BPE Solicitors

Overview

BPE Solicitors is a Cheltenham-based full-service regional law firm that advises both businesses and private clients across corporate, commercial, real estate, employment, litigation and technology/IP matters. Founded on a culture of flexibility and innovation, the firm positions itself as an agile, pragmatic adviser to owner-managed and growth businesses while also offering private client, family and notarial services. The firm consistently appears in national legal directory rankings for multiple teams and has won regional awards for its corporate work and employer practices. BPE highlights technology-led capability (notably a bespoke Global Privacy Hub) alongside traditional transactional and contentious strengths.

• Headquarters: Cheltenham, St James House, St James Square
• Offices: 1

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Corporate & M&A
• Commercial Contracts
• Employment
• Real Estate
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Intellectual Property
• Family Law
• Private Client & Wealth
• Tax
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Technology & Digital

Geographic Focus: Primary regional base in Gloucestershire/Cheltenham with work across the UK and multi‑jurisdictional capability in technology and privacy matters (Global Privacy Hub). The firm serves owner-managed and growth businesses locally and nationally and accepts instructions involving international aspects where specialist teams advise on cross-border data, IP and corporate issues.

Training Contract

BPE operates a traditional training contract model with seat rotations across the firm's core departments and actively promotes alternative qualification routes (apprenticeships and CILEx). Trainees typically rotate through transactional and contentious seats (examples in practice content include Commercial Property, Residential Property, Employment, Commercial Litigation and Technology/IP). The firm recruits from its own paralegal cohort and external applicants and supports early responsibility in seats where trainees express interest. Apprenticeships run alongside structured college/provider delivery with employer supervision and regular progress reviews.

• Academic Requirements: The firm supports multiple qualification routes (traditional law degree + LPC/training contract, CILEx route and apprenticeships) and actively recruits internal paralegals and apprentices onto training contract pathways.
• Application Deadline: TBC

Seat Options

• Real Estate
• Commercial Contracts
• Employment
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Intellectual Property
• Corporate & M&A
• Private Client & Wealth
• Data Protection & Privacy
• Technology & Digital

Mentorship

Trainees and apprentices receive regular catch-ups and monthly progress sessions with a firm supervisor; apprentices have weekly study time and weekly check-ins with their training provider. The firm emphasises supervisor support and an open-door culture where paralegals and trainees can work closely with partners and experienced fee-earners.

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What BPE Solicitors Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness
• Strong communication and drafting skills
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Attention to detail
• Enthusiasm and passion
• Adaptability and openness to learning
• Client focus and practical problem solving
• Interest in technology for candidates applying to Technology & Digital

Evidence Signals

• Paralegal or commercial work experience (internal paralegal route is highly regarded)
• Apprenticeship or CILEx study for non-traditional qualification routes
• Demonstrable commercial or sector-specific knowledge (owner-managed business experience, retail/leisure or real estate examples)
• Engagement in tech or data projects for Technology team applications
• Voluntary/charity involvement and evidence of teamwork

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Competitive salary (firm emphasises pay is part of a broader package)
• Flexible working and supportive/family-friendly policies
• Enhanced maternity and paternity schemes
• Parent Promise (employee benefit introduced Oct 2022) and Dear Bump subscription boxes with WhatsApp midwife support
• Free anonymous telephone counselling (employee assistance programme)
• Weekly on-site fitness classes
• Regular team days out and annual summer and Christmas parties
• Birthday off each year after two years' service
• Two-month paid sabbatical after 10 years' service
• Structured apprenticeship/CILEx support (study time during working hours)

Wellbeing

BPE provides free anonymous telephone counselling (EAP), weekly fitness classes on site and targeted family support via the Parent Promise/Dear Bump programme (covering pregnancy, postpartum and support after pregnancy loss).

Awards & Recognition

• Multiple practice teams retained or improved positions in leading legal directory rankings (2022–2024)
• Corporate Law Firm of the Year — Insider South West Dealmakers Awards 2023 (Corporate department recognition)
• Employer of the Year (sub £15 million) — Circles2Success Business Awards 2023
• Chambers and national directory rankings: multiple individual and team rankings maintained for 2024 (firm press announcements)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

BPE states it celebrates and supports individuality and diversity in clients and people; the firm publishes a dedicated 'Diversity Data 2025' page (linked on the site) and highlights alternative routes into law (apprenticeships and CILEx).

• Parent Promise (family-friendly benefit introduced Oct 2022)
• Dear Bump support (pregnancy to post-partum support and midwife access)
• Active apprenticeship programme and support for CILEx routes
• Charity fundraising events (annual charity golf day and other fundraising)

Pro Bono

BPE supports charitable activity (for example raising £4,503 for The Footprints Foundation at its 2025 charity golf day) and undertakes community-focused matters such as advising charities on mergers and transfers; the firm promotes supporting vulnerable clients as part of private client and succession work.

Innovation

BPE invests in technology-led services through its Technology team. The Global Privacy Hub is an off-the-shelf, tiered data protection solution offering legal and technical support tailored to client risk levels and multi-jurisdictional advice. The firm encourages internal engagement with digital topics (presentations and marketing initiatives) and integrates legal tech and digital capability into client offerings and trainee learning opportunities.

• Global Privacy Hub (off-the-shelf data protection solution)
• Digital Assurance service
• Internal 'lunch and learn' tech presentations and knowledge-sharing on topics such as the Metaverse
• Technology & Digital practice working on NFTs, cyber security, software licensing and cross-border data issues

Quick Application Angles

• Emphasise fit with the firm's core values (quote one or two verbatim values such as 'We think and work creatively and innovatively' and explain with a short example of how you embody them).
• If applying to the Technology team, mention the Global Privacy Hub and describe a concrete example of how you have engaged with data protection or digital contracts (for example coursework, placement, or a client project).
• Use internal routes as an asset: highlight any paralegal, apprenticeship or CILEx experience and describe specific tasks/examples that show readiness for early responsibility (drafting, client contact, transaction support).
• Refer to recent client work relevant to your target seat (e.g. Karndean HQ project for Commercial Property, the Creed Foodservices sale for Corporate) and explain why that work interests you commercially.
• Show individuality and authenticity in interviews — the firm explicitly values being yourself and looks for enthusiasts rather than a generic corporate persona.