Legal Work in Bristol and the South West

The South West although lacking a city in the same size as Manchester, Birmingham or Leeds has a thriving legal recruitment market centred around legal vacancies in Bristol, Swindon, Exeter, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Plymouth. The satellite towns and cities based in Wiltshire, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Cornwall also have a very active legal recruitment market.

Law Job Opportunities in Bristol

Bristol is the undoubted centre of the legal recruitment market in the South West. With a population of roughly 400,000 it is smaller than other regional law centres but its great travel links with London are a distinct advantage. The city hosts a selection of top Legal 500 firms offering great law jobs for the ambitious solicitor, paralegal or legal executive. The major players in the legal jobs market in Bristol include; Burges Salmon LLP, Bevan Brittan LLP, Bond Pearce LLP, Clarke Willmott, Osborne Clarke and TLT Solicitors who have recently opened an office in London.

Bristol Solicitor Jobs

Legal Vacancies in Wiltshire including Salisbury & Swindon

The opportunities for law jobs in Wiltshire are split into two distinct regions. One is centred on Swindon and the M4 corridor the other based around Salisbury in the south of the county. Legal 500 firms in the area include Laytons who have offices stretching from Bristol to Swindon. Withy King also have offices in Bath and Swindon and are keen to move into London. Thring Townsend are a leading south west law firm: ''An expanding South West firm with over 280 staff in Bath, Bristol and Swindon and an impressive national and international client base. The firm's continued growth means strength in depth and the resources to provide the very best for clients.'' Legal 500, 2006 Edition

The South of Wiltshire tends to look towards firms in Dorset centred around Bournemouth, although Salisbury based Wilsons has a strong status in the private client and estates markets that reaches far beyond the region.

Law Jobs in Dorset

The legal recruitment scene in Dorset is based around the larger law firms in Bournemouth and those across the border in Hampshire, especially law firms in Southampton. Lester Aldridge’s head office is in Bournemouth.

Legal Vacancies in Gloucestershire

Although the Spa town of Cheltenham is located in the South West it tends to look much more towards Birmingham than Bristol in terms of legal work. The legal jobs market is kept active by a clutch of legal 500 firms based in the city that include; BPE, Charles Russell LLP, Clark Holt and Maitland Walker.

Legal Vacancies in ‘The West Country’, Devon and Cornwall

Despite its remote nature the West Country’s legal recruitment market is very active. In Plymouth and Exeter top lawyers, solicitors and paralegals are in high demand. Legal 500 firms include Foot Anstey who are based in Plymouth, Stephens & Scown with offices in Devon and Cornwall, and Cornish Firm Follett Stock, plus Michelmores and Ashfords both from Exeter. If you are looking for a new legal job away from the major cities then the West Country could be the place to seek your next legal career move.