At RPC, you can be you. In an environment that’s real. Strikingly real.
Our vision is to be our clients’ first choice law firm, guiding them through opportunities and challenges. It isn’t just about black letter law; it’s about building open relationships with our clients to help them get the most out of our business.
For us, success comes from building real-life relationships. Trusted relationships with our clients as much as our people. And it comes from thinking creatively to achieve the best commercial solutions. We thrive in an environment that’s collaborative and forward-thinking, where you’re free to express your personality. An environment that allows you to make the most of your strengths. This is our commitment to you.
Our lawyers are market leaders. Our clients are often household names. And together we achieve award-winning results. Results that have seen RPC regularly voted amongst the best for commercial advice across our sectors of specialism.
Our business is built on mutual respect and trust. That’s where you come in. From day one, you’ll collaborate with our Partners; you’ll have contact with clients; and you’ll be given real responsibility. As a Trainee, you could be assisting with large-scale global disputes, or offering business-critical commercial advice.
But you won’t be left to fend for yourself, you’ll receive first-rate training. You’ll be able to develop your skills and you’ll be encouraged to use your creativity to solve complex problems. We’re agile and flexible, and that’s reflected in our approach to our Trainees. You can choose to spend time in a wide variety of practice areas supporting a range of dynamic sectors. And not just in London, with training contracts, placements and secondments on offer in Bristol, Hong Kong and Singapore, too, we’re truly international.
We also offer alternative routes into law. No matter what stage you are in your life, our apprenticeship scheme will help build the foundations of your career with the training and support you’ll need to excel.
Our award-winning Summer schemes are as much about you experiencing life with us, as us experiencing working with you. Over two weeks you’ll get real exposure to real work in a real-life environment. Fully integrated into our teams, you’ll get to know the people from the get-go. If you’re just after a snapshot of life in our law firm, we also offer Insight days where you can shadow, network, and experience our culture first hand.
So, if you’re a creative thinker who wants a career in an international firm that values personality as much as professionalism, we want to hear from you.
Firm Statistics
Practice Areas
Average Trainee Salary
£48,000NQ Salary
£85,000No. of Partners
103No. of Lawyers
262No. of Offices
4Major UK Offices
LondonBristolManaging Partner
Available Opportunities
RPC – First Year Workshop (Virtual)
RPC – Bristol Insight Event
RPC - Bristol Training Contract
RPC - London Training Contract
Key Info
As a Trainee, we believe you’ll deliver your best if you’re free to be you. And that means being able to ask questions openly, being supported to develop your strengths, and having the right opportunities to grow. Our offices are non-hierarchical and open plan which means you’ll be sitting close to our Partners and Associates. What’s more, our dynamic working principles empower everyone at RPC to shape how they split their time working in and out of the office; balancing their own preferences, supporting each other and delivering exceptional client service. Whether you’re handling complex insurance claims, resolving large-scale global disputes, or providing commercial advice and transactional support, your opinions will be listened to and respected.
We believe personal growth comes from being challenged. You’ll be given real responsibility throughout your training, but you’ll never be left to fend for yourself. Our training is award-winning. You’ll have a Supervising Partner and Associate to help you day to day, a mentor to show you the ropes, and a dedicated Trainee development team to support you.
We also believe you’ll grow if you’re free to explore. At least six months will be spent in four different areas of our practice, so you can discover where you fit in the best. You may have an opportunity to be seconded to one of our clients as an in-house lawyer. This will give you the chance to form genuine relationships with the people behind the cases. You’ll use your personality to become more commercially aware and legally proficient.
In addition, as an RPC Trainee you may get an opportunity to spend six months of your contract seconded to our Hong Kong, London or Singapore offices depending on where you’re based.
If you’re shortlisted, you’ll be invited to one of our assessment days during which you’ll meet our existing Trainees, Associates and Partners. If successful following the assessment day, your training contract will start two years later. Our assessment days can be run virtually.
Applications open 2nd October 2023, and the deadline for applications is 24 June 2024.
Successful candidates will be invited to attend the RPC assessment day held during August.
So, if you’re a creative thinker who wants a career that values personality as much as professionalism, we want to hear from you.
Along with a competitive annual salary, you’ll be offered a creative and comprehensive package of benefits.
We’re all unique. And that’s why RPC’s benefits package is too. We respect we’re all real people with passions, families and lives away from our desks. So, we offer you the chance to tailor your benefits, offering choice and flexibility to everyone who works here.
Our benefits package covers almost everything, from wellness festivals and social events, to extra annual leave, and family and wealth-related rewards.
- Written Exercise
- Application via our online recruitment portal
- Cognitive aptitude test
- Assessment day
- Verbal Exercise
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Applications open 2nd October 2023
Summer Schemes
Speed networking, meeting clients, pizza-making classes, attending court and hands-on real case experience. We’ll show you the real RPC during our Summer Schemes. And be warned, it’s pretty striking.
You’ll be welcomed into our London office and given an opportunity to spend time getting to experience life in a unique law firm for yourself. It’s also our chance to get to know you and understand what you may be able to offer us. During these two weeks, you’ll be fully integrated into our teams, getting involved in projects and giving you a fantastic insight into whether a career at RPC is right for you.
So, if you value character over conformity, the unique over the uniform, and ambition over apathy, let’s talk.
RPC is here to help you achieve your ambitions.
Recruitment for our summer schemes usually takes place in January and February. If you’re shortlisted, you’ll be invited to one of our assessment days, during which you’ll meet our existing Trainees, Associates and Partners. If successful following the summer scheme, your training contract will start two years later. Our assessment days can be run virtually.
Virtual Experience Programme
Take this free virtual opportunity to up-skill yourself get a true feel of what it’s like to work at RPC.
Why join this Virtual Experience Programme?
Do you want a career in a firm that values personality as much as professionalism? At RPC, we thrive in an environment that’s collaborative, forward-thinking and where you’re free to express your personality.
Our lawyers are market leaders. Our clients are often household names. And together we achieve award-winning results. Whether it’s a complex insurance claim, large-scale global dispute, business-critical commercial advice or transactional support, our clients really trust us.
Explore life at RPC and the work we do by completing our virtual experience programme.
No prior legal knowledge or work experience is required to participate in this experience. Please note your work will not be used for recruitment and assessment purposes.
Benefits of this Virtual Experience Programme
- Earn a Certificate. When you complete the RPC Virtual Programme, you’ll earn a personalised completion certificate to share with prospective employers and your professional network.
- Do it in your own time. Fit the RPC Virtual Programme in with your busy schedule. Learn at your own pace and reach your personal goals.
- Make your CV and LinkedIn stand out. You’ll be able to include this experience on your CV and Linkedin profile. Demonstrate that you’re ambitious, hardworking and have developed valuable practical skills.
- Learn direct from RPC. This RPC Virtual Programme has been created by leaders at RPC. You’ll receive instructions from the RPC team and compare your work with real model solutions from RPC.
- Gain real work experience. Throughout the RPC Virtual Programme, you’ll develop deep insights into what it is actually like to work at RPC.
- Set yourself up for success. No more applying for jobs without knowing what the role involves. Build the confidence and practical skills that employers are looking for.
What will you do in this Virtual Experience Programme?
- Draft a letter responding to a potential claim relating to a collapsed bridge.
- Protect our client’s position with a robust letter, denying the allegations made against it.
- Leave a voicemail for a client.
- Communicating your message quickly and clearly.
- Produce a research note on a potential client for a Partner briefing.
- Identifying relevant commercial information quickly and detailing it clearly.
- Review a celebrity publicity agreement relating to the launch of a champagne brand.
- Protect our client’s interests with a contract review and proof read, flagging 3 key areas to negotiate.
This programme is self-paced. It takes 4-5 hours to complete this Virtual Experience Programme.
- If you're applying for a training contract in the UK
- you’ll need a 2:1 degree awarded or predicted
- or the equivalent qualifications. Mitigating circumstances will be taken into account when reviewing an application.
- Written Exercise
- Application via our online recruitment portal
- Cognitive aptitude test
- Assessment day
- Verbal Exercise
Insight Days
Our Insight Days are just that. Insightful. Experience real life as a trainee through work-shadowing opportunities, taking part in an application skills session and networking with people from all across the firm.
Open to students in their penultimate or final year studying law or final year of a non-law degree, it’s the perfect opportunity to find out more about RPC before you submit your summer scheme or training contract application. If you have a genuine interest in a career in law and are a creative thinker with a desire to make a real difference, we want to hear from you.
London Insight Event (in-person)
Date: Thursday 16 November 2023
For: (graduates, penultimate or final year studying law or final year of a non-law degree)
Deadline: Monday 6 November 2023
Location: RPC, St Katharine’s Docks, London
Apply here for our London Insight Day.
Bristol Insight Event (virtual)
Date: Wednesday 6 March 2024
For: graduates, penultimate or final year studying law or final year of a non-law degree
Deadline: Monday 26 February 2024
Location: Virtual
Apply here for our Bristol Insight Day.
First Year Workshops
The workshops are packed full of activities, including:
- Listening to interactive spotlight presentations on our practice areas and life as a trainee
- Taking part in skills sessions to prepare you for application season
- Attending networking events
Studying law? You can join us for this workshop if you’re in your first year.
Studying a non-law degree? You must be in your penultimate year.
Our First Year Workshop takes place on Wednesday 27 March 2024.
The deadline for applications is the Monday 18 March 2024.
First Year Workshops (Virtual)
Date: Wednesday 27 March 2024
Deadline: Monday 18 March 2024
Location: Virtual
- If you're applying for a training contract in the UK
- you’ll need a 2:1 degree awarded or predicted
- or the equivalent qualifications. Mitigating circumstances will be taken into account when reviewing an application.
- Written Exercise
- Application via our online recruitment portal
- Cognitive aptitude test
- Assessment day
- Verbal Exercise
- If you're applying for a training contract in the UK
- you’ll need a 2:1 degree awarded or predicted
- or the equivalent qualifications. Mitigating circumstances will be taken into account when reviewing an application.
- Written Exercise
- Application via our online recruitment portal
- Cognitive aptitude test
- Assessment day
- Verbal Exercise
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- Written Exercise
- Application via our online recruitment portal
- Cognitive aptitude test
- Assessment day
- Verbal Exercise
