Michelmores, we put a strong emphasis on home grown talent – we pride ourselves on recruiting and retaining exceptional trainee solicitors, who are central to our ambitious growth plans.
ONE FIRM, THREE LOCATIONS
CONTENTS
• Welcome to Michelmores
4 6 8 9
• Our sectors
• Recent highlights • Case study: Seasalt
• International
10 12 15 16 17 18 20 22 24 26
• One Firm, three locations
• Interview with our Training Principal • Corporate social responsibility
• Diversity and inclusivity • Our Graduate Scheme • Summer Vacation Scheme
• Application process
• Training, development & support
www.michelmores.com
gradrecruitment@michelmores.com +44 (0) 1392 688688
• Key dates
gradrecruitment@michelmores.com 01392 687763 www.michel- mores.com
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AMBITIOUS Founded in 1887, we have now grown to a Firm of over 460 people. Over the past 10 years we have doubled our turnover – and we want to keep growing. We hold a prominent position in the South West, are continuously moving up the national rankings and are known as a challenger firm in the London market. We attract an increasing amount of international work each year. We provide the best possible service to our clients, delivering complex and high-profile work. When recruiting trainees, we are looking for driven individuals who share our ambition and want to play a key part in our future growth. COLLABORATIVE Collaboration and team work are central to the way we operate. Although we are located across three different offices, we work as one firm. We service clients across multiple locations using multidisciplinary teams in an innovative and dynamic way. We encourage all of our people to build relationships across the Firm through collaborative client work, social events and CSR activities. The structure of our training programme allows our trainees to be part of our collaborative, cross-office culture from day one.
High-quality regional, national and international clients
WELCOME TO MICHELMORES
100% trainee retention in 2018 & 2019
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trainee seats to choose from across 3 locations
A t Michelmores, we put a strong retaining exceptional trainee solicitors, who are central to our ambitious growth plans. We are really pleased to be retaining 100% of our trainees again this year. Having previously been the Training Principal, I have really enjoyed watching our former and current trainees develop into excellent lawyers, with many becoming leaders in their field. We know choosing a law firm is a really important decision - hopefully you will stay at your chosen firm for the long term and grow your career. Every firm is different and we hope this guide will give you a good insight into what it is like to work at Michelmores and whether we are the right firm for you. emphasis on home grown talent – we pride ourselves on recruiting and
Like many of our clients we have managed our growth in a steady and sustained manner. From our South West and London offices we service clients both nationally and internationally, focussing on our chosen sectors. We have invested in the areas we believe add value, without losing our culture and personality. Michelmores is a firm where you will undertake challenging work with quality clients on high-profile cases – in a supportive and collegiate environment where colleagues, clients and community are valued highly. I am very proud to be the Managing Partner at Michelmores and am committed to retaining the Firm’s ethos of being ambitious and innovative, whilst also being inclusive, collaborative and remembering to have fun!
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INCLUSIVE There is no such thing as a typical Michelmores trainee. We look for exceptional individuals from all different backgrounds. What all of our trainees have in common are the skills and attributes needed to become an outstanding lawyer. As a firm, we recognise that creating a culture of inclusivity is key to maintaining a competitive advantage and enabling us to achieve our strategic goals. We want everyone to have the opportunity to reach their full potential, whilst being themselves at work.
Tim Richards, Managing Partner
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OUR SECTORS
Corporate | Commercial | Employment Regulatory | Property | Planning Litigation | Insolvency | Banking Environmental | Construction | Tax Family | Tax, Trusts & Succession Probate | Conveyancing Procurement | Competition
At Michelmores we take a sector approach. This means we can better support our clients by offering tailored legal advice informed by our shared sector knowledge.
AGRICULTURE We have the largest team of agricultural solicitors in the country, offering practical and
commercial advice to landowners, farming businesses, landed estates, institutions and others with interests in land and the wider rural economy.
REAL ESTATE
MANUFACTURING We advise a wide range of clients in the
EDUCATION Our Education team is dedicated to providing high- quality advice to schools, universities and higher education colleges across the UK. The team is well known for its innovative work with maintained schools, academies and free schools. ENERGY Our Energy team work at the forefront of the energy sector, both in the UK and internationally. The team delivers specialist legal advice, from regulatory to project finance, from generation to supply, and across all technologies, with a focus on low carbon solutions. PUBLIC SECTOR We are the legal partner of choice for over 150 public sector clients across England and Wales, including Central Government departments, executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and local authorities.
PRIVATE WEALTH
This sector is a key pillar of both the UK and global economies – a sector which continues to evolve within our challenging economic and political climate. We work with high-profile clients such as Barratt Homes and Greenland Group, and provide a full range of expertise, including planning, funding, environmental, tax estate management, real estate litigation and dispute resolution and secured lending.
manufacturing, engineering and technology sectors. This specialist sector group delivers commercial legal advice, from the acquisition and disposal of companies, employment, IP, dispute resolution, to the acquisition of land and premises. RETAIL Our Retail team advises retailers across the UK, providing proactive advice on all aspects of the retail sector, including commercial contracts, employment matters, intellectual property, IT and outsourcing, supply chain contracts and property investment. TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION The Technology & Innovation team consists of specialist lawyers dedicated to advising clients on all aspects of non-contentious and contentious technology, digital media and communications issues. The team act for both suppliers in the technology sector and end user organisations, nationally and internationally across the private, public and voluntary sectors.
Across the Firm we provide a wide range of advice to privately owned businesses and to the entrepreneurs and families who own them, helping them to enhance and protect their businesses and other assets and interests. We also advise high net worth and other private equity investors, as well as the wealth management entities and other advisers who help them.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT
Our Finance & Investment sector offering draws
together experience from across the financial services spectrum in alternative finance, banking, ethical and sustainable investment, FinTech, insurance and re-insurance, secured lending and wealth management.
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RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
CASE STUDY: SEASALT
We act for public and private corporates and individuals on a wide range of matters. Some of our recent deals and instructions include advising:
SOROS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND (SEDF)
BRAC INTERNATIONAL on the transformation of its microfinance operation in Uganda into a bank, giving access to mainstream banking to many thousands of individuals HIGH-NET WORTH INDIVIDUAL on a multi-million pound cross border trusts dispute in the Cayman Islands which involving various family members, and complex corporate structuring in multiple jurisdictions RGL MANAGEMENT LTD on group action proceedings for multiple thousand claimants against Clydesdale Bank and National Australia Bank relating to their Tailored Business Loans THE MAYOR’S OFFICE FOR POLICING AND CRIME on its acquisition of The Empress State building in Earl’s Court for a purchase price of £250m SUTTON HARBOUR HOLDINGS PLC on a range of marine regulatory and marine licensing matters, including a multi-million pound coastal development
WHO IS SEASALT? Seasalt is a thriving national and international clothing brand owned and run by the Chadwick family. The business, which was founded in 1981, is based in Falmouth, Cornwall and has a turnover of £51m. In 2019, Seasalt hired its 1000th employee, making it one of the largest private sector employers in Cornwall. Seasalt was the first Soil Association accredited organic cotton brand. The business has a clear aim to do business responsibly by caring for its people, supporting its surrounding communities and minimising its environmental impact.
HOW MICHELMORES SUPPORTS SEASALT Michelmores has acted for Seasalt since 2016, on a range of legal matters, whilst also supporting the founding members of the brand, and their family, on private client matters. We provide Seasalt with a wide range of ongoing legal advice, including employment, IP, commercial litigation, corporate, tax, real estate and estate planning. In 2018, we acted for Chadwick Holdings Limited (Seasalt’s holding company) in connection with a £13m investment by Business Growth Fund. Santander Corporate and Commercial provided an additional £4.5m in funding, bringing the total investment to over £16m.
the impact investment fund established by billionaire George Soros, on the sale of its majority stake in the Indian venture capital firm, Aspada, to LGT, the investment management company owned by the Princely House of Liechtenstein MINDFUL CHEF on its £6m investment from Piper, a leading investor into fast growing consumer brands KOOVS PLC on its £12 million AIM fundraising to grow its e-commerce fashion business within the Indian market GOLDTREE on its merger with Natural Habitats Europe Africa that will drive the sustainable production of certified organic palm oil in Sierra Leone DOWNING on its exit of four anaerobic digestion facilities to listed infrastructure fund JLEN for more than of £60m
We have also recently helped Seasalt to establish its own charitable foundation.
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EXPERTISE SPANNING THE WORLD
INTERNATIONAL
We act for UK and international clients undertaking cross-border and international investment activities worldwide.
As an independent English firm, we have no formal alliances and instead invest significant time and resource in getting to know and maintaining strong relationships with market-leading, independent law firms in each jurisdiction where our clients are likely to do business. This approach means that we are able to work with the best lawyers from around the world and deliver a seamless end- service to our clients. In the last twelve months I have travelled to Rome, Sao Paulo, Paris, Dublin, Edinburgh and Berlin to develop our international strategy. Colleagues from across the Firm regularly travel overseas. As a Firm our outlook is very much beyond Exeter, Bristol and London and our objective is always to get our trainees and junior lawyers working on international matters and building global relationships from the start of their careers.
DOUGLAS HAWTHORN Partner, Banking, Restructuring & Insolvency
Michelmores has a significant international practice, representing clients based or doing business outside of the UK on a wide range of matters. These can include corporate deals, international disputes, trust administration, international funds, and commercial and residential property transactions.
This is a growing area of our business and there are opportunities throughout our three offices and across our key practice areas to support international clients.
For business and private clients our services include:
I am a Co-Chair of the Firm’s International Committee. Growing our international practice is a key part of our strategy. Many of our lawyers want to work on challenging, complex, international deals, and my role is to help them do that, and to build a global reputation. We are regularly instructed on matters which have a cross-border element and which involve us working with lawyers in other jurisdictions. Around 20% of our work has some sort of international dimension.
• foreign direct investment (into the UK and overseas)
• private equity and funds
• real estate investment
• corporate investment
• tax efficient offshore trusts.
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ONE FIRM, THREE LOCATIONS
Collaboration and team work are central to our strategy and our lawyers have access to high-quality work and clients, whatever their location. Our trainees typically join us at our Exeter HQ and spend a period of their training in either Bristol or London, with the opportunity to qualify into any location. Our Graduate Recruitment team meet with each trainee at the start and during their training contract to discuss their office secondment preferences and the seat rotation process.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US
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INTERVIEWWITH OUR TRAINING PRINCIPAL
TO READ OUR TRAINEE BLOG
ALEXANDRA WATSON , Training Principal and Partner, Corporate
Selecting and training our trainees is a critical part of the Michelmores success story. We are looking for dedicated, driven individuals to develop and continue our ambitious growth plans. We are a full service firm in three strategic locations, meaning we are able to offer our trainees a varied training contract, which enables them to develop into well rounded legal and commercial advisors. Our trainees are encouraged to get involved with every aspect of life at Michelmores – from CSR initiatives and sports, to marketing, sector groups and secondments. We will support you through the training contract journey and beyond.
What stands out to me about Michelmores is the focus on client service and the opportunities available to work on high profile and interesting work, from multiple locations, within a supportive and positive environment. I moved to Michelmores as a Senior Associate from a national firm and spent the first couple of years working across Exeter and Bristol. I chose Michelmores for two reasons: the people and the strategic vision. You get the best out of people when they are passionate about what they do, and are working together towards to a shared goal. As the Firm’s Training Principal I take an active interest in the development of our trainees and meet with them regularly to discuss their seat choices and, nearer the time, qualification. It is great to be involved in helping start and shape people’s careers and watching our trainees develop into stand-out solicitors.
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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY
All the research shows that diverse team make better decisions. So promoting a culture of diversity and inclusivity isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. We are currently championing an inclusion programme across the Firm, which we hope will have a positive and long-lasting impact. development and progression of women and aims to create a better gender balance across our partnership group. In addition we have recently signed up to the Mindful Business Charter and and partnered with Stonewall to support LGBTQ inclusion so everyone can be their authentic self at work. We are committed to creating a culture where everyone can be happy, healthy and more productive, and where we remove unnecessary sources of workplace stress. For example, our commitment to Women@Michelmores supports the
Legal walk in London
excess of £300,000 for local organisations over its 18 year history. In addition, there are opportunities to get involved in offering legal advice through pro-bono activities with our local Citizens Advice Bureau. Finally, we take our commitment to running our own business on a sustainable basis extremely seriously and have introduced a range of changes to ensure we minimise our own carbon footprint.
CSR isn’t just a ‘tick box’ exercise for us. It is about celebrating the values that we share with our communities and our clients. It provides a framework for our environmental responsibilities and is one of the ways in which we help to foster a well-rounded and happy workforce. Our CSR falls into 4 main categories: supporting our communities, providing access to justice, charity partnerships and sustainable business. Engaging with and supporting the communities where we live and work is a priority. This might be through our people giving their time to support a community project - everyone is encouraged to volunteer a day a year - or through the variety of fundraising activities that take place across our offices. One of our flagship events, our annual 5k Charity Run, has now raised in
Three Peaks Challenge
5k Charity Run in Exeter
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10 trainees join our Exeter HQ each year and undertake an office secondment to Bristol or London OUR GRADUATE SCHEME
AWARDS
Opportunity to qualify into any location
ROB BAILEY Solicitor, Agricultural Property Litigation
Four seats of six months
Fully-funded Legal Practice
Course with the University of Law (outside of London)
A training contract at Michelmores offers many different types of opportunities. One example is the opportunity to undertake seats in the Firm’s different offices. Although I was based in the Exeter office for most of my training contract, my first seat was in Bristol, which is also where I qualified. Seats are offered in the Exeter, Bristol and London offices for each rotation. This opportunity allows trainees to get a taste of the different types of work carried out across the Firm and a chance to sample the culture of each of the Firm’s offices. Sometimes trainees are given the opportunity to go on secondment to one of the Firm’s clients. One member of my trainee intake undertook a seat where she spent three days a week working at the Met Office, another spent a few weeks working at a major national charity.
Going on secondment is a great way to learn more about how a client’s business works and what they need from their advisors. Regardless of whether or not they choose to go on a secondment or undertake seats at different offices, trainees at Michelmores are exposed to high-quality work and a high degree of client contact. During my training contract I had numerous opportunities to attend court, including a two week High Court trial, I had conduct of a number of smaller matters and I was regularly involved in client meetings, including a Skype meeting with one of the Firm’s celebrity clients. Trainees are also actively encouraged to attend networking events, developing them to meet the Firm’s clients and contacts in a more social environment whilst development the critical soft skills each solicitor needs to succeed.
Additional living allowance and accommodation provided in Bristol/London during office secondments
£28,000 first year salary, increasing to £30,000 in the second year
Financial support whilst you study the LPC
Ongoing training and development programmes for all lawyers at every stage of their career Access to high-quality clients and challenging legal work
14 seats to choose from across all departments
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR BENEFITS
Client secondment opportunities
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SUMMER VACATION SCHEME
SUMMER VACATION SCHEME Our Summer Vacation Scheme is a great way to find out what it is like to work at Michelmores. We run two, one week vacation placement schemes during July at our Exeter HQ. The scheme is as much about you getting to know Michelmores, as it is about us getting to know you. You will have the opportunity to spend time in one of our legal teams for the week, as we aim to give you a real hands-on insight into life as a trainee by attending client meetings and dealing with ‘real work’.
OUR ASSESSMENTS Whether you attend our Summer Vacation Scheme or an Assessment Day, you will get the opportunity to meet a number of partners, lawyers and trainees across the Firm and gain a true insight into working here. Our assessments for training contracts include a group exercise, written exercise, psychometric test and an interview with a partner and a member of the Graduate Recruitment team.
TO APPLY
NATALIE MEEHAN First year Trainee, Commercial and Regulatory Disputes
Upon receiving my invitation to the Firm’s Summer Vacation Scheme my first emotion was absolute joy and my second absolute fear! However this was soon alleviated. We were provided with a timetable for the week which was reassuring as I knew what to expect. As well as being allocated to a specific team for the week, the placement involved various assessments, including a group presentation. This assessment helped the group to get to know each other and was a testing challenge at the end of the week.
In the teams we were given trainee level tasks to undertake, such as researching and drafting. We also received presentations from the various departments, which provided really useful insights into the Firm’s wide variety of practice areas. There were plenty of opportunities to socialise with the other Vac Schemers and current trainees, including lunch out with the trainees on the first day and socialising after work with a mixture of lawyers and partners later in the week. Throughout the Vacation Scheme the Firm was supportive and approachable. This has been the case since being offered my training contract. We have received invitations to dinners and social events, balls (including Firm’s annual Summer Ball), the AGM and the annual Charity Run. These events have been invaluable for developing relationships with existing trainees and my future cohort. Most recently the pre-induction event, which took place after I finished the LPC, was a great bridge and final preparation before commencing in September. I now can’t wait to join!
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APPLICATION PROCESS
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? When recruiting trainees we are looking for people who are academically strong, logical thinkers, practical problem solvers, and are as passionate about the success of the Firm as we are. Successful applicants will be well-rounded team players, who demonstrate drive and enthusiasm and embrace responsibility.
Get to know us • Visit our website • Attend an Open Day • Speak to us at a law fair • Connect with us
Decided we are the right Firm for you?
Apply online
You’ll be invited to
If you impress us during your time at the Firm we’ll be delighted to offer you a training contract with Michelmores
attend a face-to-face interview with the Graduate Recruitment team and complete a psychometric test and written exercise
After this, successful applicants will be invited to join our Summer Vacation Scheme at the Exeter HQ
If you meet our selection criteria the next stage will be to shine at video interview
Summer Vacation Scheme applicants
If you are successful at video interview you will be invited to the next stage
You’ll be invited to attend an Assessment Day at the Firm’s Exeter HQ.
TO APPLY
Assessment Day applicants
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TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT
Our trainee development programme is designed to create well-rounded individuals who have developed the skills and expertise to qualify as exceptional lawyers. We believe that providing the right support is crucial for development and therefore offer support from the point of offer and a tailored development programme throughout the two years of training. Before joining the Firm all trainees are paired with a buddy and are invited to attend regular Michelmores social events and a pre-induction day. Upon joining, trainees receive a thorough induction, covering everything from systems to marketing, finance and personal wellbeing. During each of the four seat rotations, trainees work closely with a designated supervisor and are given early responsibility and client exposure.
Trainees receive regular feedback and formal reviews, where they work with their supervisors to create a personal development programme.
JASMINE DAVIS Solicitor, Contentious Probate
Throughout the two years, trainees continue to attend regular workshops to develop their skillsets, including networking, negotiation, technology, project management and presentation skills training. Trainees also have access to Trainee Mentors, attend regular trainee meetings and receive career coaching on seat and qualification choices. Upon qualification, all of our lawyers have a clear promotion structure and access to bespoke training programmes for each stage of their careers.
I joined Michelmores as a trainee in 2015 and, following qualification in 2017, am now one of the Firm’s Trainee Mentors. The Trainee Mentors are a group of junior lawyers who have very recently been in your shoes, experienced seat rotation and have a detailed knowledge of the training process and the Firm. We act as sounding board for all of our trainees, are able to provide guidance, help you find answers to your questions and are committed to supporting you and your training needs. As part of my role as a Mentor I help chair the bi-monthly ‘Trainee MiVoice’ sessions. Each peer group of lawyers and support staff across the Firm have regular ‘MiVoice’ meetings, which are a forum to share ideas, discuss feedback and help shape the way the Firm operates.
Prior to joining I remember having lots of questions about the Firm, study choices and about what will be expected of you as a new trainee. It was therefore really helpful to be paired with a current trainee buddy who was able to provide an insight into life as a Michelmores trainee and was a familiar face on my first day. being a hot topic of discussion! Support is provided from our Training Principal and HR at key stages throughout your Training Contract, but particularly at seat rotation and approaching qualification so that you can openly discuss what you want to achieve, how that might be accomplished and how the Firm can support you. As a group of Trainee Mentors, we are also always available to talk about these key decisions and can share our experiences and advice. The seat rotation process is a key feature of the training contract and I remember it always
The Firm supports the trainees from the moment of recruitment through to qualification and beyond.
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KEY DATES
NOTES
EVENT
DATES
APPLICATIONS CLOSE
Summer Vacation Scheme (Exeter)
Weeks commencing 6 and 13 July 2020
31 January 2020
Summer Vacation Scheme 2020 (Exeter): Apply before 31 January 2020 Spring 20 Assessment Day
31 January 2020
2021/2022 Training Contract
Summer 2020 Assessment Day
30 June 2020
2021/2022 Training Contract: Apply by 31 January 2020 for Spring Assessment Days and by 30 June 2020 for Summer Assessment Days Exeter Open Day 12 December 2019 1 December 2019
London Open Day
13 January 2020
1 January 2020
Exeter Open Day: 12 December 2019 Bristol Open Day 23 January 2020
10 January 2020
Bristol Open Day: 23 January 2020 Our Summer Vacation Scheme and Open Days are open to all current university students and graduates. We welcome applications from individuals who have graduated and commenced another profession before choosing to pursue a career in law. London Open Day: 13 January 2020 Find out more about our graduate recruitment opportunities:
Email: gradrecruitment@michelmores.com Website: www.michelmores.com/graduates Trainee Blog: https://www.michelmores.com/news-views/news @MMCareers @MMTrainees
@michelmorescareers @MichelmoresCareers LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/michelmores-careers/
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Woodwater House Pynes Hill Exeter, Devon EX2 5WR
Broad Quay House Broad Quay Bristol BS1 4DJ
12 th Floor 6 New Street Square London EC4A 3BF
+44 (0) 1392 688688
+44 (0 )117 906 9300
+44 (0) 20 7659 7660
gradrecruitment@michelmores.com
www.michelmores.com
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