Life At Trethowans

Friendly. Proactive. Positive. We have built a strong reputation for being a different – and distinctive – place to work, one that is far removed from the drab and dusty law firm stereotype.

How do we do it? Firstly, it is down to our values. These drive the way we work and the people we hire:

Down to earth
There is no room for egos at Trethowans. Everyone has a part to play. Every opinion is welcomed and valued.

Up for the challenge
We love a challenge. Throw us in the deep end, give us a complex problem – we’ll rise to it.

On your wavelength
We seek out good, friendly, approachable people. The kind you (and we) enjoy working with.

No nonsense
No bull. No nonsense. No bluff and bluster. We pride ourselves on providing advice that cuts to the chase.

Above & beyond
Our clients need professionals who take their responsibilities seriously. Someone who understands the impact they can have. That is us.

Here to stay
With more than 150 years’ experience behind us, we’ve built our business to stand the test of time.

Then there are the small things. Like ice creams on a hot summer’s day. An afternoon off to do something fun. After-work drinks or a rounders tournament in the park. Plus, additional discretionary bonuses that recognise hard work.

‘Work hard, play hard’ may be something of a cliché (especially out of the mouths of lawyers), but at Trethowans we certainly realise the importance of downtime and getting to know each other beyond the four walls of the office.

You will find there are plenty of opportunities to relax – whether it’s lunch with colleagues, a drink after work, or one of our firm-wide events.

Our Social Committee organises various events throughout the year, including a family BBQ in the summer, a Partners vs. staff rounders match, and a black-tie Christmas party. You are welcome to get involved as much – or as little – as you choose.

We offer a generous package of benefits to our people. These include:

• Holiday entitlement which increases with length of service to a maximum of 28 days
• An additional day’s holiday for your birthday
• Free car parking
• Pension Scheme
• Health care cash plan scheme
• Income protection scheme
• Death in service provision
• Discretionary flexi-time scheme for support staff
• Membership fees for lawyers and other professionals
• Discounted legal advice
• Exceptional internal recruitment bonus scheme
• A rewarding online retail discount platform

Alongside these, we throw in a few more informal extras such as dress-down Fridays, a summer family BBQ and a black-tie event at Christmas.

As one of the largest firms in the South, we offer plenty of opportunities to grow your career and hone your skills. These include formal training as well as regular support and reviews to discuss your role, achievements and goals. Glass ceilings don’t exist at Trethowans – in fact, many of our Partners, Solicitors and Team Leaders are former trainees.

For lawyers, we provide a clear structure of progression from a newly qualified or FCILEx lawyer through to Associate, Senior Associate or, ultimately, Partner.
We actively encourage the development of our support staff, too, whether that is attending internal training sessions or attaining a paralegal or FCILEx qualification.

We are firm believers in the idea that you can be the change you want to see in the world. That is why we take time to get involved in our local communities and support local causes. This includes:

We currently support three nominated local charities, chosen by members of staff. These are: Abby’s Heroes, Hope for Food and Southern Spinal Injuries Trust.

Together, these charities are working to support families of children being treated for cancer, people living on the streets or in poverty, and those living with spinal cord injuries. We are proud to help these charities however we can – donating funds, gifts, providing legal advice, food and our time to help them make a difference.

We also provide one-off donations to encourage and assist members of staff in their own charitable work in the community. We have sponsored staff members to undertake marathons, bike races, walks, treks and other challenges in aid of the charities that are most important to them.

Elsewhere, we are actively involved in various community based projects such as the SAMEE project in Bournemouth and Poole, redecorating the St Cross Symondians Cricket Club, who we also sponsor, and we take part in events such as industry days and mock interviews at local schools.