Achieving together

Step into any of our UK offices and you’ll soon see that this is a people business. Our approach is collaborative and supportive and we genuinely care about your career.

That’s why we’ve created an environment where you’re encouraged to challenge and be challenged – one in which you can flourish and make a difference.

You’ll have access to high quality work and senior client contacts. We regularly second trainees to our most high profile clients – it’s testament to the level of trust we’re prepared to place in you.

 

Our locations on both sides of the Atlantic provide a breadth of legal experience and services to meet our clients’ needs, without losing our connection to our local communities.

In the UK, we have trainees in the following locations: London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Newcastle, Plymouth, Southampton. We also have a small office on Teesside which is key to growing our practice in manufacturing, renewable energy, digital transport and local government.

Trainees will gain broad experience in a number of our sectors listed below. Not every office offers experience all of these sectors, so it’s important to do research – please do ask if us if you’d like to know specific seat options in your chosen office.

These tend to vary from one rotation to the next dependant on business need but we will ensure that across your training contract you receive a really good variety of experience and this may include a client secondment. Please note that in Edinburgh we have a large Real Estate team so if you train in this office you may start with a double seat in that team followed by seats in two separate areas.

Energy and Natural Resources

Our clients hail from across the globe, ranging from entrepreneurial new entrants and joint ventures to established independents, vertically integrated utilities, financial institutions, governments and worldwide energy giants.

Our work covers the full spectrum of upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas, the construction and service sector, and all types of electricity generation projects, including renewables.

Financial Institutions

We work closely with clients in all areas of the financial institutions sector, including community, regional, national, and global commercial banks, private banks, thrifts, and credit unions, financial services providers such as investment banks, broker-dealers, and asset and wealth managers.

In the fintech space, our clients include entrepreneurs and technology pioneers. We work with businesses that are reshaping the financial marketplace by developing and implementing new software, hardware, platforms, financial eco-systems, and business strategies.

Healthcare

Healthcare is a highly complex and regulated industry.  We offer advice, strategy and representation to a broad range of public and private clients including major health and social care providers, financial institutions and other key stakeholders.

Advising stakeholders on the full spectrum of corporate transactions from corporate M&A to distressed and insolvent care providers. Overlaying this corporate work, we have lawyers who advise in regulatory and compliance matters, employment and compensation issues and a variety of property and construction matters.

Insurance

Our clients are leading insurers and reinsurers as well as captives, brokers, MGAs, Lloyd’s syndicates and those involved in the distribution of insurance products.

We deal with all types of insurance disputes resolution, including defending claims and advice on policy coverage issues. We provide clear, practical solutions across a wide range of product lines – from professional risk, directors & officers and financial institutions to casualty risk (including employer’s liability, public liability and catastrophic injury), property risk and cyber risk. We have a dedicated subrogated claims recovery service, providing a tailored approach, including a niche fine art insurance practice.

Manufacturing

We have extensive experience in manufacturing innovations, brand protection and patents, we understand the specific challenges and opportunities of industry. From traditional production to robotics, from the supply chain and logistical issues associated with purchasing and import, through to the sale and export of finished products as well as related retail/brand management challenges.

Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals

Our multi-disciplinary team focuses on pharmaceutical, animal health, biotechnology, medical device, biodefense and other life sciences industry companies. Our professionals have experience at companies in the industry, as in-house counsel and scientists, as well as former patent examiners and FDA regulators.

By understanding the scientific foundation of life sciences businesses in this specialized sector, we provide more effective and efficient analyses and advice to our clients.

Private Wealth

Our clients range from high net worth individuals living both in the UK and abroad, professional and corporate trustees and financial institutions to insurers.

In the UK we act for over 100 significant rural landowners including National Trust, Church Commissioners and English Heritage.

Our legal expertise includes advising and preparing wills and trusts, helping those involved in disputes to find clear practical solutions, tax planning, residence and domicile issues, succession planning, cross-border estate planning, manorial rights, heritage exemption, tenancy law and administering estates comprising a variety of assets both in the UK and abroad.  We also advise both domestic and international clients on buying and selling residential real estate in the UK.

Public, Government Services and Third Sector

Working alongside a broad variety of UK Local and Central Government authorities, as well as other organisations in the wider public sector. Our lawyers are experienced in understanding the requirements of working in the public arena with its focus on driving best value for the public purse.

We are proud to be current legal suppliers on two of the UK Government’s Crown Commercial Service Frameworks. We advise a wide range of Central Government Departments, Agencies and Arms’ Length Bodies and non-Central Government public sector bodies such as local authorities and NHS trusts.

Real Estate

Focus on providing the full spectrum of legal services needs to your business, providing a one-stop-shop for legal advice. We bring to bear multi-disciplinary teams to support you with:

Financing and refinancing, debt capital and fundraising, Acquisition and disposal of real estate assets, Development, management or leasing of property, Strategic land development , Construction , Planning, Corporate (including private public partnerships, formation of SPVs and JVs, private equity), Employment, Regulatory (environmental, health and safety, data compliance), Property taxes and Financial regulatory.

Retail and Consumer

We represent many of the world’s best-known consumer brands and retailers, operating across the sector, including food and beverage companies, hotels and restaurants, gaming operators, developers, investors, and producers.

Our clients in the UK include Kingfisher Group, Colgate-Palmolive, Whitbread (Costa Coffee), Post Office, Specsavers and New Look.

Technology

Our technology sector advises businesses that lead the way in innovation. Our clients range from worldwide leaders in software, electronics and communications to emerging entrepreneurs. We understand both the legal and business issues unique to our technology clients and the rapidly evolving technologies that drive their success.

Innovation and change are constants for our technology clients. The same is true of the legal challenges they confront.

Transport

Our transport team has broad industry knowledge and decades of experience. 

The team creatively and efficiently solves problems in order to support our clients on their business and legal issues. We simplify issues and respond with clear advice. 

We work with public and private passenger service providers (rail, bus and air), freight operators, infrastructure providers/managers (including rail networks, ports and airports), government bodies and members of the supply chain (including train, aircraft and ship manufacturers and maintainers).

For more in-depth information concerning our sectors please visit the Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP website.

 

"The people at Womble Bond Dickinson are all very friendly and there are plenty of opportunities to grow and develop as a trainee solicitor. I have been involved in a wide variety of exciting work with many different people at all levels of the business. The Newcastle office has a fantastic sports and social committee, which I have been able to join. The committee is responsible for organising regular social events and running our many sports teams and tournaments, which has helped me to improve my skills and expand my network."