Cripps
Overview
Cripps is a top 100 UK law firm and certified B Corporation™ with a strong market presence across the South East and a growing London practice. The firm combines full-service capability — notable strengths in corporate, real estate, dispute resolution and private client work — with a purpose-driven approach captured in its impact reporting and B Corp commitment. Cripps operates from three offices (Tunbridge Wells, London and Horsham), a headcount around 500 people and has recently strengthened its commercial and technology capability through the integration of the Radius Law team.
- Headquarters: Tunbridge Wells, Number 22 Mount Ephraim
- Lawyers: 500
- Trainees: 11
- Offices: 3
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Real Estate
- Corporate & M&A
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Private Client & Wealth
- Employment
- Construction & Engineering
- Environment & Planning
- Charities & Not-for-Profit
- Technology & Digital
- Tax
- Professional Negligence
- Commercial Contracts
- Banking & Finance
- Insurance & Reinsurance
- Intellectual Property
- Public Law
Geographic Focus: Cripps is strongest across the South East of England with primary offices in Tunbridge Wells and Horsham and a London presence. The firm positions itself as a regional leader with national capability (top 100 UK firm), advising a mix of private individuals, owner-managed businesses, regional corporates and larger national and international clients. Recent lateral growth (Radius Law team joining) has further boosted London and South East commercial and technology capability.
Training Contract
The training contract is built around four seats of six months each (four x 6-month rotations). Most seats are based in the Tunbridge Wells office but trainees work across the firm's offices and throughout the firm’s core practices. Seat rotation is used to expose trainees to a broad range of clients and matter work; trainees are expected to complete supervised fee-earning work, training modules and records/portfolios demonstrating outcomes. Apprenticeships (paralegal and solicitor apprenticeships) are available alongside the traditional training contract and are run in conjunction with BPP University.
- Starting Salary: £36,000 (first year), £39,000 (second year)
- NQ Salary: £74,000
- Trainee Intake: 11
- Qualification Rate: 80%
- Academic Requirements: No minimum A-level requirement and no minimum degree requirement (the firm accepts law and non-law graduates and operates apprenticeship routes).
- Application Deadline: 17 January 2027
Seat Options
- Real Estate (Commercial Property / Commercial Real Estate)
- Residential Conveyancing
- Private Client & Wealth
- Private Wealth
- Corporate & M&A
- Commercial Contracts
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Tax
- Post Completion / Transactional Services
- Employment
Sponsorship
Legal apprenticeships and the trainee/SQE pathway are delivered in conjunction with BPP University. PGDL/SQE grant fields are shown as not applicable in published supplementary data.
International Opportunities
No routine international secondments; chance of an overseas secondment is reported as 0%.
Client Secondments
Approximately 6% chance of a client secondment for trainees (reported figure: 6%).
Mentorship
Trainees are assigned supervisors for each seat and receive on-the-job supervision by partners, associates and senior solicitors. The Future Talent team run trainee insight sessions, open days and virtual Q&As; apprentices and trainees report close day-to-day supervision (for example sitting opposite supervisors in some teams) and structured feedback through seat supervisors.
Programmes & Schemes
A two-week vacation scheme where students sit in three mini-seats across different practice areas (for example corporate, private client and commercial real estate), work on live matters, present to fee earners and take part in talks from fee earners and business services. Social activities and networking are encouraged throughout the scheme.
- Duration: 2 weeks
An online insight session for students interested in a training contract. The session covers the training contract programme, support available, Q&A with partners and recently qualified associates, and practical recruitment advice.
- Deadline: 2026-12-15
Virtual session aimed at candidates interested in the firm’s legal apprenticeship routes, covering what apprenticeships involve, routes to qualification and Q&A with the Future Talent team.
An in-person open day (18 November 2026) providing insight into firm culture, practical application and assessment tips, a commercial awareness workshop and structured networking with partners and associates. Hosted by the Future Talent team.
- Duration: 1 day
Paralegal and solicitor apprenticeship programmes with seat rotations across private client, residential conveyancing, corporate, real estate and post-completion teams. Apprentices are given one day a week for off-the-job training (20% study time) and complete a portfolio evidencing required outcomes. Solicitor apprenticeships run for six to seven years (six years for new starters under recent rule change) and culminate in the SQE.
- Duration: 6–7 years (solicitor apprenticeship); paralegal apprenticeship duration varies
- Deadline: 3 January 2027
In-person evening event to learn about paralegal and solicitor apprenticeship routes, hear from current apprentices and supervisors and understand the recruitment process.
- Duration: Evening event
Notable Matters
Advised HiiRoc on a Series B funding round which won Private Equity / Venture Capital Deal of the Year at the South East Dealmakers Awards; the corporate team handled complex investor groups and cross-party coordination on a deal recognised for supporting the emerging hydrogen/energy transition.
Private Equity & Venture Capital
Advised long-standing client HIT Training (including Connect2Care and the Executive Development Network) on its transition to employee ownership across its three divisions — structuring and implementing the EOT and associated corporate documentation.
Corporate & M&A
Acted for the MetOcean Group on the sale of its MetOcean Telematics (U.K.) Limited business, providing transactional support across the disposal process.
Corporate & M&A
Led negotiations for a major town-centre redevelopment project, drafting and agreeing a Section 106 agreement to enable the delivery of 904 new homes alongside retail and commercial uses — advising on planning obligations, developer contributions and project documentation.
Environment & Planning
Advised purchasers on complex rural and landed estate transactions, including acquisition of a late 15th–16th century grade II listed farmhouse with equestrian facilities and 200+ acres, and acting on purchases and sales of large country estates (including main houses, cottages and farm holdings) with detailed title, stewardship and agricultural considerations.
Real Estate
Advised an investor client to secure vacant possession of a shopping centre through coordinated surrenders and tenant relocations to enable redevelopment and repurposing of the asset.
Real Estate
What Cripps Looks For
Key Competencies
- Commercial awareness
- Attention to detail
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Communication and client-facing skills
- Resilience and adaptability
- Purpose-driven mindset and community engagement
- Practical legal interest (evidence of hands-on experience)
Evidence Signals
- Vacation scheme or mini-seat experience (demonstrates exposure to live matters)
- Pro bono or community engagement
- Commercial work experience or internships
- Strong written and presentation examples (e.g., presentations completed during the vacation scheme)
- Interest in sustainable business / B Corp / ESG work
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Trainee salary: £36,000 (year 1) and £39,000 (year 2)
- Newly qualified salary: £74,000
- Annual leave: 25 days
- Annual target hours: 750
- Average start time: 08:48 / Average finish time: 17:45 (reported averages)
- Be the difference days (paid volunteering days)
- Charity match-funding for employee fundraising
- Structured social programme and firm sports (e.g., netball team, social events)
- Access to pro bono opportunities and support for trusteeship/board membership
- Apprenticeship study day (one day per week off-the-job study for apprentices)
Wellbeing
Be the difference days and charitable activities support wellbeing and purpose; the firm publishes impact reporting and runs wellbeing-related initiatives. The firm promotes pro bono and community engagement as part of staff wellbeing.
Awards & Recognition
- Certified B Corporation™ (January 2024)
- South East Dealmakers Awards: Corporate Law Firm of the Year (2023)
- South East Dealmakers Awards: Private Equity / Venture Capital Deal of the Year for HiiRoc Series B (2023)
- Multiple Tier 1 practice rankings in Legal 500 (2027) across South East specialisms
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
B Corp commitments (legal amendment to constitutional documents to make a positive impact on society and the environment) and two-yearly SRA diversity reporting with public SRA diversity summary; commitment to supplier diversity objectives as part of B Corp improvement plans.
- B Corp certification and associated Business Impact Assessment improvement plans
- Panel events for International Women's Day and internal female leadership activity
- Be the difference days (paid volunteering)
- Charity of the Year programme and local office charity partnerships (Meals & More; Home-Start UK; Nourish Community Foodbank; Horsham Matters)
- Signatory to the Pro Bono Charter and Fifth Day
- Pro bono partnerships with Citizens Advice Bureau and Carers First
Pro Bono
Signatory to the Pro Bono Charter and Fifth Day; ongoing pro bono partnerships including Citizens Advice Bureau support (financial and legal), and an ongoing pro bono project with Carers First providing form-filling and advice to unpaid carers.
Innovation
Cripps invests in legal technology and digital capability and has developed client-facing and internal innovation services (for example an AI Governance Toolkit). Apprentices and trainees are exposed to market-leading technology in transactional teams and the firm has been active in publishing guidance on AI, data protection and governance for clients. Insider/trainee ratings indicate strong marks for legal tech and eco-friendliness, reflecting investment in systems and sustainable operations.
- AI Governance Toolkit (service and toolkit for clients)
- Use of market-leading legal technology within Transactional Services and paralegal apprenticeship training
- Investment in tech and digital capability via integration of the Radius Law commercial & tech team
Quick Application Angles
- Show knowledge of Cripps’ B Corp purpose and Impact Report (refer to 'be the difference' purpose and 2025 Impact Report) and explain how your values align with purpose-driven legal work.
- Reference the firm’s South East and London strength — demonstrate commercial awareness of regional clients (e.g., property, family enterprises, SMEs) and, where relevant, link to recent real estate or corporate matters such as the HiiRoc Series B or major redevelopment S106 work.
- If applying for real estate or agriculture seats, mention an understanding of site visits and practical estate issues (Cripps emphasises on-site visits for rural/estate matters) and give an example from experience where you considered physical/operational context in legal or project work.
- For commercial/tech roles, reference the recent integration of the Radius Law team and the firm’s AI / technology guidance (AI Governance Toolkit) to demonstrate interest in tech-related commercial work.
- If you have apprenticeship or paralegal experience, highlight any portfolio- or outcomes-based evidence and show how you used tasks to meet learning outcomes (this mirrors the firm’s apprenticeship assessment approach).
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