Why choose us?

Quite simply, because we’re a forward-thinking practice with the energy, drive and determination to deliver the high quality legal advice our clients need, alongside new ideas and innovative ways of working.

Choose us for your training contract and, over the course of two years, you’ll get the chance to experience different areas of the law first hand, to work with some of the brightest and most supportive colleagues you could hope to meet, and a wide range of clients stretching across many sectors and services.

Our lawyers and professionals have shared ambitions, common values and a flexible working style that combines with strong personal connections to deliver outstanding levels of client service across every office, every day.

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is more than just a box ticking exercise. Every member of our team is empowered to bring their whole selves to work and we want you to have a life outside of the office so you can recharge and maintain the balance that’s so essential to mental and physical wellbeing.

We actively look for individuals with different backgrounds, or who took an unconventional path into law, because we know that we’re not just hiring lawyers, we’re hiring people – it’s your interesting perspectives and unique skills that make us who we are - and we’re all the better for it.


Rewards and benefits
At Womble Bond Dickinson, we value our people and believe rewards and benefits matter. Check out what we offer our employees.

Benefits 

  • Dental care
  • Gym discounts
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • PMI 
  • Travel loan schemes
  • Eye care
  • Employee assistance programme
  • Cycle to Work scheme
  • Buy and sell holidays
  • Wellbeing day 
  • Charity giving
  • Plus many more.

Diversity Access Schemes 

Our work around social mobility includes our refreshed Early Careers Programme, our work with schools and universities, as well as our Apprenticeship programme. We are passionate and dedicated about inspiring young people to unlock their potential and widening access to the legal profession.

We use the Rare Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) for our Early Talent recruitment (graduates and apprenticeships). The system allows us to understand the context in which a candidate’s experiences have been gained and enables us to identify top candidates from the widest talent pool possible.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

At WBD, our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is central to how we operate as a responsible business. Our purpose is to provide fair access, opportunity and treatment for all, ensuring that everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to thrive. This commitment shapes our long-term direction and is embedded across every stage of the colleague and client experience. 

Our approach goes beyond policy; we focus on creating meaningful, sustainable change by bringing DEI to life through everyday actions and behaviours. We actively work to remove barriers, challenge bias and recognise that individuals have different starting points. By doing so, we create an environment where people can be themselves, contribute fully and achieve their potential. Our DEI strategy is structured around four key priorities: inclusive recruitment, fostering respectful and inclusive environments, ensuring fair recognition and reward, and promoting DEI externally. This ensures that inclusion is consistently embedded across the full employee lifecycle and into our relationships with clients and communities. Our actions and achievements over FY 2025/26 include:

  • Launched a comprehensive DEI training programme, including mandatory DEI essentials training (completed by 77% of colleagues), alongside refreshed unconscious bias, microaggressions, and targeted manager training on neurodiversity and workplace adjustments.
  • Introduced our firmwide Courageous Conversations series, creating safe spaces for open, honest dialogue on complex and sensitive topics, encouraging curiosity, reflection and inclusive behaviours.
  • Strengthened inclusive recruitment practices through initiatives such as the introduction of the Neurosight assessment tool, closer collaboration with recruitment agencies, and partnerships with specialist job boards to reach more diverse talent.
  • Enhanced data-led decision making by investing in DEI data capture and analysis, alongside promoting our Count Me In campaign to improve diversity data sharing and insight.
  • Delivered Gender Pay Gap listening sessions with colleagues across the business, identifying key barriers to progression and informing a targeted action plan developed with senior stakeholders.
  • Increased external engagement by partnering with clients and industry groups, including hosting neurodiversity-focused events, chairing roundtables on inclusive leadership, and contributing to the UN Global Compact Network UK DEI Working Group.

Our six networks are passionate about promoting DEI. They provide valuable insights to help shape and support the work of our DEI team and the delivery of our action plan, as well as peer support, active allyship and knowledge sharing and collaboration across the business. Event highlights from FY 2025/26 include:

  • We marked Eid, Muslim Heritage Month and Bangladesh Independence Day by hosting an intimate lunch with clients and guests, creating space to explore cultural literacy and the distinction between heritage and religion. The discussion also highlighted intersectionality, with a particular focus on women’s experiences.
  • As part of our ‘Women In’ series, we hosted a panel event exploring the challenges facing women in the chemical and manufacturing sectors. With over 50 attendees, the discussion highlighted barriers to progress, shared personal insights and emphasised the importance of active allyship.
  • During Pride Month, we welcomed Baroness Ruth Hunt, former CEO of Stonewall, to speak with colleagues and clients. She shared her personal journey, insights on advocacy and her vision for advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion.
  • We ran “Dos and Donuts” sessions across our offices, encouraging colleagues to make practical inclusion pledges while engaging in informal conversations. These included actions such as sharing meeting agendas, promoting workplace adjustments and making greater use of sensory tools and inclusive resources.
  • We hosted a screening of Speak Little One: The World is Listening, followed by a Q&A with filmmaker and TEDx speaker Louise Ndibwirende. The session explored the complexities of adoption through the lived experiences of adoptees and created space for open discussion.

We actively participate in external forums, benchmarking and assessment frameworks, including:

  • Partnership with Diversity Lab as a Mansfield Rule UK participant
  • Hidden Disabilities Sunflower member
  • Business Disability Forum member
  • Halo Hair Code signatory
  • Disability Confident Leader - the highest tier of the UK government’s scheme recognising employers who champion disability inclusion
  • Re-accredited by Mansfield UK for our work in inclusive recruitment and expanding diverse talent pipelines across leadership activity
  • Leading Employer status under Stonewall’s Proud Employers Scheme, recognising our commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion

Our work has been recognised through a number of industry awards and nominations, including:

  • Women & Diversity in Law Awards 2026
    • Finalist: Law Firm of the Year 
    • Finalist: Law Firm Leader of the Year - Sally Dallow
  • Northern Power Women Awards 2026
    • Finalist: Large Organisation
    • Finalist: Agent of Change - Nazmin Akthar
  • LexisNexis Legal Awards 2026
    • Finalist: Diversity and Inclusion Award
  • Legal 500 UK ESG Awards 2026
    • Finalists across multiple categories
    • Winner: DE&I Rising Star of the Year - Nazmin Akthar
    • Winner: Private Practice Champion of the Year – Sally Dallow
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Gradcracker Limited, October House, Long Street, Easingwold, York, YO61 3HX
01347 823822
info@gradcracker.com
Company registration number: 6370348