheme prior to applying for the training contract programme and this solidified my interest in joining the firm. Everyone was very friendly and approachable, and I felt welcomed. Since joining, I have felt settled in all of the teams I have worked in. Penningtons Manches Cooper has a forward-thinking and positive culture towards agile working, which has made working from home easy and flexible. I still enjoy office days and look forward to catching up with members of my team as well as everyone else in the office!

I was inspired to train at Penningtons Manches Cooper after attending a very informative Law Information Day at the firm. Partners and trainees alike discussed the firm’s strengths as a competitive, full-service leader in the legal market, as well as its friendly and collaborative internal culture. In addition to having an unusually broad range of practice areas across individual and business services, I was also struck by the firm’s relatively small trainee intake, offering trainees the chance to take on significant responsibility as they train. All my interactions with the firm have been hugely positive and informative, including meeting trainees at law fairs and open days, or using their comprehensive website. The firm is also an advocate for CSR, pro bono work, and sustainability, having committed to 2030 carbon net-zero which was personally appealing to me.