Anthony Collins Solicitors
Overview
Anthony Collins Solicitors is a national, purpose-driven law firm specialising in social value sectors including social housing, local government, health & social care, charities, social business and education. Founded in 1973, the firm positions itself as a sector specialist that combines legal expertise with deep sector insight to support organisations and individuals to 'improve lives, communities and society'. It is a certified B Corp firm (first Midlands law firm to achieve certification) with an annual turnover reported at £34.6m and a stated focus on balancing profit with purpose.
- Headquarters: Birmingham
- Founded: 1973
- Lawyers: 350+ (as stated on the firm's website)
- Partners: 44
- Offices: 4
- Revenue: £34.6m
Values & Culture
Practice Areas
- Housing & Social Housing
- Charities & Not-for-Profit
- Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Public Law
- Education
- Employment
- Family Law
- Private Client & Wealth
- Real Estate
- Construction & Engineering
- Infrastructure & Projects
- Data Protection & Privacy
- Dispute Resolution & Litigation
- Regulatory & Compliance
- Pensions
- Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
- Technology & Digital
- Environment & Planning
- Commercial Contracts
Geographic Focus: National UK practice focused on public and social‑value sectors (local authorities, registered providers, charities, health and social care providers, schools and social businesses). The firm operates from multiple UK offices (Birmingham flagship, Manchester, London and Wolverhampton) and targets work across England and Wales, advising clients on regulatory, governance and transactional matters that affect UK public‑sector and third‑sector organisations.
Training Contract
Two-year training contract made up of four six-month seats. Seats are designed to cover both contentious and non-contentious practice to meet SRA requirements and to provide a balance of advisory, drafting, litigation and client work. The programme includes a trainee development programme, the 'Future lawyers' programme, structured PSC support and regular formal and informal feedback (mid-seat, end-of-seat and quarterly reviews). Trainees have a dedicated appraiser for the two-year contract and a trainee manager for each seat.
- Academic Requirements: The firm seeks academically strong candidates; applications are open to those following standard routes into the profession.
- Application Deadline: 15 february 2027
Sponsorship
Full funding for LPC, SQE and PSC fees for future trainees; PSC sponsorship and integrated PSC support during the training contract.
SQE Support
The firm provides full funding for LPC, SQE and PSC fees for future trainees who are about to begin or are currently undertaking their studies. PSC is fully sponsored and integrated alongside day-to-day work.
Mentorship
Trainees receive a buddy (current trainee) when on the vacation scheme, a fee earner as supervisor and assessor during the scheme, a dedicated appraiser for the two-year contract, and a trainee manager for each seat. Regular feedback cycles and internal trainee networks support development; there is also access to one-to-one coaching and mentorship with experienced colleagues.
Programmes & Schemes
Two Open Days each January (one in-person at the Birmingham office and one virtual) providing insight into the firm, its culture, the training contract and routes into a legal career. Attendees hear from trainees, solicitors and the Early Talent team, take part in interactive sessions and Q&A, and receive application advice.
Annual one-week vacation scheme used to recruit trainees. Participants spend time in two different departments, carry out real legal work and collaborative group tasks, have a buddy (current trainee), a fee earner supervisor and receive feedback with the opportunity to be offered a training contract at the end of the scheme.
- Duration: 1 week
- Deadline: 15 february 2027
A four-day work experience programme offering practical insight, interactive sessions and exposure to colleagues across the firm. Placements typically run in September and January and recruitment for placements typically begins in March.
- Duration: 4 days
Level 3 paralegal apprenticeship combining legal learning with hands-on experience in a law firm; provides an alternative route into legal careers and a pathway to further qualifications and career opportunities.
Notable Matters
Advised Silver Birch Care on the acquisition of Clover Childcare Services to expand therapeutic care provision. Work included transactional due diligence and completion of the acquisition to support the client's growth in children's social care services.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Advised North Bay Group on the corporate and operational transition associated with the Bridge Oak Care Homes transaction, supporting integration and regulatory/compliance aspects for the care-provider group.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Acted for Mary Rush Care Homes Limited on corporate and property matters connected with care‑home operations and strategic expansion, advising on transaction documentation and sector regulatory requirements.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Delivered regulatory and compliance advisory services to multiple registered providers to prepare for STAIRs implementation, including STAIRs operational guidance, training, executive briefings and workshops to embed publication schemes and handling of tenant information requests.
Regulatory & Compliance
Acted in a medical negligence matter arising from preventable failures in sepsis care, supporting the family to secure investigations, answers and remediation following serious clinical failings.
Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
What Anthony Collins Solicitors Looks For
Key Competencies
- Academic strength
- Commercial awareness
- Commitment to social purpose and values-driven work
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Client care and communication skills
- Attention to detail and strong research/drafting skills
- Resilience and willingness to take responsibility
- Advocacy and oral presentation skills
Evidence Signals
- Relevant work experience (vacation schemes, four-day work experience)
- Sector experience or interest in social housing, local government, charities, health & social care or education
- Volunteering and community engagement
- Examples of commercial awareness and problem-solving in applications
- Participation in the firm's Open Days or Future lawyers programme
Benefits & Wellbeing
- Pension contributions from day one
- 25 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays and Christmas gift days
- Life assurance
- Private medical insurance
- Dental cover
- Critical illness cover
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- Free onsite gym, yoga and wellbeing classes
- Food intolerance, menopause, hormone and fertility checks through YorkTest
- Discounts through Vivup
- Option to purchase up to one additional week of annual leave
- Life insurance cover for spouse/partner (optional)
- Voluntary critical illness cover
- Discounted gym memberships
- Health cash plan
- Cycle to work scheme
- Gourmet Society dining club membership for £25
- Kids Pass discounts
- Charitable giving scheme (donate to a charity of your choice)
- Opportunity to reduce carbon impact and support tree planting through Furthr
- Dedicated volunteering days through the Social Purpose Volunteering programme
Wellbeing
Employee Assistance Programme, free onsite gym, yoga and wellbeing classes, access to one-to-one coaching, menopause and fertility checks via YorkTest, and internal wellbeing activities
Awards & Recognition
- B Corp certification (first Midlands law firm to achieve B Corp status, 2022)
- B Corp reaccreditation (score of 101.5, reported 2025)
- Recognised rankings in Legal 500 (multiple Tier 1 rankings across West Midlands practice areas including Charities & not-for-profit, Local government and Social housing)
- Chambers UK: maintained top firm ranking in the Chambers UK 2026 Guide
- Planning Resource 2025: firm ranked 22nd in Planning Law Survey; Stuart Evans ranked joint 11th highest-rated planning solicitor in private practice (2025)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The firm commits to embedding ED&I across the business through an ED&I strategy, holding itself accountable via B Corp, applying independent standards and pledges (Halo Code, Women In Law Pledge), reviewing policies and reporting transparently on progress and outcomes.
- Equity, diversity and inclusion strategy
- Internal ED&I networks
- Social Purpose Volunteering programme
- Reverse mentoring
- Targeted mentoring and coaching for future leaders
- Project Pacman (career pathway framework for business services roles)
- Memberships/pledges: B Corp, Halo Code, Women In Law Pledge
Pro Bono
Dedicated Social Purpose Volunteering days for colleagues to support local charities; a culture of trainee-led fundraising and volunteering alongside client-facing pro bono work and community impact projects.
Innovation
The firm invests in data governance and AI capability through its Data, Digital Assets & AI team and has developed STAIRs operational guidance and training for housing providers. Innovation emphasis is on combining data protection, cyber security and AI governance with sector expertise rather than on named commercial legal‑tech platforms; trainees and clients engage with specialised regulatory and governance tools and sector-focused training.
- STAIRs operational guidance and related training products
- Data, Digital Assets & AI practice
- Authoritative leadership in data governance (Ben Pumphrey as head of data governance)
- Project Pacman (internal career-path framework)
Quick Application Angles
- Lead with the firm’s social-purpose credentials: reference its B Corp status, the stated purpose 'to improve lives, communities and society' and specific sector interest (e.g. social housing or charities) in your application to show values alignment.
- If applying to data, governance or tech-related seats, mention recent STAIRs work and the appointment of Ben Pumphrey (head of data governance) to demonstrate commercial awareness of the firm’s data/privacy practice.
- Attend an Open Day or the Future lawyers programme (January events and programmes) and reference what you learned in your application — the firm values demonstrated interest and familiarity with its culture and sectors.
- Use examples of hands-on experience: the firm values early ownership and volunteering, so highlight any substantive work or volunteering where you took responsibility and delivered an outcome.
- Emphasise sector knowledge for specialist teams (social housing, local government, health & social care or charities) — show understanding of regulators and practical issues (e.g. STAIRs for housing providers or Charity Commission/regulatory risks for charities).
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