So you know you want to be a lawyer, but do you know which city you want to work in?
You can pursue a legal career all across the UK and each location offers something different for legal professionals. That’s why we’ve put these incredibly useful ‘regional hubs’ together. They’ll help you understand what it’s like to live and work as a lawyer in different places. We cover everything from the city’s nightlife, culture and transport links to the type of work you might be doing as a trainee. We’ll also direct you to the law firms and live jobs in those areas.
Aberdeen
Known as the Granite City, Aberdeen is the third most populous city in Scotland and a vibrant legal hub in northeast Scotland. Find out more about why it's a great place to start your legal career.
Birmingham has more canals than Venice, absorbs the most people fleeing London in search of greener pastures, and is in constant competition with Manchester to attain the UK’s “second city” title. Comparisons aside, it’s a vibrant, thriving city in its own right, and it has a lot to offer lawyers.
Wallace and Gromit, Banksy and Ribena may make for strange bedfellows… but all have their origins in Bristol, the picturesque and quirky capital of the South-West. With its array of colourful terraces and close proximity to the beaches of Somerset, you’d be forgiven for thinking Bristol was a seaside town. Yet its booming economy and urban culture firmly establish it as one of the UK’s most appealing cities for young professionals.
A cosmopolitan city, Cambridge has everything from a well-established university to a booming tech industry. As city of contrasts where the old is constantly juxtaposed with the futuristic, Cambridge is a particularly exciting place to live and work. Like the city itself, a law career in Cambridge promises extensive and diverse opportunities.
With Roman heritage, horse racing, a zoo and footballers’ wives, Chester offers an eclectic mix. Find out what it’s like to practise law in this north-west town.
Edinburgh is known to be a creative hotspot. It somehow manages to combine an intimate village feel - with tea shops and picturesque architecture spreading out beneath the castle - with a cosmopolitan touch: as the capital of Scotland, you’ll find all the top shopping destinations alongside ancient bookshops, and fancy cocktail bars next to local pubs. Practicing law in a city where the modern is so ingrained within the traditional promises to be an exhilarating career experience.
Exeter has evolved significantly in recent years, with its natural marvels—beaches, clifftops and hills—cast in a new light by an ever-expanding cultural and nightlife scene. A smaller city that still has strong links to the West Country’s legal scene, it’s a distinctive place to start your career.
Glasgow is known to be the creative powerhouse of Scotland, with a wealth of music, art and architecture blending the old and revered with the new and experimental. If you’re craving a taste of life in this culturally rich, Scottish city, you’re in luck—there are abundant opportunities for lawyers.
Guildford sits neatly between London and the coast, is surrounded by countryside and has a historic market, making it one of the more idyllic places to study and practice law. Find out more about what makes this southern town so special.
Leeds is a favourite for young professionals, and with cheap living costs, a thriving cultural scene, and a world-famous nightlife, it’s easy to see why. As a lawyer, you’ll be working in one of the largest legal hubs outside of London, so you can expect a varied and high-profile professional life too.
Home to four universities, two football teams and one very famous band, Liverpool is a compact and unique place. The Merseyside city also hosts a lot of law firms, making it a desirable destination for young lawyers.
Living and working in London really is an experience like no other. Its status as the country’s capital, financial hub and legal epicentre has long been a determining factor for many young professionals pursuing their careers, and the city has often been spoken of as a state or country in its own right. In terms of size and choice of different lifestyles, it really cannot be beaten.
Manchester boasts many accolades such as the happiest and most liveable city in the UK—and with a population of 2.8 million in Greater Manchester, it’s second only to London in terms of size. On top of that, the city has seen major transformation over the past 20 years thanks to investment in infrastructure and architecture. If you’re hankering after a bustling city experience with a little more friendliness than the capital, Manchester is certainly one to investigate.
Newcastle is ideal for anyone who wants to balance the commodities of city living with a warm community feel. As far as cities go, it’s relatively small, but Newcastle has a bustling legal scene: you’ll find a lot of national and international firms have offices there, as well as a few well-respected regional firms that operate solely out of the city.
Located in Norfolk close to the coast, Norwich offers an unique city experience, with a rich history and a wealth of architecture. As a small city, it has everything you might want from an urban hub, without the overwhelming scale that can sometimes make bigger cities unappealing. Also, it allegedly has a pub for every day of the year - what more could you want, really?
Nottingham is so much more than the home of Robin Hood, and has risen to become something of a cultural hub in the UK in recent years. If you find yourself drawn towards working and living in the Midlands, it could be that Nottingham is for you.
Located in the heart of South Yorkshire, with the stunning backdrop of the Peak District National Park, Sheffield is an ideal base for a balanced and fulfilling working life. Once a major epicentre of industry, Sheffield is now very much a modern city with plenty of green spaces and activities to engage in after a hard days’ work.
Located in the South East of England, Southampton is the largest city in Hampshire, with a population of over 1.5 million. A number of industries—including government, policy, education, research and tourism—have a presence in the city, and its size and location make it an ideal place for a balanced yet exciting working life.
