Combined Study Training Contract (CSTC)

We have been authorised by the SRA to run a Combined Study Training Contract (CSTC) from January 2013. We will be running this in our London, Birmingham and Leeds offices.

Future Trainees will study the core modules of the LPC full time at BPP Law School on the accelerated programme from August 2012 until December 2012. They will then join the firm as a Trainee on a Trainee salary from January 2013, qualifying in January 2015. Three LPC electives will be studied over the two year Training Contract. The elective studied will be relevant to the seat, where possible. There is also an option of a fourth elective which can be studied on-line if a Trainee wishes to (this is not a compulsory elective).

Eversheds are very committed to the Training and Development of their Trainees. A CSTC gives students the opportunity to join the firm sooner than a traditional Training Contract. It also means that you receive a salary sooner and the time from LPC to qualification is shortened considerably. The learning experience is enhanced as you will be studying electives that are relevant to the seat you are completing, benefiting from both theoretical and practical learning. You will have the opportunity to reflect on this learning with both a BPP Law School Tutor and Trainee Supervisor, as well as colleagues and fellow students on the LPC.

To find out more about the CSTC, please view the recording of a webinar held in December 2011. Click here to view.

There is also a Frequently Asked Questions section regarding the CSTC which provides further information.

If you wish to apply for a CSTC vacancy, please click here. The application deadline is 31th January 2012.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us via gradrec@eversheds.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has Eversheds decided to offer the Combined Study Training Contract (CSTC)?

Eversheds are always looking for opportunities to continuously improve and take on board feedback that we receive. We understand that many of our potential future Trainees would like the opportunity to have less time between university and starting work and would like to be able to link their study to practical experience. From speaking further to our current Trainees and applicants, we believe the CSTC is a way of training that would suit all parties. Also we know the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) have been looking at work based learning and there is a wider review of legal education, so we thought that this would be a good opportunity to investigate how we could support our future talent. By working with BPP Law School (BPP) and the SRA, Eversheds were able to develop a Training Contract that would allow Trainees to qualify sooner, earn a salary sooner and improve the quality of their learning experience.

How does it work?

Future Trainees will study the core modules of the LPC at BPP on the accelerated course from August 2012 to December 2012. In January 2013 you would start your two year Training Contract with Eversheds on a Trainee salary. During the two year Training Contract you will study three LPC electives, over four, six month seats. The elective you study will be relevant to your current seat, where possible . You can choose to do an additional fourth elective on-line, which is optional.

Can I study my LPC with another provider?

No. All Eversheds Trainees study at BPP if they haven't completed their LPC at the time of offer.

Will I get paid fees and maintenance?

All of your LPC fees will be paid for by Eversheds as with our current Training Contract. You will also receive a maintenance grant, which is pro rata'd for the duration of your full time study.

Which offices currently have CSTC vacancies?

We have four vacancies in London, Birmingham and Leeds. Twelve vacancies in total.

How many Trainees will Eversheds have in total for the 2012 intake?

Eversheds recruit sixty Trainees across our nine UK offices. From January 2013 we will have twelve Trainees completing the CSTC and from September 2012, forty-eight Trainees on a current Training Contract. Both groups will work together and have the same options in terms of seats.

What are the salaries?

The Trainee salary for the CSTC is the same as our current Training Contract. When you join in January 2013 you will receive a first year Trainee salary.

How will an elective be studied?

Electives can be studied over a nine week period. You study face to face during the working week, as well as having options to study on-line. There is also flexibility to study evenings and weekends, only if that is the preferred option of the Trainee. A detailed timetable of study will be agreed between you, the Trainee Supervisor, your BPP Tutor and the Graduate Resourcing Team. This will be done at the start of each seat, so you may choose to alter your study options at each seat.

Electives consist of up to twelve, two hour small group sessions. Time for attending these and for preparation will need to be timetabled and agreed with your Supervisor. To retain a high level of face to face classroom time, only three of these twelve group sessions may be studied on-line, and only in exceptional circumstances. Electives also consist of eight, one hour online lectures.

Eversheds' Trainees will join mixed classes at a BPP location closest to your base office, not separate Eversheds' elective groups. This will allow you the opportunity to network with your peers and share experiences.

What electives can I study?

The electives that can be chosen are:

• Private Acquisitions - Mandatory
• Choose two electives from:
• Debt Finance
• Equity Finance
• Corporate Finance (if choose debt or equity finance they can't do this elective)
• Commercial Law and Intellectual Property
• Advanced Commercial Property
• Advanced Commercial Litigation
• Employment Law.

Can I have time off for study?

Yes, Eversheds will allow time out of the office to study the electives themselves and for revision. Study leave will include time to sit the exam.

What input do I have into my seat allocation?

After completing your first seat, you are asked to put forward your seat options every six months, four to six weeks prior to seat change. As part of the seat rotation process, you will meet with your Graduate Resourcing Adviser to discuss your seat options. From here the Graduate Resourcing team, with the Trainee Partners, will allocate seats; taking into account your seat options and seat availability. You will need to consider elective choices when considering seat options. Your BPP Tutor will help you with this decision, along with your Trainee Supervisor and a member of the Graduate Resourcing Team It is also at this stage you will start to consider when and how your elective will be studied.

Can I still complete a client or international secondment?

Yes. You must complete four seats during your Training Contract and three electives as part of your LPC. Where possible the elective that you study will align to the seat you complete. If you are interested in completing an international or client secondment, then we would arrange for this to be the seat where no elective needs to be completed. These are the planning discussions which take place throughout the seat rotation process.

Will this impact on how I qualify?

The CSTC will allow you to qualify eight months earlier than you would do under the traditional training contract. This is because you study the LPC electives at the time you complete your seats. Eversheds are committed to retaining all of our Trainees on qualification where possible and we will work closely with you and the business to explore all opportunities for qualification.

Why are Eversheds the only law firm to offer this type of training contract?

Eversheds developed this approach as a way of enriching the experience our Trainees have during their Training Contract and whilst studying the LPC. We also wanted to explore ways of making the Training Contract more accessible by providing a way to earn a salary and qualify much sooner. Eversheds applied for and have been granted by the SRA, Waivers to some of the Regulations applicable to the traditional Training Contract. This enables Trainees to commence their Training Contract prior to successfully completing the LPC and continue to study the LPC whilst still completing the Training Contract in only two years. For the duration of the CSTC, we will work with the SRA and our Trainees to monitor the CSTC and in the future, it is possible that other Firms could offer this type of training.

Will you run this programme again next year?

No. We will run the CSTC from start (August 2012) to finish (January 2015) before we commit to further schemes of this nature. Following the duration of the CSTC, Eversheds, our CSTC Newly Qualified Solicitors, BPP and the SRA will review.

How do I apply for a CSTC vacancy?

Applications are available now. To apply click here [insert the link to the apply page]. The application deadline is 27th January 2011. All on-line tests must be completed prior to the deadline.

What if I have already applied for a Training Contract with Eversheds?

If you have already applied for a current Training Contract or Vacation Placement Scheme and your application has been unsuccessful, we advise you to wait twelve months before making another application.

If your application is still being considered, you will need to contact us at gradrec@eversheds.com and we will copy your current application. You will then be considered for both vacancies. If you have already completed any or all of the on-line tests, you are not required to complete these again for this vacancy.

Is the application and screening process the same as it for your current Training Contracts?

Yes. We ask for the same information and apply the same selection criteria and process to the CSTC as we do for our current Training Contract.

When are the interviews and assessment centres?

Telephone interviews will start in January. Face to face interviews will take place in January, February and March. Assessment Centres will be held during March and April followed by offers.

What if I have already secured a Training Contract at Eversheds and I would like to be considered for the CSTC?

If you have secured a Training Contract for 2013 or 2014, you are eligible to be considered for the CSTC, providing you have not yet started your LPC. You should contact your Graduate Resourcing Adviser to discuss this further.

Can I apply if I have done an LPC?

No. Due to the structure of the CSTC you would not be eligible to complete the programme if you have already started or completed the LPC. You could, however, apply for our current 2014 Training Contract vacancies.

How can I find out more?

Further detail regarding the CSTC will be provided on the Webinar taking place on Thursday 15th December 2011 at 4pm. This Webinar will be recorded and can be accessed at a later date via Archived Webinars.