Trainee Profiles

We see our trainees as our future partners, so if you are looking to start your career in a supportive environment, working on high-profile cases, we’ve plenty to offer at Roythornes. Read some of our current trainees stories and experiences below.

Katie Temple

I began researching training contracts when I started the GDL at Nottingham Law School. Having attended Nottingham Law School’s Law Fair, Roythornes stood out as being a friendly firm, and this was confirmed to me when I attended the Spalding office for my interview – everyone was so welcoming and instantly made me feel at ease. Another thing that attracted me to Roythornes was the size of the firm; it seemed like a good-sized firm to start my legal career, having five offices, an ambition to grow, and offering a vast range of practice areas.

I have now been at the firm for just over one year and I can honestly say that I have felt like part of the team since day one. I completed my first seat in the Planning team. I was given a lot of responsibility at a very early stage, but I always felt supported and knew that I could ask for help if I needed it. My second seat was in the Food Regulatory team. Food Regulation was not something that I had studied or knew a lot about before joining Roythornes, but I really enjoyed working in such a niche area and I also had a great amount of exposure to work, such as attending court and client meetings.

I am now in my third seat working in the Private Client team, and I am looking forward to developing my knowledge in this sector before seeing where my fourth and final seat takes me!

Anthony Rydell

I enjoyed the land law and property courses during the GDL and LPC at Nottingham Law School. When I started researching training contracts, I was looking for a firm with a strong property focus. Roythornes was exactly what I was looking for and had an excellent reputation across multiple types of property work.

I am now in my third seat in Property Litigation having done my first seat in Agricultural Property and my second seat in Natural Resources. The work is varied and interesting, and I am constantly given opportunities to meaningfully contribute to moving matters forward. Each team I’ve worked in has been friendly and supportive and I definitely feel this is reflected in the wider firm culture.

Even at this early stage in my career, I feel valued by Roythornes and confident that they will continue to support me in achieving my goals. I am looking forward to seeing what my future with Roythornes holds.

Bethany Gregory

I decided to apply for a training contract with Roythornes after being initially impressed by the variety of the work the firm does, but upon speaking with some of the current trainees at the time I was encouraged by their positive experiences.

My time at Roythornes has been great and I am yet to come across someone at Roythornes who is unfriendly. There is always someone around to answer a query (or two), and I have learnt a lot from my colleagues and supervisors. 

I am currently in my third seat in Private Client and felt comfortable within the team from the get-go. My seats in Litigation and Agricultural Property have been equally amazing. What has been brilliant about my training contract is my first-choice seat selection has always been honoured and the mid seat & end of seat reviews with my supervisors and Julia, the training principal, have been invaluable in terms of helping, and encouraging, the development of my legal career  

I have had a breadth of experience such as sitting in on client meetings, drafting legal documents and attending a court hearing. Trainees are exposed to a variety of tasks, and I am always interested in what my fellow trainees are up to and I catch-up with them regularly. I am also part of Roythornes’ Events Team and get involved in planning events such as themed bake sales, staff drinks, and the Summer and Christmas Parties (which are very fun and a great opportunity to get to know everyone in the firm better). A good work life is encouraged, and there is plenty of opportunity to get involved in networking and Business Development events such as the Food Business Breakfast I am attending this month.  

It is a pleasure to work at Roythornes and I look forward to a future legal career here.

Annabel Barnes

During the application process, what really stood out to me about Roythornes was how much I felt like the firm was trying to get to know me as an individual and my style of working and interests. This has continued throughout my time at Roythornes, where I have been encouraged to pursue my interests and try new departments. Trainees are given real, meaningful work and responsibility from their first day and are even encouraged to attend events to build their networking skills.

Since starting at Roythornes, I’ve found every team I’ve worked with to be supportive and approachable. I have felt that my development has been prioritised through opportunities to attend workshops and seminars, including the monthly Agri-Academy on farming practices and the agricultural sector. Further, in every department, I have received regular, detailed feedback, in addition to the formal reviews at the middle and end of each seat.

I have now begun my third seat in private client, having previously undertaken seats in the agricultural property and corporate and commercial teams and am excited to see what lies ahead for me at Roythornes.