Leading UK law firm Ward Hadaway has welcomed 14 new trainee solicitors and one solicitor apprentice, further supporting its ambitious growth plans under new managing partner, Steven Petrie, who assumed the role in May 2024.
The new recruits, based in the firm’s regional offices in Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle, bring the total headcount at Ward Hadaway to over 500. The trainee solicitors will undergo a two-year training programme, qualifying in 2026, while the solicitor apprentice will qualify in 2030.
Matt Cormack, Partner and Training Principal at Ward Hadaway, commented, “It’s a pleasure to welcome the class of 2024. Securing a training contract at Ward Hadaway reflects the skills and potential each of these new recruits has demonstrated. Our training programme is designed to support our people at every career stage, and these trainees will gain valuable experience across a range of legal disciplines, guided by our experienced lawyers.”
He added, “I look forward to seeing them thrive and wish them every success as they embark on their legal careers.”
Ward Hadaway has a strong reputation for nurturing emerging legal talent, with its annual training programme highly competitive. Top students from across the UK participate in an intensive recruitment process, including an assessment day, before being offered places on the programme.
Caroline Jones, Emerging Talent Manager, highlighted, “September is an exciting time as we welcome our new cohort and celebrate those graduating from the programme. Seven of our newly qualified solicitors are staying with the firm, which demonstrates our commitment to long-term career development. Our new trainees will follow a structured and personalised training plan, receiving the guidance they need to succeed.”
New trainee, Elizabeth Swales, expressed her excitement about joining the firm, saying, “We are all thrilled to have secured training contracts at Ward Hadaway. The firm has a fantastic reputation for shaping future legal talent, and it’s inspiring to know that many of the firm’s senior leaders started where we are now. I’m eager to explore different aspects of the law and learn from my colleagues.”
The new trainees include: Dania Abu-Harb, Josh Cela, Laurence Colgan, Charlie Davies, Sophie Edgar, Ella Edmunds, Alice Ferguson, Abigail McAllister, Laura McLaughlin, Liam Middleton, Aisha Rutherford, Olivia Smith, Elizabeth Swales, Anna Thorp, and Nick Williams.