Bournemouth, Southampton, Poundbury - 21 October 2025
Each year, two people join as trainee solicitors at a firm where former trainees now sit as partners. The latest Legal 500 Future Lawyers national guide rates Steele Raymond across seven categories, including 2nd for Social Life and high scores for client contact and job satisfaction. If you know someone aiming high, pass this on.
Applications are competitive because the outcomes are strong - former trainees now lead teams and the programme’s results show a clear path to grow.
Recognition built on trainee feedback
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers guide is based on thousands of anonymous trainee responses across more than 100 UK firms. It measures real experience across training, culture and workload - a useful signal for anyone choosing where to build a career.
Steele Raymond 2025/26 results
2nd for Social Life - 89.6/100
3rd for Client Contact - 91.2/100
3rd for Job Satisfaction - 88/100
5th for Quality of Client Contact - 89.6/100
Top 10 for Work/Life Balance - 88/100
Top 20 for Quality of Work - 86.4/100
Top 20 for Sustainability - 81.6/100
How the programme works
Over a three year period, trainees rotate through core practice areas across the firm’s Bournemouth, Southampton and Poundbury offices, studying for their SQE exams in years two and three. The cohort is intentionally small so exposure stays high and feedback is close. From day one, trainees handle meaningful work with partner involvement, structured learning and clear next steps - a mix that builds judgement early while keeping momentum visible.
Voices from the firm
Shaun Guppy, Corporate Partner and Training Principal, said:
“As a firm, we work really closely with our trainee solicitors and team leaders to ensure that trainees are getting exposure to a good level of client focused work that really helps them to learn and develop as fee earners. It is therefore really pleasing to see that the results for this year reflect that focus, with the firm having ranked third for both Client Contact and Job Satisfaction.
The results clearly demonstrate how much time, effort and support is put in across the board with our trainee solicitors with a notable balance of awards reflecting both the work they are involved in and work/life balance which is also important to us. We have designed our training programme very much with striking this balance at its heart and I am delighted by not only these results but the overall development of our trainee cohort who are really flourishing against the challenging backdrop that is the SQE.”
Managing Partner, Jennifer Rogerson, added:
“I’m so proud that Steele Raymond continues to be recognised in the Future Lawyers rankings across so many important categories. These results reflect the strong, collaborative culture that runs through everything we do from the way we support our people to the quality of relationships we build with our clients.
Creating an environment where our lawyers feel trusted, supported and genuinely enjoy their work is at the heart of who we are, and it’s brilliant to see that recognised again this year.”
A proven pathway
Five partners began their careers as Steele Raymond trainees - Chairman Tim Stone, Training Principal Shaun Guppy, Nick Davies, Craig Hardman and Emma Stainwright - alongside many other fee earners who progressed through the programme. The message is clear - talent grows here and keeps its momentum.
Call to action
Two trainee places each year. One programme shaped by real responsibility and close support. If you or someone you rate is ready to operate at this level, start the conversation today.
