About Trainee Solicitor Surgery
TSS offers the clear, strategic advice and coaching I wish I’d had when applying for a training contract, helping you navigate the process with confidence.
Trusted Support from an Experienced Insider
I know how confusing, overwhelming and discouraging the training contract process can be.
But I also know what works.
With 25+ years in and around legal careers, I bring deep insight into what firms are really looking for and how to stand out.
✅ 10 years as a commercial lawyer, including at Sky TV
✅ EMCC-accredited, postgraduate-trained career coach
✅ 15+ years coaching lawyers and aspiring solicitors
✅ Helped 300+ candidates secure a TC at top UK & US firms
✅ Vetted by the Law Society’s Junior Lawyers Division
You won’t find recycled advice here. Everything I share is grounded in deep legal experience and real coaching results.
My Own Journey To Lawyer, Then Career Coach
Matt Oliver, Founder of TSS & Accredited Career Coach
When I started out, I didn’t have connections or insider knowledge. I came from a state school, was the first in my family to go to university, and faced a string of rejections before securing a training contract with a Top 100 firm.
Those early challenges taught me a lot - how firms really select candidates, what makes an application stand out, and what separates successful interviews from near misses.
As a commercial lawyer, I worked in private practice and then in-house at Sky Sports, where I was involved in recruiting trainees and junior lawyers. Those experiences provided me with insight into how law firms evaluate candidates at each stage of the process.
After a decade as a lawyer, I left practice to train professionally as a career coach. Over the past 15+ years, I have built my reputation as one of the UK's leading career coaches for lawyers and aspiring lawyers.
I founded Trainee Solicitor Surgery in 2009, and it’s become a trusted resource for aspiring solicitors around the world.
Helping You Build the Career You Want
The mission of Trainee Solicitor Surgery is to help you succeed, whether you’re making your first application or facing another cycle with more at stake.
Here’s what you’ll find:
-
📰 Practical Articles - on applications, interviews, assessment centres, and more.
-
📘 Free Resources - like my handbook on TC application writing mistakes.
-
🎯 One-to-One Coaching - for those who want personalised support from someone who’s helped hundreds secure TC offers.
If you're good enough and motivated enough, I believe there's a training contract with your name on it. My aim with TSS is to help you showcase your potential to recruiters and secure that TC.
WHAT MY COACHING CLIENTS SAY
Ali, Trainee at Leading Global Firm:
"I was invited for 3 interviews and ultimately was successful in securing a training contract with a top 15 law firm. Working with Matt was a great pleasure and an unbelievable learning experience. I learnt so much about writing, recruitment strategy and the legal sector in general. I also gained a massive confidence boost and secured a dream training contract programme."
ALI
Kate, Trainee at Top‑20 Firm:
"I was impressed by how quickly you were able to pinpoint where I was going wrong and then the focused approach to developing a different and improved way of looking at applications which I was able to apply to future applications. I am sure the coaching helped me secure a training contract (with a top 20 law firm) this time around after previously unsuccessful attempts."
KATE
Need Expert Guidance on Your Training Contract Journey?
If you’re looking for tailored one-to-one support from someone who’s coached over 300 candidates to secure a training contract, I'd be happy to help.