Russell-Cooke welcomes ten newly-qualified solicitors

Ben Voller and Will Talbot-Davies have qualified into the firm’s corporate and commercial team; Emma Nightingale, James Underwood and Louise Bonnici the family and children team; Hebe Robinson and Sophie Ridley the real estate, planning and construction team, with Hebe specialising in planning law; Imogen Carr qualified into the trust and estate disputes team; Nina Stevens the employment law team and Esther Roberts the private client team. 

Ben Voller previously worked as a paramedic and senior operational manager in the NHS. He studied law part-time, graduating with first-class honours before completing an LLM at Birkbeck, University of London, with a distinction. He also achieved a distinction in the LPC at the University of Westminster. During his training contract, Ben completed seats across corporate and commercial, real estate, professional regulation and commercial litigation, gaining experience in both transactional and litigious work.

Previously a professional rugby player for seven years and currently playing semi-professionally for London Scottish in the RFU Championship, Will Talbot-Davies studied law at Cardiff University before studying the SQE at the University of Law. Will completed seats in professional regulation, real estate, corporate and commercial as well as employment. He credits his training contract for providing “varied work and hands-on experience across a number of different areas of law.”

Emma Nightingale attained a first-class honours in History at the University of Nottingham, a distinction in her MA in Contemporary History at the University of Sussex, before gaining distinctions in both the GDL and LPC at the University of Law. Emma describes her experience as a trainee in the firm’s insolvency, real estate, family and professional regulation departments as “invaluable collaborative and comprehensive.”  

James Underwood completed seats in property litigation, family and children, employment, and trust and estate disputes during his training contract and is qualifying into family and children. He holds a BA, MA, and PhD in English Literature, and after 10 years as an academic and university lecturer, he transitioned into law, completing both the GDL and LPC with Distinctions. Outside of work, James enjoys books, the arts, and exploring new places (and, reluctantly, running). He is "hugely grateful to have trained at a firm that values training so highly, alongside brilliant fellow trainees."

Louise Bonnici is qualifying into family and children, having completed seats in private client, trusts & estate disputes, property litigation, family and children, and charities. She studied History at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with a First, and then completed the GDL and LPC at the University of Law in London with Distinction. Louise's training contract was "a dynamic and fulfilling experience", which enabled her to "work on high-stakes matters, collaborate with experienced lawyers, and develop the skills and confidence needed to progress as an associate."

Hebe Robinson is qualifying into Planning, having completed seats in dispute resolution, charities, real estate, planning & construction, and private client. She studied Law at the University of Cambridge, graduating with a first-class degree, and previously worked in the Operations team of a national child welfare charity. Outside work, she enjoys hiking and trying new yoga classes. Hebe "valued the broad variety of seats" during her training contract at Russell-Cooke, "as well as the social side of trainee life, including pizza-making and charity fundraising as a member of the Trainee Social Responsibility committee."

Sophie Ridley is qualified into real estate, planning and construction having completed seats in real estate, planning and constructive, private client and property litigation. She spend her fourth seat on client secondment to IQ. Sophie studied Classics at the University of Durham, and then completed the GDL at the University of Law in London, gaining a Distinction.

Imogen Carr completed seats in trust and estate disputes, property litigation, private client and family. She studied History at Durham University obtaining a first for her dissertation on ‘Defamation in 18th century Durham’. She completed LLM Law and Legal Practice at BBP and obtained a distinction in her LPC at City Law School. Imogen describes her training contract as “filled with new experiences, challenges and opportunities for professional growth” and that she is “thrilled” to be embarking on the next stage of her legal career. 

Nina Stevens completed seats in private client, employment and immigration, professional regulation and public law, and dispute resolution, and is qualifying into employment. She studied Philosophy at Durham University and completed the GDL and LPC at BPP with Distinction. Before law, she worked in search and rescue for refugees on the Greece-Turkey border and interned at a business intelligence firm. Outside work, she plays women’s football, reads avidly, and enjoys running and swimming. Her training contract was "varied, covering broad practice areas and skills."

After reading law at the University of Exeter where she graduated with a first-class honours, Esther Roberts then studied the LPC at the University of Law, attaining a distinction. At Russell-Cooke, Esther completed seats across real estate, private client, trust and estate disputes and family. Reflecting on the training contract, she says it “exposed [her] to a massive breadth of work” and that she “learnt so much and made so many great connections.”

Russell-Cooke’s training contract offers four six-month seats in both contentious and non-contentious areas across the firm’s three offices. Russell-Cooke won the 2025 Legal Cheek Award for Work/Life Balance and was praised in the 2025 Chambers Student Review for the high level of supervision and support trainees receive.

The firm recruits 10 trainees each year and runs two one-week vacation schemes each Spring. Applications open on 7 November 2025 for the training contract and Spring vacation scheme.