Burnetts

Overview

Burnetts is a long-established regional law firm serving Cumbria, the North East and surrounding areas, operating a full-service practice for both individuals and businesses. The firm emphasises local presence combined with regional strength and specialist lawyers across private client, commercial and dispute resolution work. Burnetts positions itself as people-focused and community-oriented—training local talent, investing in wellbeing and ESG, and operating offices across Cumbria and Newcastle. The firm is a certified B Corporation and has an active Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee that informs its community and environmental initiatives.

• Headquarters: Carlisle
• Offices: 5

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Agriculture & Rural
• Banking & Finance
• Commercial Contracts
• Construction & Engineering
• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Employment
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Family Law
• Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
• Private Client & Wealth
• Real Estate
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Tax
• Intellectual Property
• Insolvency & Restructuring

Geographic Focus: Primary strength across Cumbria and the North East (including Newcastle upon Tyne) with clients drawn from regional businesses, farms and private individuals. The firm combines local office presence with capability to handle regional and national matters and runs recruitment and training programmes targeted at local talent in Cumbria and Newcastle.

Training Contract

Burnetts offers a two-year Solicitor Training Contract (LPC route) and supports SQE/QWE routes and an L6 Solicitor Apprenticeship. The two-year training contract typically comprises four six-month seats; the firm tries to match seats to trainees' commercial or private client career preferences. Trainees undertake the Professional Skills Course (PSC) at Northumbria University during the two-year period, funded by the firm. Recruitment for training roles is conducted well in advance (the firm recruits around two years ahead of start dates).

• Academic Requirements: Solicitor Training Contract (LPC route): candidates must have completed (or be completing) the LPC. SQE route: the firm expects SQE1 to be achieved prior to start and will fund SQE2 as part of an offer. The firm is open to multiple entry routes (training contract, SQE, L6 apprenticeship) and notes that prior legal work experience is not a strict requirement for some recruitment programmes (e.g., a
• Application Deadline: 2026-06-30

Seat Options

• Agriculture & Rural
• Banking & Finance
• Commercial Contracts
• Construction & Engineering
• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Employment
• Family Law
• Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
• Private Client & Wealth
• Real Estate
• Energy & Natural Resources

Sponsorship

L6 Solicitor Apprenticeship is fully funded by Burnetts. The firm funds the PSC for LPC training contract applicants and will fund SQE2 exam fees as part of an offer. Paralegals may apply for internal SQE funding after 12 months, subject to business need; preparation course costs may be covered via an interest-free loan under the firm's internal policy.

SQE Support

SQE route: Burnetts expects candidates joining via the SQE route to have passed SQE1 before commencement. The firm will fund SQE2 as part of an employment offer. For internal paralegals, after 12 months' service they may apply for SQE funding via the firm's internal Legal Career Development Policy where there is a business need for an NQ in the relevant department. The firm also offers an interest

Mentorship

Work experience placements are explicitly assigned a mentor and supported with regular check-ins; the firm emphasises line-manager responsibility for wellbeing (every manager has completed a leadership course with wellbeing as a core focus). Trainees and junior staff are supported by departmental colleagues and accessible partners—training culture stresses on-the-job coaching by experienced solicitors.

Apply on the Burnetts website →

Programmes & Schemes

What Burnetts Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Client-focused communication and approachability
• Hard-working and resilient
• Long-term commitment and willingness to develop locally
• Practical problem-solving and attention to detail
• People-focused mindset and community orientation

Evidence Signals

• Participation in the firm's Work Experience Scheme or local work placements
• Paralegal experience within the firm or similar firms
• Demonstrable commercial or private client interest (depending on seat preference)
• Community involvement, volunteering or local ties to Cumbria/North East
• Evidence of ability to work in small teams and provide practical client service
• For SQE/L6 roles: progress on SQE1/LPC or other vocational qualifications

Benefits & Wellbeing

• 30 days holiday per year plus bank holidays (pro rata for part-time employees)
• Birthday day off (in addition to holiday entitlement)
• Private medical insurance for all employees (medical history disregarded)
• Life cover providing three times gross annual salary
• Pension matching up to 5% contribution
• Dental and optical cashback
• Flexible working (for eligible roles)
• Menopause Policy and free sanitary products in all bathrooms
• Annual team day (chosen by each team)
• Firm-wide events: Christmas party, Summer Event, Burnetts Conference
• Thrive! wellbeing platform (financial, mental and physical wellbeing resources)
• Paid volunteering day (one day of paid leave to volunteer)
• Free tea, coffee and fruit
• Free flu vaccination
• Support for professional training: PSC funded, SQE2 funded as part of offers; L6 apprenticeship fully funded

Wellbeing

The firm runs the Thrive! platform covering financial, mental and physical wellbeing, has a Wellbeing Group, provides private medical insurance, a Menopause Policy, free sanitary products and offers free flu vaccination. Managers receive leadership training with wellbeing as a core focus and there are firm-wide wellbeing initiatives and events.

Awards & Recognition

• Certified B Corporation (B Corp)
• Chambers rankings: 20 ranked departments and 4 ranked lawyers (2026)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Disability Confident Committed; certified B Corporation; stated intention to become net zero ahead of the Government 2050 deadline; establishment of an internal ESG Committee and Thrive Fund to support community and environmental initiatives.

• Disability Confident Committed employer
• Menopause Policy
• Free sanitary products in all bathrooms
• Thrive Fund (charitable grant scheme supporting local students and community initiatives)
• Paid volunteering leave (one day per employee)
• Work Experience Scheme (targeted at Year 12 and 13 students) for local talent development
• L6 Solicitor Apprenticeship (internal candidate progression route)
• Wellbeing Group

Innovation

Burnetts highlights a Cloud First IT strategy and specific energy-saving technology upgrades as part of its ESG and operational efficiency work. The firm tracks and reports reductions in CO2e resulting from technology changes, recycles WEEE and donates reusable equipment to charity.

• Cloud First IT infrastructure (migrated to cloud to reduce CO2e)
• Installation of energy-efficient lighting (Cockermouth Office)
• More efficient printers (saving 1.6 tonnes CO2 per year)
• Decommissioned air-conditioned server room to reduce energy use
• ESG Committee driving environmental and operational improvements

Quick Application Angles

• Emphasise local commitment and community involvement — reference Burnetts’ long-term work experience scheme, Thrive Fund grants, or volunteering policy to show cultural fit.
• If applying to Banking or Agri/Estates roles, call out relevant transactional interest and mention the firm's Banking Solicitor Recruitment & Training Programme or specific agribusiness experience to demonstrate sector fit.
• Highlight your adaptability and people skills — the firm values being 'down-to-earth' and people-focused; give concrete examples of client-facing work, mentoring, or team-based achievements.
• Reference Burnetts' training support (PSC funding, SQE2 funding, L6 apprenticeship) if you need vocational funding or are pursuing SQE/LPC routes — explain how firm-funded training would support your long-term plans.
• Mention the firm's ESG/B Corp focus and any relevant sustainability or pro-social work you’ve done — Burnetts foregrounds certified B Corp status, net-zero intentions and community grants in recruitment communications.