Lester Aldridge Solicitors
Overview
Lester Aldridge is a leading regional full-service law firm based on the South Coast with offices in Bournemouth, Southampton and London. The firm is recognised in major directories and market guides and promotes specialist sector teams (including a dedicated marine team and an international private client offering) alongside broad commercial and personal legal services. LA emphasises practical client service, trainee development and an expanding digital and international footprint — it also highlights being the only UK law firm to offer Medallion Guarantee services and reports helping clients in over 59 countries in the last year.
- Headquarters: Bournemouth, Russell House
- Lawyers: 350+
- Offices: 3
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Real Estate
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Corporate & M&A
- Employment
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Private Client & Wealth
- Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
- Shipping & Maritime
- Technology & Digital
- Environment & Planning
- Insolvency & Restructuring
- Charities & Not-for-Profit
- Tax
- Insurance & Reinsurance
- Commercial Contracts
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Financial Services & Regulation
Geographic Focus: Strong UK presence across the South Coast (Bournemouth and Southampton) with an additional London office. The firm positions itself to advise locally, nationally and internationally and highlights extensive international expertise in South Africa, Australasia and Europe, membership of MSI Global Alliance and having helped clients in over 59 countries in the last year.
Training Contract
Two-year training contract consisting of four six-month seats across a range of contentious and non-contentious teams and the firm's three offices. Trainees are embedded within teams, attend regular supervisor meetings, and follow a 12-month Trainee Development Programme. In their second year trainees are matched with a mentor and receive targeted preparation for SQE2. The firm runs blind initial screening for applications and uses person-centred assessment centres during recruitment.
- Academic Requirements: Currently be in the penultimate year of your degree or beyond; hold or be predicted to achieve a Degree classification 2:1 or above; have the right to work in the UK.
- Application Deadline: 2026-04-12
Seat Options
- Real Estate
- Real Estate Finance
- Property Litigation
- Litigation & Recoveries
- Dispute Resolution
- Corporate & Commercial
- Employment
- Personal Injury & Medical Negligence
- LA Marine (Shipping & Maritime)
- International Private Client
- Health & Social Care
- Private Client & Wealth
Sponsorship
Support for SQE preparation and exam fees (BARBRI).
SQE Support
The firm covers the cost of SQE preparation and exam fees with its chosen provider, BARBRI, and offers study leave, dedicated time off for exams and financial assistance for candidates studying for the SQE.
Mentorship
Second-year trainees are matched with a mentor to support qualification preparation. Trainees also have regular supervisor meetings, quarterly trainee development sessions (followed by dinner with senior leaders) and access to an internal careers/People & Culture team for development support.
Programmes & Schemes
A workplace-based apprenticeship route where apprentices work at the firm (typically four days a week) with protected study time (one day a week) to complete the academic and vocational requirements to qualify as a solicitor. The programme is promoted as an 'earn while you learn' route; graduates who followed this route at LA have completed SQE2 and qualified as solicitors.
- Duration: 3 years
Short-term work placement opportunities aimed at school/college/university students interested in starting a career in law; placements provide hands-on exposure to law firm processes and day-to-day team tasks across departments.
Interactive Q&A sessions where prospective applicants can hear from current and past trainees about the application, assessment and training contract experience. Example: a Trainee Q&A session was held on 12 March 2026.
- Duration: 1 day / single event
Notable Matters
Lester Aldridge assisted the Solicitors Regulation Authority with the closure of Obaseki & Co Solicitors following the SRA intervention on 9 March 2026, acting for the regulator in the practice shutdown process.
Regulatory & Compliance
The firm’s International/Private Client team advises on international wills, cross-border probate and estate administration for clients with assets and affairs in multiple jurisdictions; the team works with lawyers and advisers internationally (MSI Global Alliance) to deliver cross-border estate services for clients in dozens of jurisdictions.
Private Client & Wealth
The Health & Social Care team provides regulatory compliance, enforcement defence, transactional due diligence and acquisition support for care providers, independent hospitals, children’s homes and other sector operators — work which has led to multiple sector award nominations.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
What Lester Aldridge Solicitors Looks For
Key Competencies
- Authenticity and motivation
- Commercial awareness
- Client focus and service orientation
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Communication skills (written and verbal)
- Resilience and adaptability
- Organisation and attention to detail
- Willingness to learn and take responsibility
Evidence Signals
- Relevant legal work experience or paralegal experience (including apprenticeships)
- SQE progress or academic performance (predicted/achieved 2:1+)
- Sector-specific experience (e.g., healthcare, marine, real estate or technology)
- Demonstrable examples of teamwork, leadership or client contact
- Pro bono/volunteering and community engagement
- Commercial projects, internships or relevant extra‑curricular activities
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Holiday entitlement of up to 25 days
- Ability to carry over, buy and sell holiday
- An additional celebration day
- LA day (discretionary holiday) at Christmas
- Pension scheme with regular opportunity to review with a pensions adviser
- Perkbox (discounts and digital wellbeing content)
- Perkbox Medical (24/7 access to a UK GP by phone)
- Life assurance cover (3x salary)
- Season ticket loans for transport
- Cycle to work scheme
- Professional memberships paid
- Free car parking (office dependent)
- Quarterly trainee development sessions followed by dinner with senior leaders
- Annual events including a Summer AGM and LA Christmas Party
- Weekly walking groups and sporting teams (netball, football)
- Opportunities to get involved in CSR and ESG volunteering
Wellbeing
SuperWellness programme (monthly healthy menus, articles and webinars), Perkbox wellbeing content and Perkbox Medical access to a UK GP 24/7, office fruit, walking meeting encouragement, team fitness activities and wellbeing webinars.
Awards & Recognition
- Recognised in Chambers & Partners (directory recognition)
- Ranked in The Legal 500 across multiple practice areas (Tier 1–5 rankings across the South East and South West) - multiple years
- Finalist – HealthInvestor Awards (multiple years including 2020); nominated for HealthInvestor Awards 2025; shortlisted for HealthInvestor Awards 2026
- Finalist – LaingBuisson Awards 2020
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Strengthening progression pathways; fairer and more transparent promotion processes; team-based objectives and performance management; inclusive leadership and manager development; evidence-led review of representation, reward and progression.
- Apprenticeship scheme
- Work experience placements
- University placements
- Support for CILEX pathways
- Evidence-led review of representation, reward and progression (internal diversity work)
- Lester Aldridge LLP - 2025 Diversity Survey (document available)
- Lester Aldridge LLP - Gender Pay Gap Report 2026 (document available)
Pro Bono
Active corporate social responsibility and pro bono culture: long-term support for YMCA Bournemouth (Big Sleep Easy) including flagship partner and Headline School Sponsor status with over £27,500 raised historically; firm ESG Days (volunteering with local charities), multiple fundraising activities (Poole Pretty Muddy; Southampton Legal Walk; Sahara Trek raising over £30,000 for The Katie Piper Foundation) and regular team-led charitable events.
Innovation
The firm is investing in digital transformation and operational resilience, appointing a CIO to align technology, information security and data protection with business objectives. Practical tech initiatives include promoting paperless working, video conferencing and more efficient document workflows to reduce travel and improve client service. Trainees are exposed to modern working practices and firm-wide digital training, while the firm’s sector teams (e.g., Technology & AI) advise clients on AI and data protection matters.
- Appointment of Chief Information Officer (John Chasty) to lead digital transformation and technology strategy
- Firm-wide digital adoption: increased video conferencing, paperless communications and electronic document transfer
- Focus on operational resilience and secure platforms as part of technology strategy
- Campaign for Greener Arbitrations (signed Green Pledge) by LA Marine
Quick Application Angles
- Highlight genuine, specific reasons for choosing LA: reference the firm’s regional South Coast strength, its specialist LA Marine team and the international private client work (helping clients in 59+ countries).
- Demonstrate commercial awareness and sector fit: if applying to Health & Social Care or Real Estate, cite recent sector nominations/transactions and explain how your experience maps to regulatory or transactional challenges.
- Show your commitment to qualification routes LA supports: mention SQE study plans and appreciation of the firm’s BARBRI support or, if applicable, interest in the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship 'earn while you learn' pathway.
- Use concrete examples of teamwork and client contact from paid/voluntary roles (the firm prizes early responsibility and practical experience); tie those examples to the competencies listed in LA’s Top Tips guidance.
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