Inside my training contract: Real experiences from an LCF trainee

With the deadline for training contract applications fast approaching (30 November 2025), trainee solicitor Duncan Robertson shares his honest account of training at LCF Law – from his first day before the Autumn budget to handling client enquiries and attending a court hearing.

I'm partway through my training contract at LCF Law, having completed two seats so far – Corporate and Disputes. The experience has given me real technical and practical skills, genuine client-facing responsibility and confidence in my abilities as a future solicitor.

If you're considering applying for a training contract and want to know what it's actually like, here's my story.

Finding my path to law

I first studied law at A-Level, mainly because it had always intrigued me. I liked the idea of being able to understand and solve complex issues, and I was fortunate to have a great tutor who made the course extremely engaging – she was known for her re-enactments of important cases, which certainly helped them stick in my mind. Law quickly became my favourite subject.

At the same time, I was doing well at Business Studies and achieved student of the year at my college. That combination meant I already had my sights set on a commercial law firm rather than other types of practice. The business side of law – understanding how companies work, how deals are structured, how commercial decisions get made – is what interested me at the time.

I built on that during my time at Newcastle University, where I developed my technical and practical skills and had my first opportunity at networking with future lawyers. Despite the disruption during the covid-19 pandemic, I thoroughly enjoyed my studies and decided to explore law further by completing the LPC and LLM during my fourth and final year. That gave me the opportunity to develop more specialist knowledge, studying electives in M&A, Commercial Law, Banking and Debt Finance and IP – all areas that would prove useful once I started my training contract, alongside the compulsory topics (Real Estate, Disputes and Business Law).

Why I chose LCF Law

I first heard of LCF through a personal friend who was working as a paralegal at the firm. Upon researching LCF, I could tell their culture would be aligned with mine, and I was impressed by their listing in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work. That recognition suggested this was a firm that genuinely valued its people.

The interview process confirmed that impression. It was efficient and personal, especially compared to the experiences I'd heard about from friends applying to other firms. Being born and raised in Yorkshire, I was more than happy to join a firm with local offices across the county, which gave it a welcoming, grounded feel.

The efficiency of the process was a real advantage. I was successful in my application and able to start at the firm as soon as I finished university, thanks to how swiftly they moved. To give you an idea of the timing, I accepted the offer from LCF before I'd even undertaken the second interview stage at some other firms I'd applied to.

My first seat: Corporate

I started my training contract in Corporate in October 2024, which was exactly where I'd asked to go and perfect given my previous studies in M&A and commercial law. The timing was good in terms of experience – I joined just before the Autumn budget, so I was busy from the outset.

That turned out to be brilliant for my personal development. I gained hands-on experience and confidence in my first month, which I built on throughout the seat and applied during the challenging financial year-end period. Getting involved in live matters from the start meant I could quickly apply what I was learning and see how transactions work in practice.

I particularly enjoyed the large amount of drafting work and the process of understanding a client's business when assisting with legal due diligence. Every transaction tells a story about how a business operates, and you need to understand that story to do the legal work properly.

The team had a wealth and variety of knowledge and experience that I could tap into, and I was always invited to sit in and contribute to meetings with clients and intermediaries. Those meetings were invaluable for understanding how intricate transactions and reorganisations work in practice – you learn things in those discussions that you'd never pick up from textbooks or lectures.

I was actively encouraged to grow my network and gained a solid understanding of what the role of a corporate lawyer really involves on a day-to-day basis. It's not just about knowing the law – it's about understanding business, managing relationships and helping clients achieve their commercial objectives.

My second seat: Disputes

My second seat was in Disputes, focusing on property disputes and contentious probate. I was very pleased to try this area as it was something I'd never had the opportunity to explore before, and it offered an insight into a completely different realm of law.

While I learned a lot about civil procedure and the technical side of litigation – how cases progress, how to manage deadlines, what makes a strong case – the greatest benefit was developing my client-facing skills.

I was given significant responsibility in this area, including liaising with new enquiries and drafting fee proposals. These conversations are not always easy, but it's where you learn how to communicate with clients who are often going through difficult situations and is crucial to the role of the solicitor. Contentious probate, in particular, involves families in dispute, which requires sensitivity alongside legal knowledge.

My supervisors taught me strategies for managing client expectations – including helping clients understand and digest legal opinions from counsel, which can sometimes be complex or not what they wanted to hear. Those are skills that will serve me throughout my career, regardless of which area of law I end up practising.

The team was keen to get me involved as much as possible, which gave me a much better understanding of billing, litigation strategy and how a law firm functions behind the scenes. I was actively encouraged to work like a solicitor – using dictation, making efficient use of support staff and managing my time effectively.

I also got to attend a hearing, a mediation and a property eviction. The eviction was particularly challenging but turned out to be a valuable learning opportunity. There's nothing quite like seeing how the law plays out in real situations to cement your understanding.

What makes training at LCF different

Looking back over these two seats, a few things stand out about training at LCF Law.

Firstly, the firm genuinely aims to give you as much technical and practical experience as possible. This isn't about administrative work or just note taking - it's about doing real legal work with proper supervision and support. That approach builds your confidence and prepares you for qualification, rather than arriving at your first day as a newly qualified solicitor feeling unarmed.

Secondly, trainees are actively encouraged to take part in business development, expanding your network and getting involved in firm initiatives such as charity events. I took part in the Leeds Half Marathon in 2024, which was a great way to meet people across different teams and contribute to something beyond billable work.

Finally, you're trusted with genuine responsibility from early on. Everything is, of course, supervised and checked, but you're not treated as someone who can't be relied upon. You are allocated regular client contact, drafting responsibilities and the opportunity to attend important meetings and court hearings. That's how you learn to become a solicitor – by actually doing the work.

I would recommend LCF to any prospective trainee who's looking for a hands-on, client-facing training experience. If you want to be actively involved rather than observing from the sidelines, and if you want to work somewhere that combines professionalism with a down-to-earth culture, it is worth serious consideration.

Your opportunity to join us

If this sounds like the kind of training contract you're looking for, applications for contracts starting in 2026 and 2027 close on 30 November 2025.

We're looking for trainees who are eager to learn, comfortable with responsibility and interested in developing both their technical legal skills and their understanding of how businesses and clients really work.

Find out more about what we offer and how to apply on our training contracts page.

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