Aaron & Partners Solicitors

Overview

Aaron & Partners is an independent, partner-led regional law firm headquartered in Chester that provides full-service legal advice across business, private client and sector-focused areas. The firm is particularly well established across the North West and West Midlands, with specialist strength in planning, real estate, private client (wills, trusts & tax), agriculture/rural, dispute resolution and corporate work. It positions itself on offering high-quality, often partner-led, work typically associated with larger practices while promoting a sustainable, balanced working culture and strong community and CSR engagement.

Headquarters: Chester, Grosvenor Court, Foregate Street, CH1 1HG
Offices: 4

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

Agriculture & Rural
Commercial Contracts
Corporate & M&A
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Employment
Environment & Planning
Energy & Natural Resources
Charities & Not-for-Profit
Private Client & Wealth
Tax
Insolvency & Restructuring
Real Estate
Construction & Engineering
Immigration
Transport & Logistics
Professional Negligence
Intellectual Property

Geographic Focus: Regional focus across the North West and adjacent areas (Cheshire, Shropshire, Wirral, Greater Manchester), with work delivered across England and Wales (including Welsh planning law). The firm acts for local, regional and national clients and is a member of an international advisory network which supports cross-border instructions.

Training Contract

Two-year fixed-term training contract, typically consisting of four six-month seats. Trainees work alongside a Partner in each seat and are expected to contribute to partner-led matters from an early stage. The firm advises that trainees may be required to spend time across all offices (Chester, Shrewsbury, Altrincham, Wirral) and that seat allocation is influenced by trainee interests and team capacity at the time. The assessment process includes an assessment day with a 45-minute interview (including pre-sent task feedback), a 30-minute group exercise and a lunchtime Q&A.

Qualification Rate: Retention at qualification: extremely high in recent years (firm states retention has been extremely high).
Academic Requirements: Good A-Levels (or equivalent such as BTEC) and a minimum 2.1 at degree level. Must have completed the LPC or SQE1 by the start of the training contract (start September).

Seat Options

Corporate & Commercial
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Employment
Planning, Environmental, Energy & Regulatory Law
Real Estate / Commercial Property
Wills, Trusts & Tax (Private Client)
Family Law
Insolvency & Restructuring
Business Immigration
Construction
Notarial Services
Court of Protection / Deputyships

SQE Support

For candidates who have taken the SQE route, the firm states that 'there will be provisions put in place to support the completion of SQE2.

Mentorship

Trainees have ongoing mentorship and close contact with training partners and the HR Manager; each seat involves working alongside a Partner. Named mentors and training contacts include Nick Clarke (CEO | Partner & Head of Dispute Resolution), Hugh Strickland (Corporate Finance Partner & Head of Shrewsbury Office), Lorraine Saunders (Family Law Partner) and Caroline King (HR Manager). There is an active cohort culture with paralegal/trainee networks and firm-wide social activities.

Programmes & Schemes

Work Experience

A work experience placement for students Year 12 and above. Participants visit two different teams during the placement to gain insight into legal practice and the firm's sector work. Placements are offered in the Chester and Shrewsbury offices and are limited in number.

Places: Limited number of placements (Chester and Shrewsbury)
Deadline: TBC

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Notable Matters

Represented a wife in financial remedy proceedings involving a multi‑million pound family farming partnership and associated farming company

Acted for the wife in financial remedy proceedings where the husband was part of a multi‑million pound family farming partnership and a farming company; the husband disputed his status as partner/shareholder and the firm also conducted associated civil proceedings to determine that issue, protecting the wife's financial claim.

Family Law

Seven‑figure family financial settlement for wife with competing interests from intervening family members

Acted for the wife in a complex seven‑figure family matter involving a family farm partnership and a separate family-owned business where other family members intervened; following extensive negotiations a favourable financial settlement was achieved for the client, avoiding a Final Hearing and saving costs.

Family Law

Advised a farmer in dispute arising from alleged fraudulent operation of an invoice discounting facility by a business partner

Acted for a farmer involved in cheese production where a partner allegedly operated an invoice discounting facility fraudulently; the firm advised on the commercial and insolvency consequences and related guarantees and security issues.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation

Advised the holder of an agricultural equipment franchise on contractual and financial arrangements

Acted for a franchisee in connection with contractual arrangements with a franchisor and related financial terms, providing advice on liabilities and ongoing commercial obligations.

Commercial Contracts

Acted for an owner of a caravan park (former agricultural land) in commercial disputes and supplier issues

Advised the owner of a caravan park on terms and conditions, disputes with customers and suppliers (including energy suppliers) and the commercial consequences of operating the site following a change from agricultural use.

Real Estate

Acted for an insolvency practitioner in relation to an insolvent farming estate

Provided advice and acted for an insolvency practitioner dealing with the administration/insolvency of a farming estate, advising on creditor and asset realisation issues in the agricultural sector.

Insolvency & Restructuring

What Aaron & Partners Solicitors Looks For

Key Competencies

Commercial awareness
Client care and communication skills
Attention to detail
Teamwork and collaboration
Resilience and time management
Willingness to work in a partner-led model
Technical aptitude in chosen practice area
Commitment to community/CSR activity and local engagement

Evidence Signals

Relevant work experience (paralegal roles, placements, internships) and evidence of handling substantive tasks
Commercial or sector-specific experience (e.g., agriculture/rural, planning, property or insolvency for those teams)
Strong academic record (2.1 degree and good A‑levels) and completion of LPC or SQE1 by start date
Mooting, client-facing activities or business-facing internships that demonstrate commercial thinking
Volunteering and community involvement (aligns with firm’s CSR focus)
STEP qualification for Private Client / Wills & Trusts roles

Benefits & Wellbeing

26 days holiday (increasing with long service) — training page
Some roles list a minimum of 5 weeks' annual leave
Health cash plan / Healthcare scheme
Enhanced pension
Life assurance / Death in service (4x salary)
Volunteer Day — one paid volunteering day per year for colleagues
Flexible and hybrid working environment; collaborative flexible working policy
Long service awards
Supported parking scheme / supported parking
Supported parking (car share guaranteed parking space for sharers)
Firm-funded social events, monthly Friday drinks and annual summer/Christmas parties
Paid firm-wide afternoon off for the Annual General Meeting
Opportunity to work across offices (Chester, Shrewsbury, Altrincham, Wirral)
Health & wellbeing initiatives including monthly wellbeing walks, wellbeing coffee mornings, 'Eat Fresh' fresh fruit offering and partnership health checks
Training, mentorship and structured career reviews (two formal reviews per year)
Bonus opportunities tied to billing targets (bonus scheme begins at 90% of 1,000 hour target; higher rewards above 100%)

Wellbeing

Dedicated Mental Health & Wellbeing Committee; accredited Mental Health First Aiders; monthly wellbeing walks; wellbeing coffee mornings; 'Eat Fresh' fruit provision; partnership health checks through the Tim Cogley Foundation; one paid volunteering day per colleague each year; firm initiatives to reduce commuting carbon (car share incentives and shared transport initiative).

Awards & Recognition

Ranked Tier 1 for Contentious trusts and probate (North West)
Ranked Tier 1 for Corporate and commercial: Elsewhere in the North West
Total ranked practice areas: 17 (across regional footprints)
More than 25 recommendations from the two main independent legal directories
Recognised Investors in People employer
Signed up to Manchester’s Good Employment Charter

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

B Corp certification application in progress; Investors in People recognition; signatory to Manchester’s Good Employment Charter; public Social & Environmental Impact Report (2023-24) with explicit environmental and community targets.

Mental Health and Wellbeing committee
Accredited Mental Health First Aiders / internal mental health champions
Diversity and inclusion training
Flexible working policy (collaborative approach)
Paid volunteering day for colleagues
School engagement and local outreach / careers fairs and work experience for local students
Commitment to Fairtrade purchasing (tea/coffee)
CSR Committee made up of colleagues across career stages
B Corp application / B Corp submission underway

Pro Bono

The firm operates an active fundraising and volunteering culture: colleagues vote for a Charity of the Year (current: Dementia UK) and participate in fundraising events (e.g., charity balls, sponsored challenges, community events). All colleagues are entitled to one paid volunteering day per year. The CSR activities include donations to local foodbanks, volunteering at hospices and collections for local charities; the firm also sponsors arts organisations and regional sporting events.

Innovation

The firm pursues a practical innovation strategy focused on operational efficiency and environmental impact: a paperlite policy supported by implementation of a cloud-based case management system to reduce printing, a shared transport initiative to reduce Scope 3 commuting emissions, and energy-efficiency improvements in office moves. Trainees and colleagues engage with these initiatives via firm-wide CSR and IT change projects; the emphasis in public material is on sustainability and digital workflow adoption rather than named proprietary legal‑tech platforms.

Paperlite policy and implementation of a digital cloud-based case management system (project underway)
Shared transport initiative to reduce commuting carbon
Relocation of Altrincham office to a more energy-efficient building (category A)
Sustainable Palm Oil Project (procurement commitment for sustainable palm oil in supplies)

Quick Application Angles

Emphasise the partner‑led approach: give examples of times you worked directly with senior stakeholders and how you took responsibility early — the firm places trainees and juniors on partner matters from day one.
If applying to planning, agriculture/rural, or private client roles, reference sector knowledge (regional planning law, farming tenancy/estate matters, or inheritance tax/trust structuring) and cite a recent firm insight or case example from the relevant team.
Highlight commercial awareness and client care: discuss a practical commercial outcome you helped achieve (or observed) rather than purely academic examples — the firm values commercially focused problem-solving.
Mention community and CSR engagement (volunteering, outreach) and any sustainability credentials you have — A&P actively promotes community sponsorship and B Corp/environmental goals, which resonates with their culture.