Nockolds Solicitors

Overview

Nockolds is a full-service law firm that also operates specialist HR and independent financial advice divisions (Nockolds HR and Nockolds Wealth) and an ADR arm (Nockolds Resolution). The firm operates from offices in Bishop’s Stortford and London and maintains an affiliated presence in Estepona, Spain, positioning itself as a regional UK firm with cross-border capability into Spain. Its offering covers litigation, property, corporate, employment, family, private client, clinical negligence/personal injury and specialist services such as English–Spanish official translations and complaint mediation for regulated sectors, while promoting an internally focused Nockolds Academy for staff development.

• Headquarters: Bishop’s Stortford, 6 Market Square
• Offices: 3

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Real Estate
• Intellectual Property
• Construction & Engineering
• Corporate & M&A
• Employment
• Family Law
• Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
• Private Client & Wealth
• Tax

Geographic Focus: Strong presence in the South East of England (Bishop’s Stortford / Hertfordshire and London) with a complementary office in Estepona, Spain. The firm targets local and regional businesses, private clients and regulated sectors (notably healthcare complaints mediation) and offers cross‑border Spanish legal and translation services for UK/Spain matters.

Training Contract

Two-year training contract divided into four seats of six months each. On appointment a trainee is attached to a Partner, receives substantive client work and is encouraged to assume responsibility for matters under supervision. Performance is reviewed every quarter. Trainees can request seats and there is flexibility to train across legal and business support functions; trainees may also undertake a seat in the London office.

• Academic Requirements: The firm prefers candidates with strong academics but accepts non-law graduates. The careers pages state applications are welcomed from a mix of candidates; language skills and prior legal experience are welcome.
• Application Deadline: 2026-06-30

Seat Options

• Real Estate
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Employment
• Corporate & M&A
• Family Law
• Private Client & Wealth
• Commercial Property
• Residential Property
• Wills, Probate, Tax and Trusts
• Company Commercial

Sponsorship

Do you pay fees and maintenance grants? No, unfortunately not.

Mentorship

Trainees are attached to a Partner on appointment; the firm operates mentoring and buddy programmes and provides quarterly performance reviews alongside the Nockolds Academy learning framework. Supervisors provide regular constructive feedback throughout placements.

Apply on the Nockolds Solicitors website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What Nockolds Solicitors Looks For

Key Competencies

• Confident communication
• Teamwork and a flexible, team‑oriented approach
• Commercial awareness
• Client care and people skills
• Resilience and initiative
• Strong academics
• Practical legal experience and willingness to assume responsibility
• Language skills (English/Spanish)

Evidence Signals

• Vacation placement or relevant legal work experience
• Pro bono or community engagement
• Demonstrable commercial awareness (examples from work/education)
• Language skills (Spanish experience valued for cross-border work)
• Previous legal experience (paralegal or similar) which may count towards qualifying work experience
• Evidence of collaborative working and client care

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Competitive salary
• Annual bonus scheme
• Introduction bonus for referring new joiners
• Overtime / Time off in lieu
• Access to Nockolds Wealth independent financial advice and Legal Services
• Life Assurance
• Vitality Health
• SimplyHealth
• Electric Car Scheme (salary sacrifice)
• Contributory Pension Scheme
• Car Parking Subsidy
• Annual Season Ticket Loan
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Eye Tests
• Flu Jabs
• Flexible Working
• Hybrid Working
• Time off for Dependants
• Enhanced Family Leave (Maternity, Adoption, Paternity etc.)
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Wellbeing talks and webinars
• Volunteering for Charity – paid days
• Free breakfasts, fruit and snacks
• Activity clubs
• Long service increases (holiday entitlement and employer pension contribution)
• Referral incentive
• Quarterly performance review scheme
• Mentoring and buddy programme
• Nockolds Academy and leadership / development programmes
• Further education sponsorship (where relevant)

Wellbeing

Mental Health First Aiders, wellbeing talks and webinars, charity events, paid volunteering days, activity clubs and a health-focused benefits package (private medical options listed via Vitality/SimplyHealth).

Awards & Recognition

• Maintains Lexcel and Customer Service Excellence accreditations
• Celebrated results in Legal 500 UK (2024) (firm news referenced)
• Recognition in Chambers and Partners UK 2025 (firm news referenced)
• Ranked 9th in the Best Companies to Work For in the East of England 2019
• Legal 500 rankings across multiple South East categories (clinical negligence: claimant Tier 1; contentious trusts and probate Tier 2; employment Tier 2; family Tier 2; personal injury claimant Tier 2; commercial litigation & commercial property Tier 3; corporate & commercial Tier 3)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We are committed to providing an inclusive culture that supports and celebrates the diversity amongst our colleagues Our principles around Diversity and Inclusion are embedded in our recruitment and promotion process for our Lawyers, Trainees and Support Staff We are an equal opportunities employer and base our selection on the individual’s skills, knowledge and experience irrespective of gender, age, marital or civil partner status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, race, ethnic origin, disability, pregnancy, maternity, religion or religious beliefs

• Equality and Diversity Report 2025 (published)
• Charity committee and charity-of-the-year programme
• Volunteering for Charity – paid days
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Nockolds Academy (development and inclusive progression programme)

Pro Bono

Corporate social responsibility activity includes community support, careers guidance and opportunities for local schools, a firm charity committee and paid volunteering days. The firm emphasises supporting the local community and charitable organisations as part of its CSR programme.

Innovation

The firm invests in training and digital learning through the Nockolds Academy and external partnerships (notably with Breathe HR). Nockolds Resolution operates sector-specific ADR platforms (OCCS and VCMS) and delivers remote and in-person training and consultancy to regulatory and healthcare organisations. Trainees and staff engage with these programmes via internal learning, client-facing consultancy projects and digital training content development.

• Breathe HR partnership and content review work with Breathe HR
• Nockolds Academy (structured digital and face-to-face training)
• Delivery of OCCS (optical complaints) and VCMS (veterinary mediation) via Nockolds Resolution
• Use of online webinars and virtual training delivery for HR and ADR training

Quick Application Angles

• Emphasise hands-on client work and early responsibility — use examples of situations where you managed tasks autonomously and followed up with supervisors, reflecting the firm’s training ethos.
• If you have Spanish language skills or cross-border Spain experience, highlight this and reference the firm’s Estepona/Spanish translation services to show a direct fit with their international capability.
• Reference the Nockolds Academy or recent training partnerships (e.g., Breathe HR) when discussing development goals — show how you would engage with and contribute to internal learning initiatives.
• Mention commercial awareness relevant to regional clients (e.g. property development, SME HR issues) — cite the Weston Homes acquisition case study or the HR/workplace mediation services as practical hooks.
• Demonstrate cultural fit: show personable client-care examples and a sense of humour alongside professionalism, mirroring the firm’s stated preference for 'unstuffy, friendly' candidates.