Forbes Solicitors Training Contract Profile

Forbes Solicitors operates across a range of public and commercial-facing practices with particular sector strengths in Education, Housing & Regeneration, Insurance and the Care/Health interface. The firm's commercial litigation capability is notable from the matters it handles - regulatory disputes, judicial review threats and defending care providers - which suggests regular court and administrative work for clients in regulated sectors. Corporate work includes transactional support such as the sale of multi-site care groups, indicating exposure to M&A, due diligence and commercial contracts within the health and social care market.

Training opportunities for junior lawyers are likely to offer exposure to client-facing and court-based work in the firm's specialist sectors. Aspiring solicitors can expect to develop practical skills across: client advisory work for education and housing bodies; regulatory litigation against public bodies such as the CQC; and transactional tasks on property and corporate matters. The firm's UK geographic focus means work often engages with local authorities, national providers and regional client networks, so trainees who can demonstrate regional knowledge and sector interest will be well placed to gain substantive experience.

Recent matters illustrate a concentration on regulated sectors and provider-side disputes. The firm acted for a care institute in a dispute with the Care Quality Commission over its status, a matter that involves regulatory interpretation and potentially public law remedies. Relatedly, Forbes advised a care institute facing threatened Judicial Review proceedings, showing capability in public law and fast-moving high-stakes litigation.

Other litigation work includes defending a care client accused of failing to provide appropriate levels of care and advising a care provider on a contractual termination claim, both of which combine regulatory, contractual and risk-management issues. On the transactional side, Forbes acted for a multi-site care home group in its sale to a national provider - a deal that would have required negotiation of warranties, staff TUPE considerations and property matters, demonstrating the firm's cross-practice transactional competence.

Specific training contract structure and qualification support are not published in the source data. Forbes emphasises investment in personal development and retention, so applicants should expect a structured development programme with on-the-job training, supervision and encouragement to build technical and client skills. Typical components candidates should probe during the application or interview include: seat rotations across core practices (Commercial Litigation, Corporate, Property, Employment), regular feedback cycles and the presence of mentorship or buddy systems with more senior fee-earners.

Because the firm's public-facing work includes regulatory disputes and transactional care-sector deals, trainees are likely to gain experience drafting court documents, attending hearings, supporting due diligence and preparing client advice. The closing date for graduate/school recruitment is 15 June 2026 and the firm's application page is available at the published careers URL. If qualification pathways (LPC or SQE) and funding/support are important to you, ask directly in advance - and use resources such as YourLegalLadder alongside the Law Society and SRA for comparative information on how employers support LPC/SQE candidates.

Forbes describes its culture as friendly and inclusive, underpinned by the core values: authentic, united and exceptional. That translates into a workplace where building client confidence and reassurance is central; staff development is actively promoted, and teams emphasise collaboration rather than siloed working. For trainees and newly qualified solicitors this typically means early client contact, supportive supervision and visible investment in personal development to retain talent.

The firm's sector focus - education, housing, care and insurance - encourages a community-oriented atmosphere, with staff working closely with local authorities and regional providers. Expect an environment where practical problem-solving and clear communication are valued, and where demonstrating alignment with the firm's ethos during interviews will resonate with partners and hiring managers.

Forbes seeks candidates with strong local connections and demonstrable interest in the firm's key sectors such as Education, Housing & Regeneration, Insurance and Care. Alignment with the firm values - authentic, united and exceptional - is important, so evidence of teamwork, reliability and client awareness helps. Practical signals the firm will value include regional placements, pro bono or voluntary work with community organisations, and any experience in regulated sectors.

Applicants should be prepared to show commercial awareness relevant to the firm's matters (e.g. care-sector regulation, housing policy) and clear examples of working under pressure and communicating with non-lawyers such as clients or regulators.

Tailor your application to emphasise local ties and sector interest: reference regional placements, local voluntary roles or client exposure relevant to Education, Housing or Care. Use STAR-format examples to demonstrate teamwork, problem-solving and client-focus, and link those examples to the firm's values.

Keep commercial awareness specific - mention recent regulatory developments affecting care homes or housing regeneration, and articulate how they impact clients. Note the closing date (15 June 2026) and apply via the firm's careers page. Use YourLegalLadder for application tracking, TC/CV review and up-to-date commercial awareness briefings, and consider 1-on-1 mentoring or mock interviews to prepare for competency-based stages.

Forbes Solicitors states an intent to advance diversity across its activities and was a founder signatory of the Law Society Diversity and Inclusion Charter, indicating a formal commitment to embedding inclusion in policies and culture. Public details on pro bono programmes are limited in the source data; applicants should therefore ask for specifics about internal networks, recruitment adjustments and pro bono opportunities during interviews.

If you want to evidence commitment to DEI in applications, list participation in diversity networks, mentoring schemes or community legal work. External resources to research and compare employer practice include the Law Society, LawWorks and YourLegalLadder, which also provides mentoring and resources on demonstrating D&I engagement in law firm applications.