Wilkin Chapman Rollits ranked in the UK’s top 10 ‘elite’ law firms for trainee solicitor satisfaction

Left to right back row - Danielle Firth, Elliot Dawson, Michael O’Donoghue, Angus Graham and Aaron Grantham. Left to right front row- Lisa Boileau (Partner), Angela English (Learning & Development Business Associate)

WILKIN Chapman Rollits has been recognised as one of the UK’s top ten firms for trainee solicitor experience, after securing an ‘Elite’ ranking from the Chambers Student 2026 Guide.

The Chambers Student Guide is one of the profession’s leading independent careers guides for trainee solicitors, widely used as a benchmark for training contract quality, and is compiled through annual interview-based research and a dedicated survey of trainees and newly qualified solicitors across the UK legal market. Respondents score their firm across a range of factors, including placement quality, as well as the calibre of training and development opportunities available, with results aggregated into national comparison tables.

Wilkin Chapman Rollits appears in the highest ‘Elite’ category, alongside international legal giants for both ‘The most satisfied trainees’ and ‘Supervision and contact time’. The firm’s placement puts it in the top tier nationally for training contracts, based on direct feedback from current trainees and newly qualified solicitors.

Lisa Boileau, Lead Training Partner and Private Client Divisional Head at Wilkin Chapman Rollits, said: “This recognition is a direct reflection of what our trainees experience day to day in the firm. We are incredibly proud to offer a training contract that combines high-quality, hands-on legal work with supervision that is genuinely accessible and invested in across all levels for our trainees.

“Being ranked in the ‘Elite’ tier by Chambers Student, and in the top 10 firms nationally for trainee satisfaction, is an endorsement of our culture and of the people across the firm who support our trainees to ensure they can truly flourish. We are wholly committed to developing homegrown talent in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, and ensuring our trainees build confidence, capability and long-term careers with us at Wilkin Chapman Rollits.” 

Building on this, The Chambers Student ‘True Picture’ review of Wilkin Chapman Rollits highlights a trainee experience defined by ambitious work delivered from a regional base, with a strong emphasis on practical learning and supportive teams. Trainees report early responsibility on live matters, open access to senior lawyers, and a working environment that values both professional development and balance.

Training contracts at the firm are structured to offer a wide breadth of experience across both private client and business services, with trainees typically completing four six-month placements and gaining exposure to at least one contentious and one non-contentious seat. Wilkin Chapman Rollits encourages trainees to spend time across more than one office where business need allows, enabling broader client and team experience while maintaining close supervision. 

Angela English, Learning and Development Business Associate at Wilkin Chapman Rollits, added: “Our approach is built around providing trainees with meaningful work, clear guidance, and the confidence to develop quickly. 

“We are delighted that the feedback gathered independently by The Chambers Student Guide reflects the excellence that we strive to deliver. This well-deserved success belongs to our trainees, and to the supervisors and colleagues across the firm who invest their time and energy into supporting them.” 

The firm's trainee solicitor programme is open until January 31 for positions starting in Sept 2028. For more information and to apply, visit: wilkinchapmanrollits.co.uk/careers/training-contracts  

With more than 530 partners and staff across offices in Grimsby, Lincoln, Louth, Hull, York and Beverley, Wilkin Chapman Rollits is the largest law firm in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Following its merger in April 2025, the firm has continued to strengthen its national capability across key practice areas, including private client, family, agriculture, corporate and commercial, real estate, and dispute resolution, providing trainees with access to a wide variety of high-quality work. 

For more information on Wilkin Chapman Rollits, visit: www.wilkinchapmanrollits.co.uk