Graduate recruitment brochure 2012 Be part of...
Interested in a training contract with Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP? Find out more about the opportunities on offer and the application process Berrymans Lace Mawer (BLM) does not just offer a training contract, we aim to retain our trainees and want this to be your first step towards a long and successful career with us.
... of a national success story BLM is a leading national firm with more than 120 partners and over 500 additional legal professionals. We recognise the importance of attracting, recruiting and retaining talent, and consider it a priority to create a vibrant, stimulating and enjoyable working environment for our people. With offices in England and Wales, BLM offers a truly national presence and unified partnership in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Southampton and Stockton-on-Tees. We provide legal services in the following market sectors: Business services. Construction and property. Insurance and indemnity. Leisure. Media and technology. Public sector. Retail. Transport. Our firm is renowned for its dispute resolution and insurance expertise and clients are drawn from across the commercial sector, FTSE 100 companies, the insurance industry, local authorities, professional services and the public sector. It is these clients that drive our ambition to be a leader in our field, getting to the bottom of what drives their businesses by providing a seamless service to help them achieve their goals. It is this determination that has led to BLM s description in independent legal directories and client surveys as a firm that has its finger on the pulse of the market. Our vision and values are at the forefront of everything we do. We value working in partnership with one another, and we know the importance in nurturing and growing our people to create leaders of the future. It is this, combined with our entrepreneurial solutions, integrity, ambition and law development, that attracts a growing number of candidates every year from across the country.
of a national firm that supports you all the way Your training will begin from day one and continue throughout your time with us. Choose from Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, and Southampton. During your training contract you will have six month seats in four different areas of the firm and we always try to accommodate preference for a type of work. You will have an opportunity to work within the following areas which complement our eight market sector groups above: Personal injury. Clinical negligence. Occupational disease. Construction. Professional negligence. Property insurance and recovery. Many of our partners and solicitors are experts in more than one specialist area and we encourage and support our trainees to develop their practice in the same way. Our trainees are highly valued by us. We are not just interviewing for a trainee position but are very much looking for talented people who can become future partners. What we offer you We recruit a small number of high-quality trainees each year to ensure that we can provide the best possible training and development opportunities. You are not just another piece of the BLM puzzle, you will be a valued member of the firm from your first day with us. We know that our success is dependent on the talented people we recruit and we will support you every step of the way. You will also be allocated a buddy who will be there when you need informal advice and support. What we are looking for in you We are looking for undergraduates and graduates in all disciplines seeking a training contract in 2012. We also welcome applications from those who have taken the legal executive or paralegal route, or those working in other relevant professions looking for a career change. You should be able to demonstrate high academic ability, with at least a 2:1, or expected 2:1 in your degree. You should also be able to demonstrate good judgment, confidence and good
interpersonal skills, and be ready to take on responsibility from an early stage. Learning and development We believe that trainee development is essential for the firm s organic growth. Our culture, values and people reflect the quality of work and client relationships we have. We allocate all trainees a training supervisor who will either be a partner or senior solicitor who will be responsible for your day-to-day supervision. They will also provide support through coaching, monitoring and delegation of work. BLM is heavily backed up by a first rate continuing education programme and a highly professional and dedicated support team. Your future We recruit to retain. Many of our current partners trained at BLM and this is something that we are very proud of. As you approach the end of your training contract, our training principal will discuss your qualification preferences with you. Vacation placements While you do not have to take part in a vacation scheme to apply for a training contract with us, it will give you a valuable insight into what working here is really like. Vacation placements also enable us to meet talented people who might go on to become future trainees. We are holding two vacation schemes in Easter 2010 in our London and Birmingham offices for students in their penultimate year of a law degree or their final year of a non-law degree, as well as those already qualified or who have taken the paralegal or legal executive route. The first scheme is from 29 March to 9 April 2010 and the second scheme is from 12 April to 23 April. The deadline for submission of applications is at midnight on 29 January 2010. The salary is 250 per week. BLM is a truly national presence and unified partnership in: Birmingham Our Birmingham office has approximately 100 employees and was opened in 1990. The office is well regarded for it s defendant personal injury work related to occupational disease, catastrophic injury, costs, general liability, and claims investigations. The office
our network of offices also advises on professional indemnity and health and safety matters. BLM Birmingham is situated amongst the city s wide range of art galleries, museums, theatres and music venues. In the past 20 years, 9 billion has been spent on regenerating the city. Cardiff Our Cardiff office opened in November 2007 and has approximately 30 employees. It is highly regarded for its work in personal injury, and has been described by Chambers & Partners 2009 as Dynamic, proactive and client-focused. BLM Cardiff is situated just outside the city centre where you will find unique attractions, such as the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Castle and the National Assembly for Wales. Innovative architecture sits alongside historic buildings and the bustle of the city centre is only a few strides from acres of peaceful parkland. Leeds Our Leeds office, with more than 40 employees, has a strong reputation for handling defendant personal injury work, including occupational disease matters such as asbestos-related diseases, Noise-induced Hearing Loss, back injuries and stress. Chambers & Partners 2009 describes the office as a significant player with a high level of expertise. Leeds is a city rich in heritage and offers many opportunities for shopping, arts, sports, leisure, theatre and music. Liverpool Our Liverpool office has more than 140 employees handling personal injury claims, abuse, motor, EL/PL and stress. Chambers & Partners 2009 commends this office for its imaginative, dynamic and client-focused style, as well as for its ability to quickly suggest innovative solutions. Liverpool is a great place to live and work and has many places of interest such as the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, World Museum Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery and the Beatles Story visitor centre. London Our London office has approximately 280 employees and is located in heart of the city. The office provides a wide range of legal services, including defamation, personal injury, healthcare,
professional negligence, construction, environment and property insurance and recovery, to name a few, and is ranked in Chambers & Partners 2010 as a firm that delivers consistently with substantial depth of knowledge. BLM London is situated in the hub of the legal and financial district. A diverse, vibrant culture that is steeped in heritage, London offers a wide range of attractions including the London Eye and the British Museum, and offers a shopping experience on par with New York! Manchester This newly refurbished office has approximately 400 employees and expert advice includes personal injury, professional indemnity, healthcare, commercial litigation and employment. Following considerable expansion, the Southampton office moved into larger premises in June 2009. The city is home to some of the region s best concert halls and venues, boasting three outstanding art galleries and two magnificent theatres. Stockton-on-Tees Our Stockton-on-Tees office handles a variety of EL/PL claims, disease work and health and safety claims and has approximately 70 staff members. Stockton is diverse, offers many water-based activities, has a famous high street market which dates from the 1300s and small but fascinating, independent retailers. Manchester is an exciting city with many attractions. It has a thriving theatre, opera and dance scene, and is home to a number of large performance venues, including the Manchester Opera House. Southampton Our BLM Southampton office, with more than 70 employees, has a wide variety of clients and specialises in personal injury, in particular catastrophic injury cases.
our client s business Gaining an insight and understanding into the way our clients work is paramount in influencing the way we advise them. Whilst we are proud of our legal specialists and are confident in their ability to provide unparalleled legal advice, this insight remains important. There s no better way to achieve understanding than by becoming a part of our clients businesses and knowing what drives them. It is for this reason that secondments are encouraged at BLM. You may therefore have the opportunity to spend time on secondment with clients or with the Association of British Insurers.
our practice areas You will have an opportunity to work within the following areas which complement our eight market sector groups: Personal injury BLM has been consistently rated as one of the leading firms for personal injury (defendant) work. Our personal injury practice is spread across our national network of eight offices; few, if any, firms can compare with BLM in terms of market profile, level of specialism or resources. Acting for insurers, local authorities and other public bodies, BLM handles claims covering a truly national presence and unified partnership from slip and trip to catastrophic personal injury (including spinal, head and multiple injuries). Healthcare The healthcare team specialises in providing legal advice relating to clinical negligence, disciplinary hearings and inquests into major public and private sector healthcare providers. In recent years clients have included private hospitals, medical and dental practitioners, nurses, midwives, osteopaths and psychotherapists. Occupational disease Our occupational disease team advises on new and evolving diseases and has successfully defended a number of passive smoking claims and deep vein thrombosis cases made by office workers, coach and train drivers. We are regularly involved in test cases and high profile litigation on behalf of clients, including Barker v Corus (apportionment of damages), Majrowski v Guy s & St Thomas NHS Trust (vicarious liability of employers for harassment damages) and the EL Trigger Litigation (resolving disputes regarding definition of the trigger event in employers liability policies relating to mesothelloma claims). Construction The firm has been an important player in the construction legal market for many years. The construction team deals with all aspects of contentious construction work, advising developers, contractors, sub-contractors, and construction industry professionals in relation to dispute resolution including ADR, mediation, arbitration, adjudication and litigation in the Technology and Construction Court and the appellate courts.
The construction team was recently named Associate Member of the Year at The Confederation of Construction Specialists awards ceremony in April 2009. Professional negligence We have a long-established reputation for successfully defending negligence claims against professionals. This is one of our firm s core practice areas and our achievements are consistently applauded by the major legal directories. We are described by Chambers & Partners 2009 as having a strong reputation in the professional indemnity arena. The team s lawyers impress market sources, who commend them for their attention to detail, helpful approach and commercial nous. Property insurance & recovery Our property insurance and recovery team members are leaders in their field taking instructions from major commercial and household property insurers. We have specialist teams dealing with claims concerning fire, flood and water damage claims, interpretation of property policies, recoveries against contractors and construction professionals, and subsidence claims.
a firm that offers tangible benefits Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) BLM is committed to making a positive difference to society and throughout our offices there are a variety of firm-wide, office, team or individual activities taking place to benefit local people and charities that you can get involved with. From providing pro bono legal advice to taking part in a mentoring scheme, you could make a real difference to people s lives while gaining valuable skills and experience. Most of our trainees participate in CSR work and many find that it gives them a highly rewarding and different perspective of how law can have a positive impact on others. Our CSR projects include: Patron of The Princes Trust Enterprise project. BLM has been a patron of The Prince s Trust for over three years and in that time we have donated in excess 150,000 for the youth charity. Throughout the year The Prince s Trust runs various challenges which take contenders on a demanding journey to test their fitness and determination to raise funds. In 2008 BLM s Desert Rats took part in our first challenge in Namibia and were crowned Fundraising Champions after securing the largest amount of sponsorship (almost 30,000). After the success of our first challenge, we entered our Pelican Briefs team to take part in the Costa Rica Coast to Coast Insurance Challenge in Spring 2009. BLM won first place and raised more than 30,000. The 2010 adventure takes BLM employees on the Borneo Summit to Sea Challenge in South East Asia. City Gateway mentoring scheme. Over 30 volunteers from BLM run interview/cv workshops and office insight tours for disadvantaged people living in Tower Hamlets to help them gain employment. In February 2009, we recruited our second apprentice from City Gateway. Legal law clinic at Liverpool University. We provide CV advice and support to students who are likely to suffer some form of disadvantage when applying for a trainee solicitor contract. BLM has been involved with the mentoring scheme since it began ten years ago and through our dedication we won the 2009 Outstanding Contribution Award. Manchester Metropolitan University mentoring scheme. We are involved in a joint project with Manchester Metropolitan University
and the Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group. The project involves acting as supervisors to law students who offer legal advice to families of prisoners. Royal Courts of Justice Advice Bureau. BLM volunteer as honorary legal advisers at the Royal Courts of Justice Citizen s Advice Bureau, covering three hour sessions which are held fortnightly. St John of Jerusalem School reading and numbers partners programme. Volunteers from our London office have been helping children at St John of Jerusalem School to improve their reading and maths. Rewarding you As a multi-site law firm, our trainee salaries reflect regional variations. Currently they are: Year 1 Year 2 Regional offices 22,000 23,000 London 26,000 27,000 Other benefits* include: contribution towards the costs of the LPC, 20 days holiday per annum, private medical insurance, permanent health insurance, life assurance, accident insurance, group personal pension plan (with contributions by BLM), employee assistance programme and season ticket loan. All newly qualified solicitors who join the firm are eligible for the firm s discretionary annual employee bonus linked to performance and the firm s profitability. (*Benefits differ depending on location.)
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Tr a i n e e S o l i c i t o r Career progression My vacation scheme at Berrymans Lace Mawer was a great opportunity to gain an insight into a career as a solicitor at the firm. I spent my two weeks in the personal injury department where everyone made me feel welcome and made a real effort to get me involved. I attended a three day hearing at the High Court, went on a site inspection, interviewed a witness and then drafted the witness statement. Since joining as a trainee solicitor, I have got involved with various charitable activities, including recently being chosen as a member of the BLM team taking part in The Prince's Trust Insurance Leadership Challenge in Spring 2010 in Borneo. Laura s career so far University: Cardiff University and the University of California, Irvine Degree: English Literature (BA Hons) Joined: 2008 Seats: Personal injury, property insurance & recovery, clinical negligence Interests: Sailing, netball, cycling, cooking and travel In addition, various social events took place during the two weeks, including the firm's summer softball game, which proved a great opportunity to get to know everyone outside of the office. I thoroughly enjoyed my vacation scheme at BLM and knew that it was the firm that I wanted to work for. I was therefore delighted when I was offered a training contract starting in September 2008.
S o l i c i t o r Nicola s career so far University: Degree: Joined: Seats: Interests: Exeter University Biological and Medicinal Chemistry January 2007 as a paralegal before commencing my training contract in September that year Occupational disease, insurance property and recovery, construction and personal injury Scuba diving, mountain biking and surfing Career progression When Berrymans Lace Mawer offered me a secondment to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), I jumped at the chance! Whilst at the ABI, my workload was really diverse. I was involved in putting forward a formal insurance industry response to the FSA s review on the sale of Payment and Protection Insurance; working towards industry wide policy changes to cover the increased use of genetics testing and its implications on underwriting insurance policies; and lastly investigating the potential impacts on the transgender community in light of the Equality Bill. I was given considerable amount of responsibility and learnt quickly how to deal with being thrown in at the deep end. I was secretariat for the project with the FSA, which meant not only arranging and contributing towards conference calls, but also attending the industry meetings to assist with the drafting process. The genetics project was a great opportunity to utilise my background in medicine and enabled me to learn about a different aspect of the insurance industry. My experience at the ABI has been invaluable in providing me with an insight into the issues facing the UK insurance industry. I also recognise that this opportunity has given me such a fantastic grounding for life post qualification.
S o l i c i t o r Mattew s career so far University: Degree: Joined: Seats: Interests: Liverpool John Moores University Law (LLB) February 2005 as a paralegal before commencing my training contract in 2007 Housing, personal injury, health & safety and police Football (socially and competitively), film and music Career progression There s a great sports and social side to BLM. Each office has a social committee who regularly organise social events for their respective offices such as quiz nights, drinks nights and barbecues so that people from different parts of the firm have a chance to meet. We also organise sporting events socially and competitively including rounders, cricket and football to name a few. The firm is heavily involved in charitable activities. In 2009, I was fortunate to be picked to take part in The Prince s Trust Insurance Leadership Challenge in Costa Rica. More than 30 participants from the insurance industry hiked, biked, kayaked and rafted across the Central American terrain in a journey that included an exhausting uphill cycle race to the top of the Continental Divide, which brought us to a height of more than 2330 metres. BLM s team, called the Pelican Briefs, tested its strength, fitness and determination to take first place in the hiking, cycling and rafting tasks and triumphing in the overall physical challenge. We were also crowned fundraising champions after securing the largest amount of sponsorship, 31,743. I am also involved with the legal law clinic at Liverpool University where we supervise the clinic s interviews with members of the public. This initiative is a free advice scheme, which also allows students the opportunity to obtain experience in meeting real clients, interviewing and providing them with written follow up advice. The written advice is approved by us before it is sent to the client. I feel passionately that people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to work in the legal profession. I believe it is crucial that law firms engage with their local communities to not only raise their own profiles, but also the professions they represent. Taking part in charity work is extremely rewarding. Whatever you want to get involved in, you ll enjoy the personal reward that comes with giving back while developing skills that will further your career.
A s s o c i a t e Sarah s career so far University: Manchester University Degree: Law (LLB) Joined: 2008 Interests: Manchester United season ticket holder, going to concerts/theatre, food and drink, socialising Career progression I was attracted to Berrymans Lace Mawer because of its friendly working environment, which encourages a good work/life balance. I was aware of the firm's involvement in many high profile cases and committees, and knew that with the breadth of experience among the partners my continuing development would be evident. As a former claimant solicitor I was also aware that BLM is seen as a fair and reputable firm in the legal sector. Since I joined the firm I've increasingly focused on personal injury work which includes fast track and multi track motor claims. In particular I have specialised in dealing with matters involving technical arguments over credit hire claims and in fact have recently obtained permission to take one of my cases to the Court of Appeal. In addition to my legal work I have spent six months on secondment with a major insurer, participated in a credit hire conference organised by the Federation of Insurance Lawyers and was recently invited to join a panel debate with a major insurance trade magazine to highlight core issues surrounding credit hire. As a result of these activities I have been able to develop my business and presentation skills thus extending my repertoire. I have also obtained a valuable insight into the workings of the insurance industry. The work has taken me outside my comfort zone. You are always aware that people are relying on you to perform and though this provides a challenge every day, there is always someone to go to for advice.
P a r t n e r Career progression There is no such thing as a typical day in the safety, health & environment team. Each day brings new challenges and a variety of work. I can be out of the office for two or three days (sometimes more) in the week conducting site visits, interviewing witnesses, attending police stations and representing clients at hearings in various courts. immediately rush to the incident scene to help the client control the situation, deal with the police and any of the enforcement bodies such as the HSE and commence my own investigation. The variety and challenge of the work I do means that every working day is different and I come into work with the thrill of not knowing how my day will pan out and where I may end up. Atiya s career so far University: Manchester University Degree: Law (LLB) Joined: 2003 Seats: Personal injury, property insurance & recovery, health, safety & environment Interests: Netball, scuba diving, rollerblading and ice skating When I am in the office I undertake tasks such as drafting witness statements, considering documents, preparing for court hearings and negotiating/liaising with the prosecution to name just a few. Often I may be in the middle of a task and a call is received stating that there has been a major injury or fatality at a client s premises. When this happens I have to stop what I am doing and
P a r t n e r Michaels career so far University: University of London Degree: Social Science (BA Hons) Joined: 1992 Interests: Sport, photography and collecting first edition books Career progression Unlike the majority of partners here, I m not home grown. I trained with a City firm and stayed with them for a short while after qualification. After a period of travelling, I joined Berrymans Lace Mawer in 1992. Since joining the firm I spent some time on secondment with an international multi disciplinary practice and then became a partner in 1997 where my practice spans a wide variety of contentious and non-contentious construction matters. We act for a range of construction and environmental clients including developers, consultants, and contractors specialising in the oil and waste industry. The work is high profile and complex but it is as much the highly skilled and professional people that you get to work with, and their commitment to first rate work which I find the most challenging, simulating and enjoyable. We understand that everyone has different strengths and abilities but that s exactly what we are looking for: a diverse mix of people who bring a broad range of skills, abilities and interests. The work is undoubtedly challenging, but you ll be working in a friendly and open environment and you are supported from trainee to partner. Whatever your ambitions and whatever choices you make, you ll have continuous access to training and development opportunities throughout your time with us how far you go is up to you.
What s the next step? To apply for a training contract and/or vacation placement scheme please access our online application and equal opportunities forms at www.blm-law.com Our application form has a dual purpose of a vacation placement and as a training contract. Only applications through this formal process will be accepted. Your deadline The deadline for submission of application is at 12 midnight on June 4, 2010. Training contract: 12 midnight 4 June 2010 Vacation placement, Easter: 12 midnight 29 January 2010 Contact us Mona Rangar Recruitment advisor Graduate recruitment Human resources Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP Salisbury House London Wall London EC2M 5QN Email: graduate.recruitment@blm-law.com Web: www.blm-law.com/2281/pages/graduate-careers.html Equal opportunities BLM is committed to promoting equal opportunities. We fully recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce and have undertaken to work towards an environment where all members of staff, in all areas of the business, can develop their potential regardless of gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age and ethnic origin.