TAYLOR WALTON LLP
taking everything into account.” This goes to the heart of the approach and time Taylor Walton takes in learning as much as possible about each candidate and finding the right fit. In addition to Hudson postgraduate exercises, what also sets the firm apart is the inclusion of a realistic legal proof reading task. Tracy elaborates: “We are after individuals with a great eye for detail. It’s a simple task, but to do it properly takes concentration and thought – attributes we want in our lawyers. It’s just another thing that helps us to set candidates apart.” Final-seat trainee Elizabeth Wilson recalls that her interviews were tough, but not daunting. “There were more legal questions at my second interview,” she says. Elizabeth graduated from Durham University and completed the GDL, so to answer legal questions might be seen as a tall order, but Elizabeth goes on to explain, “I think the firm is more interested in your approach to answering such questions, rather than actual legal knowledge – that you’ll be able to tackle legal problems and approach issues calmly and logically”. So this is the recruitment route a candidate can expect – but what about the training contract itself? Tracy, a partner in Taylor Walton’s commercial litigation department, has been the firm’s training principal since 2001. She maintains that the content of the training contract is vital in helping to shape the lawyers of tomorrow: “I think it’s critical to give trainees challenging and meaningful work, exposure to clients and opportunities for taking on responsibility at an early stage, but in a supportive and encouraging environment.” Tracy meets with each trainee at the end of each seat and is particularly keen to ensure that the trainee experience is living up to these aspirations in reality. Elizabeth’s training contract experience has taken her full circle, having spent her first and final seat in the firm’s corporate department – an area she was particularly interested in from the off and where she will assume
a qualified position. In her experience, while wanting to proactively encourage trainees to take advantage of the opportunity to spend time in the firm’s different legal practice areas, where a trainee expresses a particular interest and aptitude, Taylor Walton will allow trainees to do more than one seat in a department. Tracy confirms this approach. “I would never place trainees into four seats before they join,” she says. “I want trainees to experiment and I often encourage trainees to try a seat which may not first appeal. Many reflect very positively on the experience and even end up favouring the seat! I do, however, ask trainees for their preferences in time for each seat rotation and this largely drives the combination of seats a trainee will experience.” In support of the firm’s commitment to delivering a quality training contract, Tracy explains that all lawyers significantly involved in trainee development receive specialist training and many have been involved for a substantial proportion of their professional careers. “It gives great satisfaction to know you have helped develop another person,” she says.
“Each of our lawyers bring different qualities to that relationship, helping to develop each of our trainees as individuals – many of them having started with us as trainees themselves – including the managing partner.” The firm openly listens to ideas from trainees. “At one of our end-of- seat reviews, a trainee said that they found the two-year lead time, between direct contact with the firm,” Tracy recalls. “As a direct consequence, we introduced a ‘buddy scheme’ where incoming trainees are put in direct contact with an existing trainee and are invited to trainee social events. We are keen to get that perspective from trainees – those actually going through the process.” securing their training contract and starting, long without any
I want trainees to experiment and I often encourage trainees to try a seat which may not first appeal
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