Davis Blank Furniss Solicitors

Overview

Davis Blank Furniss is a long-established, full-service regional law firm founded in 1877 in Glossop with a major presence in Manchester. The firm operates two offices (Manchester and Glossop) and focuses on advising individuals and businesses across Greater Manchester and the wider North West (including Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside and North Wales). It is positioned as a client-focused firm that combines traditional values and local roots with a modern, approachable culture, and is known for strengths in corporate/commercial work, dispute resolution, insolvency, employment, professional negligence, property, private client and personal injury.

• Headquarters: Manchester, Deva City Office Park
• Founded: 1877
• Lawyers: 60+ experienced employees
• Trainees: 2 per year
• Offices: 2

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Corporate & M&A
• Banking & Finance
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Employment
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Real Estate
• Professional Negligence
• Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
• Private Client & Wealth
• Intellectual Property
• Immigration
• Regulatory & Compliance
• Commercial Contracts
• Healthcare & Life Sciences

Geographic Focus: Core strength in Greater Manchester and the North West of England (Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside and North Wales). Local client base in Glossop, High Peak, Tameside, Hyde, Woodley, Ashton-under-Lyne and Derbyshire; primary service delivery from Manchester office with regional outreach and community presence in Glossop.

Training Contract

Bi-annual recruitment (typically March and September). The firm typically operates a rotation model where trainees will spend at least six months in each of Business, Commercial Property and Commercial Litigation (Manchester). Trainees will also work with and may take formal seats in specialist teams including Employment, Professional/Clinical Negligence, Matrimonial (Family), Probate and Residential Conveyancing. The firm reserves the right to place trainees in the Glossop office (usually at trainee request). Interview process: first interview (30 applicants invited; informal panel; short case/email discussion), second interview (partner panel; short presentation on an advance topic; possible role-play).

• Trainee Intake: Up to four training contract positions available during each recruitment cycle (March and September); the firm states it usually takes on two trainee‑
• Academic Requirements: Applicants should have graduated, or be due to graduate by Summer 2026; and/or completed, or be currently studying towards the LPC or SQE.
• Application Deadline: 2026-08-31

Seat Options

• Business
• Commercial Property
• Commercial Litigation
• Employment
• Professional Negligence
• Clinical Negligence
• Matrimonial (Family Law)
• Probate
• Residential Conveyancing
• Corporate

Mentorship

Open-door culture with ongoing support from colleagues at every level; encouragement to join the Trainee Solicitor’s Group; informal supervision and buddying built into seats and partner access. Trainees are encouraged to build direct client relationships and receive support from partners and senior solicitors.

Apply on the Davis Blank Furniss Solicitors website →

Programmes & Schemes

What Davis Blank Furniss Solicitors Looks For

Key Competencies

• Strong academic background
• Commercial awareness
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Teamwork and sociability
• Enthusiasm, resilience and willingness to learn
• Professional approach

Evidence Signals

• Relevant work experience or short work placements in legal or commercial environments
• Direct client-facing experience or examples of client responsibility
• Presentation skills and ability to perform in role-play (used in second interview)
• Involvement in trainee/student networks or organised group activities
• Clear commercial examples showing problem-solving and common-sense decision making

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Social Committee events (bowling, sporting activities, theatre trips)
• Trainee Solicitor’s Group involvement and networking
• Central Manchester office location with good public transport links (walking distance from Victoria and Salford Central stations)
• Support for professional development and internal progression (many partners trained at the firm)
• Investors in People accreditation (over 10 years) and Lexcel kitemark recognition

Wellbeing

An inclusive, supportive culture with an open-door policy; staff feel valued and encouraged to develop careers internally. The firm references long-term accreditation with Investors in People which underpins its people practices.

Awards & Recognition

• First firm in Manchester to be awarded the Lexcel kitemark
• Investors in People accreditation (over 10 years)
• Manchester office rated 5 stars on Google
• Chambers & Partners: 20 ranked departments; 4 ranked lawyers (rankings data present for 2026)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We’re an equal opportunities employer, and welcome a diverse team.

• We’re an equal opportunities employer, and welcome a diverse team.
• Free community legal clinics (local access and outreach)
• Sponsorship of grassroots sports clubs and local community activity (including main sponsorship of Glossop Golf Club)

Pro Bono

The firm stages free community legal clinics and regular local outreach (Glossop clinics and Will/Lasting Power of Attorney Weeks). No published firm-wide pro bono hours target is shown.

Innovation

Quick Application Angles

• Reference the firm’s long heritage (founded 1877) and two-office regional model (Manchester & Glossop) to show commitment to local clients and community — that aligns with DBF’s client-first messaging.
• Highlight direct client experience and readiness for early responsibility: the firm expects trainees to have early client contact, so give concrete examples of client-facing tasks you’ve completed.
• Prepare for the interview’s presentation and role‑play elements: practise short presentations on legal/commercial topics and client telephone role-play scenarios; DBF explicitly uses both in second interviews.
• Mention involvement in community or pro bono activity (e.g., community legal clinics or local clubs) — the firm values local engagement and community outreach.
• If applying for Employment/HR-related seats, reference practical knowledge of employment topics (discipline/grievance, sickness absence, redundancy, flexible working) — DBF runs bespoke in‑house Employment Law training and values practical, usable knowledge.