Hunt & Coombs Solicitors

Overview

Hunt & Coombs is a long-established regional full-service firm headquartered in Peterborough with a strong local reputation for advising businesses, charities, families and individuals across Cambridgeshire and surrounding counties. Founded in 1934, the firm combines private client, family and crime work with commercial services including corporate, commercial property, employment and dispute resolution. The firm emphasises community engagement and environmental credentials alongside professional client service, and is accredited by the Law Society (Lexcel) and recognised in national directories.

Headquarters: Peterborough, Westpoint (Lynch Wood)
Founded: 1934
Lawyers: 40
Partners: 9
Offices: 3

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

Agriculture & Rural
Charities & Not-for-Profit
Corporate & M&A
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Education
Employment
Family Law
Criminal Law
Private Client & Wealth
Real Estate

Geographic Focus: Primarily a regional practice centred on Cambridgeshire with offices in Peterborough (head office), Oundle and Huntingdon. The firm serves local businesses, charities, education providers, agricultural clients and private individuals across the region and maintains client-facing availability for Cambridge via serviced offices or virtual meetings.

Training Contract

Trainees will usually undertake four training seats, spending six months in each seat. Seats are supervised by the Training Principal and a supervisor within each seat (often a partner). The firm generally recruits trainees from its paralegal pool but will consider direct-entry trainees.

Academic Requirements: Paralegals: minimum 2:1 qualifying law degree or degree in any subject plus the GDL. Trainees: must have completed the LPC or SQE prior to commencement of their training period.

Seat Options

Agriculture & Rural
Charities & Not-for-Profit
Corporate & M&A
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Education
Employment
Family Law
Criminal Law
Private Client & Wealth
Real Estate

Mentorship

Trainees are supervised by the firm's Training Principal and have a supervisor in each seat (often a partner). The firm operates a Training Buddy scheme which provides additional peer support and guidance throughout the training period.

Apply on the Hunt & Coombs Solicitors website →

Programmes & Schemes

Paralegal & Trainee Programme

Structured paralegal roles intended to provide high-quality practical work experience across the firm's practice areas with a view that committed paralegals may be offered a training contract after approximately two years' experience. The programme includes hands-on client work in the practice area aligned to business needs and development under supervised seats; the firm also considers direct-entry trainees.

Duration: Typically two years (paralegal period prior to consideration for a training contract)

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What Hunt & Coombs Solicitors Looks For

Key Competencies

Tenacity and ethical approach
Commercial awareness
Attention to detail
Teamwork and collaboration
Client service focus
KPI-driven working and initiative in business development
Resilience and commitment
Presentation and written communication skills

Evidence Signals

Minimum academic qualifications (paralegal: 2:1 law degree or degree + GDL; trainees: LPC or SQE)
Practical commercial or sector-specific experience relevant to chosen practice area
Demonstrable client service or community involvement
Presentation skills and ability to perform in assessment exercises (in-tray, presentation)
Evidence of teamwork, buddy/mentoring engagement and ability to thrive in a small/medium regional firm

Benefits & Wellbeing

Competitive salary and benefits package
Investors in People accreditation
Law Society Lexcel accreditation
Conveyancing Quality Accreditation
Criminal Litigation Accreditation
Cyber Essentials Certified Plus
Family-friendly policies and support
Structured training, supervision by partners and a Training Principal
Training Buddy scheme
Community and charity involvement (fundraising, local events)

Wellbeing

Emphasis on a supportive, team-orientated environment, community engagement and staff wellbeing through charitable and local-event participation; the firm highlights a caring and welcoming atmosphere but does not publish specific EAP or wellbeing programme details.

Awards & Recognition

Investors in People (first achieved 1997)
Investors in the Environment — Silver Accreditation (2011)
Investors in the Environment — Green (2012)
Investors in the Environment — Great Green Star (2014)
Legal 500 — Leading Firm (2025)
Law Society Lexcel accreditation
Cyber Essentials Certified Plus
Conveyancing Quality Accreditation
Criminal Litigation Accreditation

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The firm emphasises its mission and core values (Professional; Friendly; Sustainable; Collaborative) and has made formal environmental commitments evidenced by Investors in the Environment accreditations. The firm also highlights long-standing recognition for staff development via Investors in People.

Charity breakfasts and local fundraising
Participation in community events (e.g., Dragon Boat Race)
Corporate Social Responsibility programme and environmental initiatives
Family-friendly support for staff

Innovation

Hunt & Coombs uses electronic identity verification for client checks and maintains Cyber Essentials certification to support secure digital operations. The firm uses virtual meeting platforms to deliver client services and has invested in data-security accreditations; no named in-house legal-tech platforms were published.

Cyber Essentials Certified Plus (cyber security certification)
Electronic identity verification for client on-boarding
Use of Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings

Quick Application Angles

Emphasise alignment with the firm's core values (Professional; Friendly; Sustainable; Collaborative) and give concrete examples of how you’ve demonstrated those traits.
If applying as a paralegal-seeking-TC, highlight relevant practical experience in one of the firm’s core practice areas (e.g., private client/probate, real estate, crime or employment) and explain a clear route to why you want a training contract with Hunt & Coombs.
Prepare thoroughly for the assessment morning: practise short legal presentations and in-tray exercises and be ready to discuss a legal topic you consider relevant to the firm.
Reference the firm’s local and community focus (Cambridgeshire businesses, charities, education) and show how your local knowledge or community involvement would help you contribute from day one.
Mention experience of working with digital client tools or electronic ID processes and, where relevant, evidence of strong cyber/security awareness to align with the firm’s Cyber Essentials accreditation.