Thrings
Overview
Thrings is a South-West based full-service law firm with a strong regional footprint and national reach, best known for its market-leading agriculture and rural economy practice. The firm operates multiple offices across the M4 corridor and South West, acts for a wide range of clients from farmers and landed estates to corporates and developers, and combines sector-specialist teams (agriculture, clean energy, planning, property, corporate and disputes) to deliver cross-disciplinary advice. Thrings is regularly ranked in national directories (top-tier agriculture/private-client rankings) and has been included in The Times Top 250 Law Firms, reflecting its combination of technical expertise and regional market strength.
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Agriculture & Rural
- Banking & Finance
- Corporate & M&A
- Commercial Contracts
- Construction & Engineering
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Employment
- Environment & Planning
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Real Estate
- Private Client & Wealth
- Family Law
- Intellectual Property
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Technology & Digital
- Hospitality & Leisure
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Insolvency & Restructuring
- Professional Negligence
- Tax
- Retail & Consumer
- ESG & Sustainability
Geographic Focus: Strong South-West and M4 corridor presence with offices in Bath, Bristol, Swindon, Marlborough, Frome Market and further sites; significant national reach in agriculture and rural matters (NFU panel firm for multiple counties) and capability to act for developers, lenders and corporates across England. The firm combines regional offices with work for national and multi-location clients, especially in agriculture, clean energy, planning and property.
Training Contract
Two-year structured training contract split into four six-month seats. Seats provide exposure to a balance of contentious and non-contentious work; trainees typically experience at least three different practice areas and are likely to work across multiple offices. Training is partner-led, with dedicated supervisors and regular one-to-one feedback, supported by firm-wide training through the Thrings Academy. 2027/2028 Training Contract applications will open on Monday 11 January 2027.
- Academic Requirements: Ideally a 2:1 degree; LPC completed or underway or GDL/CPE where applicable. The firm is open to applicants with a 2:2 if they have relevant paralegal experience.
- Application Deadline: 2025-11-05
Seat Options
- Agriculture & Rural
- Real Estate
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Corporate & M&A
- Banking & Finance
- Private Client & Wealth
- Employment
- Construction & Engineering
- Commercial Contracts
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Family Law
- Intellectual Property
Mentorship
Each trainee is assigned a dedicated supervisor who holds regular 1:1 meetings and provides feedback. Trainees are supported by the Thrings Academy and receive on-the-job coaching from partners and associates; the firm runs internal training programmes and technical webinars.
Programmes & Schemes
A week-long immersive placement (typically in July) giving candidates exposure to core sectors including Agriculture, Banking & Finance, Business Growth, Development of Land and Private Client. Participants meet colleagues in Bath, Bristol or Swindon, undertake assessment-centre activities and gain insight that contributes to selection for training contracts.
- Duration: 1 week
Firm-wide learning and development initiative providing technical webinars, seminars, fee-earner frameworks and access to internal and external training to support professional development across all levels.
Notable Matters
Successfully won the appeal in the leading proprietary estoppel case Guest v Guest [2022] UKSC 27, a high-profile Supreme Court matter concerning farming inheritance and proprietary estoppel.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Represented an appellant farmer in a partnership dispute and proprietary estoppel claim concerning promises about the inheritance of farmland valued at over £10m, successfully achieving the outcome at Court of Appeal.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Acted for a farming son in a seven-day High Court trial in Chancery Division on a proprietary estoppel claim involving a 650-acre Oxfordshire farm and assets valued at c. £8–10m, securing a successful outcome.
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Won an arbitration concerning a family farm partnership dispute, involving interpretation of partnership agreement, valuation of outgoing partner’s share and the valuation basis for farming assets (farm value c. £4m).
Dispute Resolution & Litigation
Advising St John’s Foundation in relation to management of its more than £70m retail property investment portfolio, including lease renewals, dilapidations, rent arrears, assignments and easements.
Real Estate
Advised on the £19m refurbishment project converting a former office building into luxury student accommodation, covering construction and development issues for the client.
Construction & Engineering
Advised L&R Group on the sale of Milsom Place in Bath to TIAA Henderson Real Estate for £26.1m, providing commercial property transactional support.
Real Estate
Advised Winscribe on procurement and contractual issues relating to a significant transcription service opportunity with the NHS, providing data protection and contractual risk mitigation advice.
Commercial Contracts
What Thrings Looks For
Key Competencies
- Commercial awareness
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Attention to detail
- Client service focus
- Enthusiasm and drive
- Ability to take responsibility and work autonomously
- Resilience
Evidence Signals
- Completion of the Vacation Scheme or attendance at assessment days
- Paralegal experience or relevant sector experience (particularly agriculture/real estate)
- LPC/GDL completed or in progress (or SQE pathway underway)
- Practical commercial experience (internships, procurement or contracting work)
- Demonstrable interest in rural/agricultural matters for agriculture seats
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Private medical insurance (company funded; option to flex up to cover partners/family at own cost)
- Dental insurance
- Annual flu vaccination
- Health cash plan (company funded) including GP consultation service
- Group income protection
- Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential advice)
- Holiday: 25 days per annum, rising to 27 with service; ability to buy and sell holiday
- Enhanced family leave benefits depending on length of service (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave)
- Generous company contributory pension scheme
- Life assurance
- Critical illness cover
- Discounted legal services
- Gym discounts
- Personal shopping portal discounts
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Access to a company van
- Staff and client referral bonuses
- Birthday, wedding and baby celebrations / Just Because days / extra day off for birthday
- Long service awards
- Access to season ticket loans
- Discounted motor insurance
Wellbeing
Wellbeing hub endorsed by the Executive Board, Wellbeing Champions in each office, Mental Health First Aiders, pulse surveys, webinars and mindfulness sessions, access to EAP and financial/pension workshops. Employees are encouraged to take a volunteering day each year.
Awards & Recognition
- Chambers & Partners: Band 1 ranking in Agriculture / Rural (site references top-tier Chambers recognition)
- Legal 500: Top Tier / Band 1 ranking in Agriculture and estates (South West) and multiple regional rankings across 21 practice areas
- The Times Top 250 Law Firms: inclusion in the 2024 list recognising Thrings among leading firms in England & Wales
- Legal 500 raw facts: Total Ranked Practice Areas: 21; Tier 1 Count: 1; Tier 2 Count: 4; Tier 3 Count: 11; Tier 4 Count: 3
- Chambers raw facts: Ranked Departments Count: 58; Ranked Lawyers Count: 4; Total Ranked Departments: 25
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
a culture for diversity, equality, and inclusion to thrive
- Wellbeing Champions (office-based)
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Pulse surveys to gather employee feedback
- Volunteering day entitlement for employees
- Thrings Academy (training and inclusion focus)
Innovation
Quick Application Angles
- Emphasise any agricultural or rural experience and your understanding of farm business issues — Thrings is market-leading in agriculture and an NFU panel firm, so concrete examples (farm work, agricultural internships, agri-projects) will resonate.
- Demonstrate commercial awareness on planning, natural capital or nutrient neutrality — reference Thrings’ natural capital, biodiversity net gain and nutrient mitigation work to show up-to-date sector knowledge.
- If applying for a training contract, highlight hands-on experience and client-facing responsibility (paralegal roles, vacation scheme tasks) — the firm gives trainees early responsibility and looks for practical capability.
- Mention Thrings’ regional remit and cross-office work — show willingness to rotate between Bath, Bristol and Swindon (and other offices) and adaptable working for client service across the South West.
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