Frettens Solicitors

Overview

Frettens is a growing, full-service regional law firm based on the south coast with a history dating back to 1978. The firm emphasises accessible, plain-English advice and invests heavily in IT, people development and a progressive working culture. It is CQS-accredited, recommended in the Legal 500 across multiple departments, recognised repeatedly by Best Companies as an outstanding place to work and was approved as an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) on 1 July 2024. Frettens operates from town-centre offices and positions itself as a modern regional alternative to larger regional practices while serving clients across the UK.

• Headquarters: Christchurch, The Saxon Centre, 11 Bargates
• Founded: 1978
• Trainees: 3 (Graduate Legal Assistants intake for 2026)
• Offices: 3

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Corporate & M&A
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Real Estate
• Employment
• Family Law
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Housing & Social Housing
• Private Client & Wealth
• Tax
• Commercial Contracts

Geographic Focus: Primary strength on the South Coast (Dorset and neighbouring parts of Hampshire). The firm operates from Christchurch, Ringwood and Wimborne and serves clients across Bournemouth, Poole, Southampton, the New Forest and nationally via phone/video. The strategy emphasises being a leading regional full-service firm rather than a large metropolitan practice.

Training Contract

Frettens operates a three-year Graduate Scheme based on the SQE route. Year 1: Graduate Legal Assistant (broad exposure across departments); six months into Year 1 candidates may apply to begin formal training. Years 2 and 3: Trainee Solicitor seats across multiple departments while studying for SQE1 (Year 2) and SQE2 (Year 3). The firm emphasises flexibility in seat choice (trainee preferences are considered) and gives trainees significant responsibility with support from training principals and partners. The Frettens Academy provides cross-departmental training and a trainee peer network.

• Trainee Intake: 3 (Graduate Legal Assistants intake for 2026)
• Academic Requirements: A good degree is considered an advantage but the firm emphasises people skills and commercial communication over specific degree class or university. The firm explicitly states that top-degree/class from an elite university is not the only route to success.
• Application Deadline: 2026-04-24

Seat Options

• Corporate & M&A
• Commercial Contracts
• Real Estate
• Housing & Social Housing
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Family Law
• Private Client & Wealth
• Employment
• Insolvency & Restructuring
• Pensions

Sponsorship

The Graduate Scheme is advertised as fully funded: SQE tuition and exam costs paid by the firm; additional study leave (10 days/year).

SQE Support

SQE tuition and exam costs are paid by the firm. Trainees receive 10 additional paid study days per year (on top of annual leave). Training is delivered via an external course provider (not named on site) and study leave is formally provided.

Mentorship

Trainees meet regularly with designated training principals and have access to partners and senior lawyers across departments. The Frettens Academy provides a structured peer network and cross-departmental learning. The firm holds regular career-progression meetings and an annual staff engagement survey.

Apply on the Frettens Solicitors website →

Programmes & Schemes

What Frettens Solicitors Looks For

Key Competencies

• Excellent communication skills
• Client-handling ability
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Enthusiasm and resilience
• Commercial awareness
• Approachability and plain-English advice style
• Willingness to learn and ask questions

Evidence Signals

• Experience working in a law firm or as a legal assistant/paralegal
• Client-facing experience or demonstrable people skills
• Placement/placement-year experience or prior graduate scheme experience
• Examples of teamwork, progression and practical application of study (e.g., SQE study alongside work)
• Demonstrable interest in regional commercial/private client work (e.g., conveyancing, family, commercial)

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Private healthcare available to all staff
• Health cash plan (optical, dental, chiropody, chiropractic, physio etc.)
• Life insurance (4x salary)
• Annual paid sick allowance
• Flexitime (majority of staff) and soft start time (start up to 15 minutes late)
• Starting annual leave: 20 days / 25 days / 30 days dependent on role (pro rata for part-time); additional birthday day where birthday falls on a weekday
• Option to buy additional holiday (if eligible)
• Long service additional annual leave (after 5 years +1 day; after 12 years further +1 day; bonus week's holiday awarded in Year 11)
• Free or subsidised parking
• Enhanced maternity pay for qualifying staff
• Performance-related bonus for qualifying staff
• Recruitment incentive: £2,500 or £500 (role-dependent)
• Support for professional training including some funding and time off for study
• Mobile phones for qualifying staff
• Discounted legal fees for staff
• Monthly drinks allowance for after-work get-togethers
• Annual staff Christmas party (firm pays for meal and drinks)
• Annual staff & family BBQ (firm pays for food/drinks)
• Fruit freely available in kitchens; complimentary tea, coffee and squash; filtered chilled water
• All staff provided with dual monitors, latest Microsoft Windows and Office; phone headsets available
• Interactive company intranet and strong IT support
• Ten additional study days per year for trainees

Wellbeing

Private healthcare, health cash plan and life insurance. The firm runs an annual independent anonymous staff survey and shares results; social events and an active Social Committee support wellbeing and team cohesion.

Awards & Recognition

• Legal 500 recommendations across multiple departments (2024/25)
• Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accreditation (Law Society)
• Best Companies recognition: 'outstanding' place to work; named a Top 5 Law Firm to work for and Top 10 Best Companies in the South West (multiple years; recognised for eighth consecutive year in 2024)
• ReviewSolicitors: top firm in the conurbation with over 1,750 reviews (listed among top 50 nationally)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Frettens publishes a staff Diversity Survey and runs regular anonymous employee engagement surveys; the firm highlights gender balance in senior roles as an area of recognition from Best Companies and supports local, staff-nominated charities and volunteering.

• Biennial anonymous staff Diversity Survey (most recent: June 2025)
• Charity of the Year programme (staff-nominated local charities; 2025: Ellis Edwards Foundation)
• Active approach to staff engagement via Best Companies survey with actioned feedback

Pro Bono

Frettens supports local charities through an annual 'charity of the year' (staff nominated), fundraising events and volunteering days. The firm sponsors and hosts fundraising events and raises awareness for chosen local charities (2025 charity: The Ellis Edwards Foundation). No firm-wide pro bono hours target is published.

Innovation

Frettens positions IT and digital systems as a core enabler of the firm's service: all staff use current Microsoft systems, dual monitors, an interactive intranet and a forward-looking time-recording system. The firm describes itself as largely paperless with strong IT support, and trainees engage with the firm's digital tools during day-to-day work and in the Frettens Academy sessions.

• Significant investment in IT infrastructure (paperless systems, time-recording system, interactive intranet)
• Provision of modern hardware for all staff (dual monitors, headsets, latest Microsoft OS/Office)
• Frequent internal training and use of digital channels for client updates (blogs, webinars, video briefings)

Quick Application Angles

• Emphasise people skills and clear client communication in your application — the firm prioritises communication and client-facing ability over a specific degree class.
• Reference the Graduate Scheme benefits (SQE funded, 10 study days/year, Frettens Academy) if applying as a graduate — this shows you’ve researched how trainees are supported.
• Mention the firm’s Legal 500 rankings (commercial litigation, commercial property, employment, insolvency and private client areas) and link your interest to one of those teams (e.g., social housing or commercial litigation).
• Highlight adaptability with technology and paperless working (examples of efficient digital working or time-recording experience will resonate given the firm’s heavy IT investment).
• If applying for placements or the graduate intake, use the Operations Manager contact (Catharine Snow / csnow@frettens.co.uk) and be ready to speak concretely about client-handling examples and team contributions.