We look at how to identify excellent employers and give examples of what they might look like. Best in Law features in-depth profiles of firms which won awards at the 2017 LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards.
2017
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WELCOME
W elcome to the 2017 edition of LawCareers.Net’s Best in Law magazine. Best in Law has a very specific purpose – to bring together everything that makes legal training and recruitment (and candidates) excellent. Best in Law is a guide that is designed to help you take the step from being a good candidate to an excellent candidate. This requires both a big-picture understanding of what you are embarking on and that you absorb some key tips that could be the crucial difference between success and failure. First, we look at how to identify excellent employers and give examples of what they might look like. Much of this information is drawn from the results of the 2017 LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards. These were based on an extensive survey of trainee and newly qualified solicitors, frankly assessing their own experiences and cumulatively providing an accurate assessment of which firms excel at giving candidates and those fortunate enough to become trainees the best possible start. Best in Law features nine in-depth profiles of award- winning firms. We suggest that you look at all of these to identify what aspects these organisations have
in common and work out what questions to ask of any prospective employer you are researching. Second, we address the art of researching and understanding the legal market and the players within it. It seems an obvious thing to say, but the better your knowledge, the better your chances. To this end, we look at what’s happened to the profession in the last year and the ongoing stories every lawyer will know about. We also examine how the business and legal worlds interact, as well as the relationship between lawyers and their clients. Finally, we look at the techniques that could launch your career and some of the issues that may be holding you back which, if addressed, will push you to the front of the pack. Are your applications as good as they can be? Do you understand your own key skills and strengths? Are you performing well at interview? Are you being realistic? Where can you improve? We lift the lid on all of this. Remember, Best in Law exists so that you can achieve excellence. Use it to open your eyes to the task in front of you and to ensure that you give yourself the best possible chance of a career in the legal profession.
Good luck!
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Best in Law 2017
Managing director Sinead Dineen sdineen@GlobeBMG.com
Business development director Matthew Broadbent mbroadbent@GlobeBMG.com Content manager Antonio Ignatius aignatius@GlobeBMG.com Communications and events coordinator Bethany Wren bwren@GlobeBMG.com Senior editor Josh Richman jrichman@GlobeBMG.com Editorial services Jo Moore, Liz Rutherford-Johnson Contributing editors Sara-Jayne Clover, Rowan McIntyre Group directors Guy Davis, Tony Harriss, Mark Lamb Design & production manager Neal Honney nhonney@GlobeBMG.com Consultant editor Isla Grant igrant@GlobeBMG.com
Design & production Christian Aspreno Photographer Tina Hillier tina@tinahillier.com Printer Acorn Press, Swindon
Published by Globe Business Media Group New Hibernia House, Winchester Walk
London SE1 9AG T 020 7234 0606 E info@lawcareers.net
Copyright © 2017 Globe Business Publishing Ltd All rights reserved
ISSN 1745-445X
Price £20
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying and recording without permission. Permission must also be obtained before any part of this publication is stored in a retrieval system of any nature. While every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors, omissions, mis-statements or mistakes.
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CONTENTS
04
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The LawCareers.Net
Who’s the best
10 14 18 22 26
Baker McKenzie
Training & Recruitment Awards 2017
Bircham Dyson Bell LLP
Burges Salmon LLP
DWF LLP
Farrer & Co LLP Hogan Lovells 30 Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP 34 Osborne Clarke LLP 38 Vinson & Elkins RLLP 42 Law Lecturer of the Year 46
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Winners & nominees
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69
Best informed
Be the best
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50 59 64
Research your way to
Burning questions A year in the law The commercial year
a training contract Networking: a how-to guide 74 Are you commercially aware? 76 Do you have the key skills 79 every recruiter wants? Experience required Application master class how to impress Assessment centres: how to prepare and perform well Training contract interviews 81 83 86 Vacation schemes: 88 90
made easy A dose of reality
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2017
2017
C elebrating excellence in training and recruitment throughout the legal profession, the prestigious LCN Awards are attended every year by a host of law firms, from the City to the high street. This year’s ceremony took place at Merchant Taylor’s Hall in the City of London, where representatives from over 60 top firms gathered to recognise the dedication of recruiters and trainers from across the country, and to honour those which go the extra mile. Hosted as ever by LCN’s Matthew Broadbent, the awards ceremony kicked off with Matthew reminiscing about just how much has changed since the first LCN Awards in 2003 – both in the legal profession and the wider world. There was discussion of the incoming Solicitors Qualifying Examination which will undoubtedly shake up the way firms approach their training and recruitment processes. Also mentioned was the new government-imposed Apprenticeship Levy, which looks set to widen access to the profession by upending traditional routes into a legal career. As Matthew noted, “whether being able to recruit aspiring lawyers at an
even earlier stage is a blessing or a gamble remains to be seen.” However, the main objective of the night was to shine a spotlight on how vital it is that employers provide the best possible start to a legal career. Clear communication and transparency are both essential when recruiters meet with aspiring lawyers, along with a genuinely open attitude to assessing an individual’s full range of talents, abilities and, crucially, potential. Once in employment, a commitment to development and support ensures that all that effort and investment in talent bears fruit. As Matthew concluded, with over 2,000 trainees and newly qualified solicitors surveyed for the awards, every nominated firm can feel proud of the knowledge that it is doing something very right in these elements, particularly given how fierce the competition is across every category. The first award of the night was presented to Thackray Williams LLP for the Best Recruiter in the Small Firm category. Next up, Cardiff-based Hugh James was pleased to win the
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THE LAWCAREERS.NET TRAINING & RECRUITMENT AWARDS 2017
gong for Best Recruiter for a Medium- Sized Regional Firm. Bircham Dyson Bell LLP took the award for Best Recruiter in a Medium-Sized City Firm, while Vinson & Elkins RLLP picked up the same award in the US Firm in the City category. Best Recruiter – National/Large Regional Firm went to Osborne Clarke LLP for the second year in a row, while Best Recruiter – Large City Firm found a fitting home at Hogan Lovells. In the training categories, Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors LLP won the Small Firm award, while Thomson Snell & Passmore LLP took home the accolade in the Medium-Sized Regional firm category. Competition among City firms was extremely tough this year, but Kingsley Napley LLP, Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP and Taylor Wessing all picked up awards in their respective areas, while Burges Salmon LLP was presented with the award for Best Trainer for a National/ Large Regional Firm. Both Farrer & Co LLP and DWF LLP were recognised for their exceptional vacation/work placement schemes which are, of course, increasingly important in so many firms’ recruitment processes. Farrer,
which has won a number of LCN awards over the years, won Best Work Placement Scheme for a City Firm, while DWF was crowned Best Work Placement Scheme for a Regional Firm. The much-contested Law Lecturer of the Year award – which is voted for by students at universities across the United Kingdom – was collected once again by 2014 winner Mary Lee from the University of Sussex. One of her students commented: “Mary is charismatic, funny and passionate about the subject. Her lectures and seminars are interactive, filled with examples and thorough explanations of the material, and you are made to feel that you are being addressed directly, even in a huge lecture theatre.” The LCN Awards also set out to celebrate firms that demonstrate commitment to increasing diversity. This year, the Commendation for Diversity was presented to Baker McKenzie, which received glowing comments from the judges: “Backed up by a robust monitoring system and defined outcomes, the firm has shown that it is dedicated to recruiting a workforce and to running networks, training, events and campaigns that encourage every individual at the
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THE LAWCAREERS.NET TRAINING & RECRUITMENT AWARDS 2017
firm to get involved and to promote change in this area.” The final two awards of the evening were given following nominations by trainees and are designed to acknowledge the hard work of training principals. Stuart Penswick of Forbes Solicitors was named Best Training Principal in the Small Trainee Intake category, while Ceri Vokes from Withers LLP took home the same award for the Large Trainee Intake category. As the last of the dessert canapes were snapped up and the final dregs
of prosecco finished, there was an undeniably cheery atmosphere in Merchant Taylors Hall, which could not be dampened by the torrential rain that had been falling all night. As Matthew pointed out at the beginning of the evening, there is a lot currently changing in the industry, and this will affect every aspect of the way in which new talent is found and developed within law firms. But with such dedicated individuals and teams at the forefront of training and recruitment, we can take comfort in the knowledge that tomorrow’s lawyers are in safe hands.
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Best Work Placement Scheme – City Firm • Baker McKenzie • Bird & Bird • Bristows LLP • Farrer & Co LLP • Fieldfisher • Shearman & Sterling (London) LLP • Withers LLP Winner: Farrer & Co LLP Best Work Placement Scheme – Regional Firm • Bevan Brittan LLP • BLM • Burges Salmon LLP • DWF LLP • Osborne Clarke LLP • TLT LLP • Veale Wasbrough Vizards LLP Winner: DWF LLP Best Training Principal (large trainee intake) • Jonathan Angell – Dechert LLP • Anthony Turner – Farrer & Co LLP • Sean Lavin – Macfarlanes LLP • Simon Hart – RPC • Giles Chesher – Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP • Ceri Vokes – Withers LLP Winner: Ceri Vokes – Withers LLP Best Training Principal (small trainee intake) • Stephen Kay – EMW Law LLP • Stuart Penswick – Forbes Solicitors • Gwen Evans – Hugh James • Sarah Passemard – Paris Smith LLP • Letitia Glaister – Tees Law • Mark Beeley – Vinson & Elkins RLLP Winner: Stuart Penswick – Forbes Solicitors Best Law Lecturer • Adam Baker – University of Leeds • Mihael Jeklic – King’s College London • Ben Jones – University of South Wales • Mary Lee – University of Sussex • Rachael Mulheron – Queen Mary, University of London • Andreas Yiannaros – University of Bedfordshire Winner: Mary Lee – University of Sussex Commendation for Diversit y Winner: Baker McKenzie
• Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP • K&L Gates LLP • White & Case LLP Winner: Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP Best Recruiter – National/Large Regional Firm • Bond Dickinson • DLA Piper UK LLP • DWF LLP • Freeths LLP • Irwin Mitchell • Osborne Clarke LLP • TLT LLP Winner: Osborne Clarke LLP Best Trainer – National/Large Regional Firm • Browne Jacobson LLP • Burges Salmon LLP • Gowling WLG (UK) LLP • Hill Dickinson LLP • Mills & Reeve LLP • Shoosmiths • Squire Patton Boggs (UK) LLP Winner: Burges Salmon LLP Best Recruiter – Medium Regional Firm • Birkett Long LLP Best Trainer – MediumRegional Firm • Anthony Collins Solicitors • Blaser Mills LLP • Foot Anstey LLP • Forbes Solicitors • Nockolds • Paris Smith LLP • Thomson Snell & Passmore LLP Winner: Thomson Snell & Passmore LLP Best Recruiter – Small Firm • Atherton Godfrey • Curzon Green Solicitors • Maples Teesdale LLP • Thackray Williams LLP • Wilson Solicitors LLP Winner: Thackray Williams LLP Best Trainer – Small Firm • Actons • Hanne & Co • Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors LLP • Pothecary Witham Weld • Wrigleys Solicitors LLP Winner: Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors LLP • Higgs & Sons • Hugh James • Michelmores • Roythornes Solicitors • Tees Law • Wilkin Chapman LLP Winner: Hugh James
WINNERS & NOMINEES
Best Recruiter – Large City Firm • Bird & Bird • Clyde & Co LLP • Herbert Smith Freehills LLP • Hogan Lovells • Reed Smith • Simmons & Simmons LLP Best Trainer – Large City Firm • Ashurst LLP • Baker McKenzie • Charles Russell Speechlys LLP • CMS • Macfarlanes LLP • Reed Smith • Taylor Wessing Winner: Taylor Wessing • Slaughter and May Winner: Hogan Lovells Best Recruiter – Medium City Firm • Bircham Dyson Bell LLP • Bristows LLP • Forsters LLP • Mayer Brown International LLP • RPC • Travers Smith LLP • Wedlake Bell LLP Winner: BirchamDyson Bell LLP Best Trainer – Medium City Firm • Farrer & Co LLP • Fladgate LLP
• Goodman Derrick LLP • Hodge Jones & Allen LLP • Kingsley Napley LLP • Marriott Harrison LLP • Russell-Cooke Solicitors Winner: Kingsley Napley LLP
Best Recruiter – US Firm in the City • Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld • Kirkland & Ellis International LLP • Shearman & Sterling (London) LLP • Covington & Burling LLP
• Vinson & Elkins RLLP • Weil, Gotshal & Manges Winner: Vinson & Elkins RLLP
Best Trainer – US Firm in the City • Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP • Sullivan & Cromwell LLP • Latham & Watkins
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Don’t miss a deadline! The most comprehensive list of training contract deadlines is available on LawCareers.Net www.LawCareers.Net/Solicitors/TrainingContractDeadlines
2017
WHO’S THE BEST?
No two law firms are the same, but each of the winning firms at the LawCareers.Net Training & Recruitment Awards satisfied some core requirements that set it apart from its peers. Shining examples all, the reports on these winners should allow you to put together a list of criteria to apply in your search for the very best firm for you. What is the firm’s market position and who are its clients? This will give you an idea of where the firm sits in the legal market when compared to its competitors and the type of work that it does. Identify its clients – big, small, businesses, individuals – to flesh out the picture further. How does the firm treat and develop talent? Obviously, the best sort of firm will treat its talented staff well and help them to grow, so you might like to find out what sort of training is offered at the early stages of your career and beyond. PSC? CSR? Time off to do pro bono work? A little investigation should reveal how the To get started, here is a selection of questions that it is useful to ask:
firm feels about professional (and personal) development.
What are its core values? This can sometimes be a harder concept to pin down, although increasing numbers of firms are including overt statements about their ‘visions’ on their websites and in their recruitment literature. Do some sleuthing and see whether its values are a good match for yours. Is it recommended? A top-notch firm will be recommended to others, and this is where client guides such as Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners come into their own. They provide a useful synopsis of the firm’s strengths in various practice areas, supported by client quotes. Individual lawyers will also be singled out, so you can get a sense of the high fliers at the firm – particularly useful if you’ve got an interview coming up. sung by the people who work there. Nowhere is this better evidenced than in the following profiles. The winners secured their gongs by virtue of the scores and comments we received from trainees and newly qualifieds – those who are undisputedly in the best position to assess how well the firm is recruiting and training. These award winners are the best at what they do – read on to discover how they got to the top and what they offer that sets them apart from the rest. What do trainees say? A great firm will have its praises
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BAKER MCKENZIE
LCN AWARD WINNER 2017 COMMENDATION FOR DIVERSITY
I t is a truth universally acknowledged within the legal profession that Baker McKenzie is an early adopter – and proud proponent – of all things diversity and inclusion (D&I). It is thus little surprise that the firm is this year’s recipient of LawCareers.Net’s Commendation for Diversity, the only firm to have been awarded it twice. The path was set from the very beginning – in post-war Chicago Messrs Baker and McKenzie founded their firm with the aim of making it truly international, and throughout its history Baker McKenzie has always looked outwards. It’s no surprise then that the firm lives and breathes the tenets of D&I. This is backed up by numerous accolades, including many relating specifically to the London office’s recruitment and training processes. In 2007 it became one of the first organisations in the United Kingdom to adopt a name-blind CV process, while in 2015 it became one of the first two employers in any UK industry to publicly commit to using Rare Recruitment’s Contextual Recruitment System (CRS, more on which later). In May 2017 Global Chair Paul Rawlinson voiced Baker McKenzie’s full support for gender pay parity – this was swiftly proved to be more than mere good intentions in June, when the firm was ranked 11th in the government’s Social Mobility Employers index. The firm’s affinity groups are wide ranging – from those common to many top-tier law firms, such as Women, Ethnicity, Opportunity (ie, social mobility), Wellbeing (including mental health) and LGBT, to an extensive LGBT Allies network, which over a third of the London office has joined; its objective being to support LGBT colleagues and to create an environment where people feel able to be themselves. Similarly impressive is the list of graduate D&I organisations which the firm partners with, including, but not limited to: Aspiring Solicitors, the BLD Foundation, Career Ready, City Solicitors Horizons,
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COMMENDATION FOR DIVERSITY
DiversCity, MyPlus Students’ Club, PRIME and Rare. Central to these efforts is a crack team of D&I flag bearers from the graduate recruitment and inclusion & diversity teams. Trainee Ellie Austin- Williams has nothing but praise for the team: “I don’t think the firm would be where it is today without them. They are so passionate about what they do and it is infectious. People want to be involved because of them. There is always going to be a lot more to do on diversity, but the firm has made a lot of progress and genuinely does what it says – we really do walk the walk.” Baker McKenzie’s credentials are there for all to see. In fact, that visibility is one of the things that often prompts would-be trainees to apply. Jonathan Tham, now a first-seat trainee in corporate M&A, agrees. “I am Chinese and was born abroad,” he explains. “What attracted me to BakerMcKenzie was that I could see people like me in senior positions. I felt that there wouldn’t be a ceiling and that I could go as far as I wanted to.” His time on the firm’s spring vacation scheme confirmed this impression. “During the scheme we had a talk on D&I and a separate one on CSR. It showed how much emphasis and value was placed on both, but also that they are considered distinct from one another. At Baker McKenzie, diversity is not just about doing the right thing, it is a core strategic focus and seen as critical to the firm’s success.” Chloe Quirk, an employment with D&I initiatives. “When I was on the vacation scheme in 2010, we were told about the various diversity initiatives and we were welcomed to get involved,” she recalls. “But now it’s even more so – students are invited to events, encouraged to voice their ideas, and stay involved beyond the scheme.” Sam Manful, a banking associate who joined Baker McKenzie as a lateral hire from a magic circle firm, agrees: “Just last week, we had vac scheme students helping at our social mobility event – they were told that even though they’re here temporarily, if they’re interested in what we’re doing, they should stay in touch and remain involved.” This brings us neatly on to one associate, describes how Baker McKenzie has ramped up its approach to encouraging vacation scheme students to become involved
of the firm’s most recent D&I events. Planned and executed by Chloe and Sam, it is a shining example of how people are encouraged to take an initiative and run with it. Chloe explains its genesis: “Having joined several D&I initiatives as a trainee, I started to take a more active role in the firm’s social mobility network, joining the sub-committee of the ‘Back to School’ project. The scheme encourages staff to use their annual volunteer day to visit their former school, especially if it’s a state school in a social mobility cold spot, to tell their story and to give an insight into what it is like to work in a City law firm. Inspired by ‘Back to School’, Sam and I reached out to our sixth form college in Essex, and organised an open afternoon for around 50 sixth form students. The students attended a range of skills sessions including a negotiation workshop and panel discussion, and had the opportunity to meet lots of people from the firm.” Sam continues: “When I discussed the viability of an open day for our college, there was a refreshing amount
of support from the firm; it is very aware of its wider responsibilities and it does a lot to allow all members of staff to make a difference. The event took a lot of planning and hard work – we started in September and it culminated in January, and was a huge success. The level of engagement from the firm was great – not just from our inclusion & diversity team, but from within my own department, including people who hadn’t engaged with any social mobility events before.” “It was great to meet the students and to give them an opportunity to visit the office. I had previously returned to my sixth form college as part of the ‘Back to School’ initiative, but I wanted to go one stage further,” Chloe adds. “As part of the afternoon, the students were surprised to learn that Sam and I had attended their college and we had been in their position. If we helped to raise awareness of this profession for just one student in the room, then we’ve done our job.” Arron Slocombe, pensions partner and one of the firm’s social mobility champions, reflects on the
At Baker McKenzie, diversity is not just about doing the right thing, it is a core strategic focus and seen as critical to the firm’s success
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BAKER MCKENZIE
importance of giving everyone in the firm the chance to get involved with D&I, along with the licence to come up with new ideas. “Our focus groups meet regularly and they’re not just talking shops – we want new ideas, from everyone,” he enthuses. “If you give people a sense of ownership over an initiative, it goes beyond just being a policy – it lifts it off the page, you could say. Also, people are more likely to create something that they are personally committed to with that level of autonomy.” Ellie also suggested a new schools programme recently and was given the freedom to run with it. “Along with two other trainees, I am working on a social mobility initiative with one specific school in a deprived part of East London, but with a view to rolling it out to other schools,” she explains “We are running an essay competition – we’ve had great engagement from the students and invited the winners into the firm for lunch with some of our partners. As it’s a project I’ve helped to own and shape, I feel much more invested in it.” Jonathan too has had the chance to be a part of two D&I campaigns that are close to his heart. “I am involved in two forthcoming campaigns focusing on anti-bullying and the concept of ‘Colour brave’,” he explains. “Colour brave aims to break through the discomfort people can feel when talking about race. We will be encouraging the entire office to develop the tools to feel comfortable speaking openly about ethnicity. There is a common thread between the two and we’re trying to bridge that gap. It makes sense to bring our diversity groups together wherever there is crossover. Regardless of diversity strand, our objective is the same – it’s
about inclusion, acceptance and being comfortable bringing your whole self to work.” That intersectionality between groups is something that Arron recognises as important. “We try hard to link up the groups, working holistically, and pooling ideas and resources. There’s no point viewing them in silos – for example, social mobility often overlaps with ethnicity in terms of personal background, so it’s important to recognise that. It’s also a good way to get people speaking and the more that happens, the better.” Another way to encourage open conversations is to get people to tell their own stories. “Over the last couple of years we have created a platform for different groups of people to share their personal experiences on, for example, mental health issues or social mobility,” explains Arron. “It really gets people talking to each other and then engagement with the initiatives goes up; it’s something of a virtuous circle. It is a very powerful way to help people to be themselves. Ultimately, that shows a genuine commitment to D&I, and it has lots of benefits for the firm.” In fact, there are many direct benefits for a law firm known to have a diverse workforce. “The more that people can truly be themselves at work, whatever their background or affinities, the more they will enjoy their jobs,” surmises Arron. His feeling is that it also improves client relations: “Clients are increasingly looking for their legal teams to reflect their own diversity. Partnering with clients on joint initiatives – for example, on work placements or school-focused social mobility programmes – is a natural way to go beyond the day-to-day discharge of legal work and form more
Our objective is the same – it’s about inclusion, acceptance and being comfortable bringing your whole self to work
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COMMENDATION FOR DIVERSITY
Baker McKenzie 100 New Bridge Street London EC4V 6JA
T 020 7919 1000 E londongraduates@bakermckenzie.com W uk-graduates.bakermckenzie.com
Method of application: Online application form
Application deadline: Apply by 31 July 2018 for training contracts commencing in 2020
Apply by 15 January 2018 for summer work placements
Method of selection: Assessment centre including partner interview, psychometric testing and video interview Work areas: • Banking and finance • Capital markets • Charities • Commercial property/real estate • Construction & engineering • Corporate finance/mergers & acquisitions • Corporate tax • Dispute resolution • Employment, pensions & incentives • Energy & natural resources • Environment • Financial services • Company & commercial • Competition and EU law
meaningful relationships.”
as a person and as a professional,” enthuses Chloe. “It is honestly such a lovely place to work.” Sam agrees: “As I am in a position of being able to compare firms, the culture here is markedly different. You feel part of a wider family, you don’t get that everywhere. This applies across the entire firm – not just to lawyers, but also to business services and PAs; everyone is made to feel valued.” Ellie muses on her experiences as a trainee so far: “Talking to friends at other firms, I frequently feel very lucky to be here! I’ve had two female supervisors, both of whom were amazing lawyers, working mums and very well respected. There is a very open and approachable culture.” Jonathan sums things up: “My expectations were very high when I joined – the firm had a reputation for being one of the best in the world, with a strong commitment to D&I. I’ve definitely had that confirmed.”
Firm-wide commitment is a cornerstone for the success of these multitudinous initiatives. Each focus group has two partner sponsors and there is active leadership from the firm’s management committee; it is right at the heart of the entire firm’s strategy, with a designated partner whose sole job is D&I. “You have to make sure that you apply it to the entire office and engage with everyone,” Arron confirms. “We also set goals for each group and monitor those goals; you’ve got to know where you’re heading to see what works and what needs tweaking.” Arron touches on the importance of Rare’s CRS within the recruitment space: “The system helps to highlight candidates who are from less privileged socioeconomic backgrounds and gives us the ability to make hiring decisions in context. For instance, the CRS highlights if a student has attended a poor- performing school and we are able to view academic credentials through an entirely new lens. During the last year, we have made training contract offers to people who, before using the CRS, would not have made it past the first stage in our process.” The emphasis on D&I feeds into a broader culture which is welcoming and warm. “When you join, you feel instantly as if you’re part of a family that cares about how you develop
• Insolvency/restructuring • Insurance/reinsurance • Intellectual property • Media & entertainment • Private client • Projects/project finance • Technology, media & telecommunications
Offices: London
What the judges said: “Baker McKenzie has demonstrated a strong and consistent commitment to increasing diversity and to building an inclusive culture. Backed up by a robust monitoring system and defined outcomes, the firm has shown that it is dedicated to recruiting a diverse workforce and to running networks, training, events and campaigns that encourage every individual at the firm to get involved and to promote change in this area.”
By Isla Grant
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BIRCHAM DYSON BELL LLP
LCN AWARD WINNER 2017 BEST RECRUITER – MEDIUM CITY FIRM
A firm with a long history, but a modern edge, Bircham Dyson Bell (BDB) is the worthy winner of this year’s Best Recruiter – Medium- Sized Firm award. With its main office at the heart of Westminster (and another in Cambridge), the firm’s government and infrastructure team carries out some of the most interesting work in this practice area – something that drew trainee Rahil Haq to the firm: “The location of the firm was a big thing for me; although the firm is involved with projects throughout the country, it’s based in the heart of the capital, near Parliament and various government departments involved in the kind of projects the firm advises on.” With a month’s paralegalling at the firm under his belt, Rahil’s decision to apply for a training contract there was a no-brainer, although he still had to undergo the same two-stage interview as the other candidates. “I took part in several role plays,” he recalls, reflecting on some of the key features of the process. “One involved having to offer advice to the interviewing partner who was pretending to be a client. None of the exercises required you to have any legal knowledge; instead they were designed to assess how well you think on your feet.” Nicola Jacobs, BDB’s HR manager, explains that the interview process is designed to test a range of skills. “We are assessing candidates in a number of different areas,” she points out. “It’s not just an ordinary interview. But we only ask them to do things that we would expect a trainee to be able to do; there’s nothing too abstract! The exercises are designed to showcase what the candidate would do in a particular scenario; we still want them to be themselves. We try to make it as real as possible. Not everyone is good at a straight interview, so the practical aspects of the process are important.” On top of this Mark Challis, a partner in the government and infrastructure team and the firm’s graduate recruitment partner,
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BEST RECRUITER – MEDIUM CITY FIRM
We want the best candidates to choose us and feel comfortable with that decision, especially as it’s a long-term commitment on both sides
maintains that the process is also determinedly balanced in its approach: “The idea is to give everyone the chance to shine, but in different situations. If they don’t do particularly well in one part, they have the chance to redeem themselves later on. The recruitment process reflects our high standards, but is about doing our best to find the right people, not trying to catch people out. We place a lot of emphasis on giving everyone a fair opportunity to impress.” Feeding into the idea of fair play is the space the firm’s vacation scheme occupies in the overall process – important, but by no means the only way to get a training contract. “There’s no separate assessment process for the vacation scheme, other than shortlisting the applications, so whether they’re then invited to a training contract interview depends largely on supervisor feedback from the two- week scheme,” explains Nicola. “We don’t offer training contracts to a specific percentage of vac scheme students, but those who have done the scheme are at an advantage of knowing more about the firm and having experiences that they can then talk about at interview.” Mark agrees: “The vacation scheme is helpful in that it gives a participant the chance to learn about the firm from the inside and to have a good understanding of what it’s like to work here, but it doesn’t mean that person will be chosen over someone who hasn’t done the vac scheme.” Not content to rest on their laurels, the graduate recruitment team and the interviewing panel – made up of around 12 partners and senior associates – reviews what has worked
well and makes improvements every year. “At the end of the annual cycle, we all sit down and discuss our thoughts on how things have gone,” says Nicola. “We also informally ask candidates what they thought of it. Partly as a response to that, we’ve amended the assessment format to ensure that candidates have a better idea of what we as a firm do and where they might see themselves within BDB, rather than it just being us assessing whether the firm should take them on – it is very much a two-way process. That includes hosting a lunch with trainees and the managing or senior partner that is completely separate from, and forms no part of, the assessment process. It also helps candidates see that we take this seriously. We want the best candidates to choose us and feel comfortable with that decision, especially as it’s a long- term commitment on both sides.” Having been involved with the firm’s graduate selection process for some time, Mark adds his thoughts on why BDB has changed the process quite substantially over the years. “We’ve made it more competency based, but also introduced a much more structured, two-stage process. One core element is that now we ask everyone the same questions; before it tended to be more free form in parts, but that meant it was much harder to judge people as every candidate had been asked different things. Although it’s more rigid now, it is fairer and better, including for the interviewing team, who have set questions to put instead of having to think what to ask next.” Part of the effectiveness of the process is ensuring buy-in from the entire firm. “The engagement and commitment from the recruitment
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BIRCHAM DYSON BELL LLP
panel is very nice to see. People like taking part, as it’s a change from their legal work and we all recognise the importance of selecting the right people in the firm’s long-term interest,” Mark explains. “We are conscious that strong candidates may well have more than one offer, so we need to explain why it would be best for them to train here as opposed to elsewhere. We always try to give open and honest answers, and welcome them asking whatever is on their minds about what a career at the firm would be like.” Nicola adds: “When I ask people to get involved, they seem to genuinely like being a part of the process. Someone recently came back from maternity leave and she was very keen to help. I feel very well supported – Mark and our training principal Sarah Clark, a partner in the firm with overall responsibility for our trainee programme, are both great.” The firm-wide commitment begins with assessing the application forms – a lengthy process for both applicants and reviewers, as Mark notes: “Going through the forms is a time-consuming job and I’m always impressed by how willing people in the firm are to do the job properly. We are very conscious that it takes a long time to complete these applications, so it is right that we take the time to read them carefully.” Rahil’s experience of the entire recruitment process ended happily and having accepted his training contract offer, he spent a further year paralegalling at the firm and then a few months off before he was due to start. In fact, his reintroduction was via the summer party, “which was a great way to get back into life at the firm!” Being invited to social events
is just one way that Nicola stays in touch with her future joiners. “One of our soon-to-be trainees was part of the rowing team that took part in a regatta the other week! We’re keen for them to socialise ahead of joining so that they feel comfortable and part of things when they start. I also send out a quarterly newsletter, and the level of contact ramps up closer to the time when they’re due to start.” Having officially joined, the first week of induction and Professional Skills Course is designed to bond the small cohort of five trainees and ease the transition between study and life as a working lawyer. “When trainees join us, it can be challenging time for them,” Mark explains. “We offer help and guidance. There is an understanding that it can be daunting; people here appreciate that.” “The first week in the office, you are with all the new trainees for your induction and training,” Rahil recalls. “It’s a good opportunity to get to know your fellow trainees. At the end of that week, you meet your first seat supervisor, go through the handover with the departing trainee, and are introduced to the people in your new department. The firm is open plan so it is easy to speak to anyone; you sit within your departmental group, so asking questions is easy. You’re also given a buddy, who has recently qualified.” Having fully settled in and now in his second seat, Rahil notes some of the best parts of a traineeship at BDB: “I feel that I have been given a lot of responsibility and have been entrusted with interesting work. I certainly have the chance now to do a lot more on my own, as I’ve become more experienced. Talking to friends at other firms – both smaller and bigger
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BEST RECRUITER – MEDIUM CITY FIRM
Bircham Dyson Bell LLP 50 Broadway London SW1H 0BL T 020 7227 7000 E graduate@bdb-law.co.uk W www.bdb-law.co.uk
Method of application: Online application form
Application deadline: Apply by 30 June 2018 for training contracts commencing in 2020
Apply by 31 January 2018 for summer work placements
understand how important it is – as well as remembering what it was like! The variety of work that we offer as a firm is wide, with some very distinctive seats. Also, because there are only five trainees, you get fully involved with the work – you are not on the periphery at all. Our trainees have a real understanding of where they sit within the process and the firm.” “We recruit with the future in mind, so we’re looking for people who can make a good long-term contribution to the firm,” Mark explains. “That doesn’t necessarily mean becoming partner, but we do recruit on the basis that we want to retain all our trainees and for them to progress here, making a fulfilling contribution to the firm.” With a final thumbs-up for their award-winning recruitment process, Nicola points out that the feedback from candidates affirms that the firm is projecting the right message. “They often say that they have enjoyed the process in a weird sort of way! They mention the friendly and welcoming people, and that they don’t feel that they’re trying to be caught out. And we do try to make it as relaxed as possible, of course bearing in mind that it is still a formal process. I definitely think it’s one of the things that sets us apart!”
The variety of work that we offer as a firm is wide, with some very distinctive seats why this is a great firm at which to launch a legal career. “We are an approachable firm,” she maintains. “Those who get involved with our recruitment are really passionate about the trainees, many have trained here themselves, so they are very engaged with the training process and – I think that I receive excellent levels of responsibility, but also have a really good work/life balance.” Nicola has her own view on
Method of selection: Assessment centre including panel interview, partner interview and written exercise Work areas: • Administrative & public law • Agriculture & rural issues • Banking & finance • Charities • Commercial property/real estate • Company & commercial • Competition & EU law • Construction & engineering • Corporate tax • Defamation/reputation management • Dispute resolution • Employment, pensions & incentives • Energy & natural resources • Environment • Family/matrimonial • Housing/landlord & tenant • Immigration • Intellectual property • Private client What trainees said: “Thoughtful recruitment/selection activities which were different than I expected. They tested ‘soft’ people skills in addition to technical abilities, which I thought was great.” “The recruitment process is a chance to meet a number of different lawyers; after my two-stage interview, I had directly met six solicitors/partners.” Offices: London and Cambridge
By Isla Grant
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BURGES SALMON LLP
LCN AWARD WINNER 2017 BEST TRAINER – NATIONAL/LARGE REGIONAL FIRM
“ We’re not training trainees at Burges Salmon, we are training lawyers of the future,” enthuses learning and development partner Victoria Goldsworthy. This attitude is paying dividends as the independent Bristol-based firm scoops its 12th LCN Award, this time for Best Trainer – National/Large Regional Firm – a new record. Burges Salmon’s commitment begins from the moment it welcomes trainees and continues way beyond qualification. “We have what we call ‘The Deal’,” explains trainee partner Andrew Burnette. “This outlines what we provide for our people and what we expect in return. A strong part of our offering is our commitment to their development throughout their career, starting with the training contract and going all the way through to partnership.” On a practical level, this is fulfilled through individual training action plans, which are tailored to the needs and objectives of every lawyer. As a former trainee with Burges Salmon, Andrew considers himself living proof that this investment pays off. “Offering vigorous, personalised training programmes is a significant cost,” he points out. “But we’re reaping the benefit, as people join us and tend to stay a very long time.” As well as formal training, which exceeds the requirements of the SRA, Burges Salmon offers practical modules to give trainees a better understanding of what it means to be a practising lawyer. One such session is in time management. “By that, we are not telling the trainees how to do things and when but rather helping them to discover how they can best manage their own work load,” elaborates Victoria. Our ‘soft-skills training’ also features a three-day programme towards the end of a trainee’s second year which helps them to transition into the NQ role and provides feedback on areas such as presentation style and how to best conduct themselves in meetings. For Molly Paatz, a second-year trainee
2017
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BEST TRAINER – NATIONAL/LARGE REGIONAL FIRM
who had never previously worked in an office, these additional sessions have proved invaluable. “There is only so much your degree and Legal Practice Course (LPC) can tell you about working in a commercial law firm,” she admits. “The fact that I didn’t feel out of my depth when I started at the firm was largely due to how comprehensive the induction training is.” Crucially, education within the firm goes both ways. “As one year qualifies we consider what we can learn from their experiences and compound on or adjust for the incumbents,” explains Victoria. “This year we spoke to our qualifiers six months after qualification to find out what more we could have done to prepare them and make their life as an NQ easier. Based on this feedback we are initiating training on effective communication with different types of people. We were also told that more clarity on the different seats would be beneficial, so we have produced a booklet to help trainees make more informed choices.” According to Andrew, the secret of Burges Salmon’s success is that it listens to its people and acts on the feedback it receives. “We have always had a collegiate atmosphere here because of our relatively small size: there’s no them and us here, we’re all in it together.” The entire firm is compact enough to operate from one building which is also significant. “Having a single site can be underplayed but it leads to far more opportunities for our trainees to knock on the door of anyone in the firm,” says Victoria. “No one is ever going to shoot them down for that. It can be harder to develop positive relationships when you are new if it’s over a phone or by email.” This collegiate atmosphere was what first brought Burges Salmon to Molly’s attention during her time studying at Cardiff University. “A friend first mentioned it to me as a firm that was sporty and a fun place to work,” she recalls. “I was looking for a law firm based in the South West that offered high level commercial work in a great location. Burges Salmon was an obvious choice.” In order to see firsthand whether the firm lived up to these expectations, Molly undertook a two- week vacation scheme in the summer between her second and third year of university. She was impressed by both the level of involvement she was given
as a vac schemer – including sitting in on client meetings – and by the social events designed to make students feel part of the Burges Salmon team. This involvement in firm life is something that is greatly encouraged from the outset, explains Victoria. “As a firm we support local schools and the community, and we also have committees such as sustainability and charities and we also like trainees to be part of these. More than that, trainees take an active role in organising events throughout the year, such as our Strictly Legal dance competition that raises money for charity – it’s good fun and they learn a lot of valuable skills.” The vacation scheme – which Molly would highly recommend – culminated in an interview for a training contract, something that the firm made as stress-free as possible. “It was intense but it didn’t feel tricky or scary,” she remembers. “The partner and member of the people team who interviewed me were interested in what I’d done during the fortnight I’d been there, why I wanted to work in law, and specifically at Burges Salmon. There were also more probing questions to push you to your limits and show what you were capable
We have always had a collegiate atmosphere here because of our relatively small size
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BURGES SALMON LLP
of but I never felt like they were designed to trip me up.” This supportive environment is key to the firm’s success as a trainer and, is underway before they start, explains Victoria, “Once they’ve accepted our offer, a trainee is invited to our summer party, to practice area talks and to meet their peer groups,” she explains. “We encourage those who haven’t already completed their LPC to do it together in Bristol so they get to meet each other and begin building their peer network before they even set foot in the firm.” These efforts meant a lot to Molly. “Little things like receiving Christmas and birthday cards, and being sent a bottle of champagne for my exam results made me feel like they were thinking about me and I was already a part of the team.” Once the trainees arrive at the firm they can expect plenty of support from all echelons. “Our trainees have a dedicated supervisor with whom they share an office, as we feel that they learn a lot from osmosis,” explains Victoria. Supervisors can range in seniority from an experienced associate to a partner and are chosen specifically for their ability and, crucially, because they have the time to supervise. “The trainees require plenty of time and supervision and they deserve the explanation of how their work fits into the wider case,” confirms Andrew. As well as a supervisor, trainees have a dedicated contact in the people team who sees them through their two years and offers pastoral advice. In addition, each department has a dedicated partner responsible for trainees. As well as day-to-day advice and support, mid and end-of-seat appraisals provide trainees with the opportunity to speak to their supervisors and people team contact about their progress. “I’ve never felt like support is lacking for either my
professional development or pastoral needs,” enthuses Molly. “If ever I have needed help, I have known there are a number of people I can turn to for it.” Just as the support and guidance that trainees receive is as likely to come from a partner as it is an associate, so too is the work they receive. “Partner contact varies from one seat to the next depending largely on the size of the team, but there will certainly be times when you will be working directly for a partner,” explains Molly. “They don’t operate as some sort of scary other – they muck in with the team and make themselves approachable.” Ensuring the trainees are provided with high-quality work is a firm-wide commitment. “We seek out stretching situations for them and give them access to high-level work and complex matters,” Victoria maintains. However, great care is taken that this stretching stops short of breaking point. “Responsibility is a funny thing,” muses Molly. “Having lots of it is only a good thing if you are ready for it or adequately supported. I would say that I have had appropriate amounts of
responsibility which has increased over the course of my training contract as I have improved in competence.” As Molly and her fellow second years get ready to qualify, their minds will no doubt be filled with the new challenges they will now encounter. In Victoria’s opinion, the greatest hurdle which incumbent lawyers face is understanding and meeting client expectations. “They’re higher than they’ve ever been and they trickle all the way down to trainee level – you need to think commercially about the value you bring to your clients and how you conduct yourself way before the point of qualification.” Andrew agrees that the demands placed on newly qualified lawyers today are weighty. “It’s a very different profession to when I qualified in 2001; it’s much more fast paced. I think a lot of trainees get into the law without quite understanding what is expected of them – and the expectation isn’t coming from the firm but from clients.” In order to help trainees understand the needs and requirements of its clients, Burges Salmon offers
They have the opportunity to enjoy a richer professional experience and achieve things that they wouldn’t have otherwise necessarily thought possible
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