Brabners Chaffe Street Solicitors - Recruitment

Trainee Recruitment and Summer Vacation Placements

Brabners Chaffe Street is one of the few law firms that holds “Investor in People” status and we place great emphasis on the structure and progression of our training programme. The programme is continually re–appraised to ensure that it meets the requirements of each trainee solicitor. In 2006, 2007 and 2008, we are listed in the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies to work for in the UK.

As a firm we strongly believe that trainees have a place within our teams and encourage them to contribute to the work of their teams by allocating them responsibility from the outset. Your four seats will be selected from the firm’s departments where you will spend time with a partner or senior lawyer, although you may also assist other fee earners within the department. Your work will be closely monitored by your principal who will give support, guidance and assistance.

Trainees are encouraged to discuss any problems they encounter with their principal as part of our strong “open door” policy which encourages trainees to seek help whenever they need it. We recognise and encourage an eagerness to learn and consider a genuine ambition to succeed to be an attribute. We willingly devote the time required to ensure our trainees achieve their goals.

Brabners Chaffe Street strongly believe a wide range of disciplines should be experienced before a decision to specialise is made. Our comprehensive training and development programme includes all that is required by the Law Society and also provides an induction course and ongoing in–house departmental training and development.

Personal development appraisals are conducted at 6 monthly intervals to ensure that trainee progress is valuable and informed. Training and staff development in the firm is the responsibility of our Director of Training, Dr Tony Harvey, and the training programme is overseen the firm’s Trainee Partners, Nik White (Liverpool), Ross Shine (Preston) and Paul Chamberlain (Manchester).

Life as a trainee with us is not all work and we encourage a great deal of play. Our offices maintain a friendly and social environment, something envied by many larger firms. Brabners Chaffe Street social life will play a great part in your life as a trainee and our trainees are encouraged to organise regular social events, including the annual Christmas Party, where they often provide the supporting entertainment! Brabners Chaffe Street colleagues regularly socialise after office hours with Liverpool and Manchester having vibrant young professionals scenes in which trainees soon become involved. We are active participants in a football league and regularly engage in other sports with other professionals. Officers of the Merseyside Trainee Solicitors Group are frequently Brabners Chaffe Street trainees.

It is our practice to select 11 Trainees each year. 4 based in Liverpool, 5 in Manchester and 2 in Preston. We seek to recruit people who have great potential to succeed. We are not looking for clones, but individuals with varying personalities who offer and receive a great deal of benefit from their time with us. You should be able to demonstrate intelligence, intuition, humour, approachability and commitment and have some connection with, or interest in the North West. We prefer candidates to have achieved, or to be forecast to achieve, a good 2.1 degree but, ultimately, our assessment of you is based on our belief in your ability.

Brabners Chaffe Street pay the LPC fees for those who are offered a training contract.

In 2005 Brabners Chaffe Street was recognised as one of the best places to start your career in a new guide aimed at trainee solicitors. In the first edition of ‘The Lex 100’, an insider’s guide to the UK’s top law firms, the views and experiences of thousands of trainees and newly qualified solicitors were analysed to help those looking for training contracts.

In the small firms’ section Brabners Chaffe Street was ranked fourth in the UK for overall job satisfaction. In their own words trainees commented: “Everyone is regarded as an important part of the team”, “there is a friendly and supportive atmosphere” and “you’re given the responsibility that every trainee craves”.

The starting salary for 2009/10 will not be less than £20,000 per annum and subject to regular review. We offer work experience placements during the Summer vacation with priority given to candidates who have applied for a training contract with us. To make an application for a training contract or Summer vacation placement please complete our on-line an application form by clicking here

Dr. Tony Harvey
Director of Training and Risk

Email: trainees@brabnerscs.com

Address:

Liverpool Office:
Brabners Chaffe Street, Horton House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool L2 3YL

Manchester Office:
Brabners Chaffe Street, 55 King Street, Manchester, M2 4LQ

Preston Office:
Brabners Chaffe Street, 7–8 Chapel Street, Preston PR1 8AN


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