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Addleshaw Goddard partner Graeme Warburton discusses the outfit’s international expansion, the need to follow your true passion for work, and his advice for aspiring lawyers

“The work I’ve done over the past 20 years has been the sort of work that construction litigators anywhere in the world would die to be involved in,” says Graeme Warburton, construction and engineering disputes partner at Addleshaw Goddard. “It’s been amazing.” Warburton explains that much of this work has come in as a result of the firm’s international growth, allowing Addleshaws’ lawyers to get involved in large, lucrative construction projects around the globe. “The international side is something that I’ve always been passionate about. Addleshaw Goddard has grown from a firm based in the northern heartlands and London into one with six offices across England and Scotland and thirteen offices outside the UK.”

Addleshaw Goddard LLP

For Warburton, based primarily in the firm’s Leeds office, the combination of global work and regional base has been important. “I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve been able to do market leading international work from my Yorkshire base where my family are,” he explains.

Warburton studied law and politics at university and worked at two other UK law firms before moving to Addleshaw Goddard in 2005. He emphasises the importance of following your interests and passions early on in your career. “I am really glad I studied politics as part of my degree. It’s something I loved and I’m still very interested in today,” he tells me. “If I could go back, I probably would not have studied law for my first degree. I would have loved to have done history before moving onto the law.” Acknowledging the pressure many young people feel to “get a move on” with their careers, Warburton advises aspiring solicitors not to rush: “Take your time. If you have the opportunity to study something you’re really interested in, pursue that.”

Following your passion is equally important once you land your training contract. “You’re doing this for a long time. You’ve got to do what you enjoy,” Warburton stresses. “Construction was what I enjoyed most during my training, so I have been doing it since the get-go. I liked the clients as well. Construction people are my kind of people and I like the way that they operate,” he explains. This is the key to sustaining an enjoyable career in commercial law. “You have to be comfortable around the people you work with and the people you work for if you plan to stay in this career for the long run,” Warburton says.

It is this genuine interest in the industry which makes Addleshaw Goddard’s international growth so exciting for construction lawyers like Warburton. “A lot of construction lawyers are frustrated engineers,” he jokes. “We want to be able to understand the engineering side of things, get involved in it and learn about it.” Moving into markets in the Middle East and Asia has given Warburton the opportunity to work on larger, more complex projects. “The size of projects internationally makes them more interesting. Building a power station in Singapore is very different to building a car park in Leeds,” he says. “It’s the complex stuff that you want to be involved in because it’s the most challenging.”

A disputes lawyer, Warburton finds that larger construction projects breed more complex legal work. “The size of the project goes hand in hand with the size of the dispute. I’d rather be involved in an international arbitration that goes on for three years than an adjudication that lasts 28 days.” Admitting that this big-ticket work isn’t for everyone, he says, “That’s just what floats my boat but I have plenty of colleagues who can’t understand that and feel the opposite way!”

Reflecting on Addleshaw Goddard’s expansion, Warburton explains, “In Leeds and Manchester, we’ve been market leaders for a sustained period. We needed to seek out opportunities from other parts of the world in order to grow to the next level. Twenty years ago, there were untapped, lucrative markets elsewhere that we hadn’t yet explored.” One such market was the Middle East. “We saw Dubai boom in 2005 and we weren’t at the table,” Warburton tells me. “We got there late, but the fact that we got there was important.” Addleshaws opened its offices in Dubai, Qatar and Oman in 2012, adding Saudi Arabia to its Middle Eastern presence earlier this year. “The market in the Gulf is lucrative and it’s one that we are making great strides in. We’ve got great people out there that are doing extremely well,” Warburton says. He goes on to explain how a broad international footprint allows firms like Addleshaw Goddard to attract top clients: “Large global conglomerates want to work with firms who can support them across their own markets. These clients aren’t just in the UK, they’re in Asia, they’re in the Middle East, and they’re in Europe. If we want to get their best work, we need to be in those markets alongside them.”

So, what are the current issues affecting these types of clients? “They’re all primarily concerned about the global economic picture. The availability of money and the health of the global economy is important because it affects their ability to take part in large projects and be paid for the work they have carried out. In simple terms, if the money is there, stuff gets built and more often than not people get paid,” he says. Busy periods for the industry translate into busy periods for Warburton’s disputes team. “When there are lots of projects happening, invariably things will go wrong and disputes arise which we can get involved in,” he says.

I am curious to know what drew Warburton to disputes work. “I’m not the sort of person who particularly likes arguing,” he responds quickly, “but I like nothing more than seeing my clients prevail against adverse parties. Helping them succeed is always satisfying.” He elaborates:

“There are often two sides to a story but you are instructed and trusted to ensure that your client has the best possible chance of prevailing. Presenting your clients’ position in the best possible light and ensuring their side is the more compelling is very rewarding.”

Warburton discovered his aptitude for contentious work during his training contract and would advise law students to get hands-on experience before worrying about specialisation. I go on to ask Warburton for his perspective on what makes a good trainee solicitor. “Above all else you’ve got to be prepared to work hard,” he responds. He also stresses the importance of thinking commercially and strategically. “This job is primarily about problem solving — and that’s something you don’t really learn at law school. This quality is something some trainees have from day one, others have to work at it. It’s important to be alive to this early on.”

Confidence is also key. “You’ve got to be able to back yourself and trust in your abilities,” Warburton says. “It is a very competitive environment but also one in which you receive a lot of support. Remember that you haven’t got a training contract by accident. You are where you are because you are a very able and intelligent individual. Securing a training contract is so competitive, getting through the door on day one means you’ve got a very strong ability and you’ve got to believe in yourself for that reason,” he concludes.

Graeme Warburton will be speaking at ‘Understanding global law firms — with Addleshaw Goddard‘, an in-person event taking place tomorrow (Friday 11 October). This event is fully booked, but you can check out our upcoming events.

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This year’s ‘Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality’ list is out and City firms have secured eight spots.

Now in its 13th year, the list is put together by the charity Business in the Community (BITC) in conjunction with the Times. The order of the list is not ranked and includes employers from the worlds of banking, consultancy, insurance, and law.

The eight City law firms recognised for their efforts towards gender-equal workplaces this year are, in alphabetical order, Addleshaw Goddard, Burges Salmon, CMS, DWF, Eversheds Sutherland, Freshfields, Linklaters and TLT.

Applications were evaluated in three independent rounds of blind assessment on the work undertaken to remove gender inequalities in the workplace, from flexible working to family-friendly policies, to pay, reward, progression at work, and hearing employees’ lived experiences and voices.

Burges Salmon has made it onto the list for the third year in a row, an achievement that senior partner Chris Seaton accredited to the firm’s Gender Taskforce which he chairs. “Whilst we recognise that this is a work in progress and a long journey, it’s great to be one of the organisations that have been recognised for shifting the dial in relation to gender equality,” he said.

Meanwhile, TLT, another firm on the list, was in the news recently when it smashed its female partner target two years early. The Bristol-headquartered firm confirmed last week that women have held 33% of partner roles since the start of the financial year.

Commenting on making this year’s power list, TLT chief people officer Helen Hodgkinson said:

“TLT has come a long way in recent years in redressing gender imbalances and I’m proud to have these efforts recognised on a national platform. Huge congratulations to all who have helped us secure this spot in the Top 50.”

Three of the Big Four accountancy firms, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC, all feature in this year’s list, alongside investment banking giants Lloyds, Natwest, Santander, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Other big names include Royal Mail, Sainsbury’s, Ofcom, PepsiCo, Shell and Tesco.

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As a new starter in a firm, it can be particularly daunting deciding if, and when, you are going to ‘come out’ to your colleagues. Something so subtle as implying you have a same-sex partner, or that you date people of a particular gender, can be a serious decision to make. You are vying for the approval of your team — and you don’t want any pre-conceptions to jeopardise your ability to get on with everyone in the team. It’s a consideration I had to make when beginning my career at Addleshaw Goddard (AG).

I think imposter syndrome can also affect this decision. As a graduate with no legal connections or a foot in the industry, I felt an extreme urge to prove to myself and others that I could thrive at the firm. Coming out felt like something that, going into my new role, could prejudice my ability to fit into the team and produce great work. Furthermore, you don’t want to rock the boat. I was worried that my lack of influence and a large network within the team would mean I would simply be too afraid to challenge someone on what they said to me if it made me uncomfortable.

Some people would argue that a person’s sexuality shouldn’t matter enough in the workplace, and it isn’t necessary to have to come out. Although I don’t believe that it is a necessity, sexuality and gender identity are key to being your authentic self at work — and everyone has a right to be able to do that. It’s also important to establish who you are to your team as soon as possible to avoid any awkward and embarrassing situations.

These are considerations I had to make before starting at the firm. I experienced that initial reluctance to be my authentic self and share my own interests/experiences as a queer person at first.

Thankfully, I had nothing to worry about — the firm had cultivated an environment that was respectful and allowed people like me to be comfortable in bringing their authentic selves to work. There were a few ways in which the firm demonstrated to me that I knew I could be open about my sexuality without fear of prejudice — and I could make the decision to come out safely.

Within my first week, I was introduced to a host of diversity and inclusion networks across the firm. These groups are set up to improve the experiences of different communities at the firm — including queer people. The networks are open to colleagues at all levels in all divisions. To see such a wide coverage of participants across the firm indicated to me that I could seek support from others in my decision to come out at the firm if I needed to. It was also reassuring to hear from other colleagues about their own experiences as queer people at the firm and the similar challenges we share coming out at work.

It was also really encouraging to see so many people around the firm wearing Pride lanyards from day one. It was a subtle yet powerful way of letting me know that I was welcome and would not be treated prejudicially by others.

I was also invited to attend diversity and inclusion training sessions as part of my induction into the firm. These are firmwide, compulsory talks that require all colleagues to think about how they would define inclusion. It also invites us all to think about systems of privilege and how they can play into the make-ups of firms. Holding these conversations in an open forum is a great way for all colleagues to recognise the role that they play as allies to queer people.

These are just some examples of ways that firms can help cultivate a community that is accepting and welcoming of all queer people — so much so that coming out didn’t feel as daunting as I initially thought it would be.

Isaac Orr is a litigation paralegal at Addleshaw Goddard.

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Addleshaw Goddard‘s future trainees sitting the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) will receive maintenance support of up to £8,000.

Graduates completing the SQE prep course in London will be given £8,000 in financial support, while their regional counterparts in Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen receive £5,000. It also offers an interest free loan to all future trainees.

Regardless of which office they will complete their training contract in, all the firm’s UK rookies study the SQE at BPP University Law School.

AG recruits around 62 trainees each year on a starting salary of £52,000 in London. The firm offers salaries of £95,000 to its newly qualified associates in capital, £62,000 in the rest of the UK and £56,000 in Scotland.

A raft of big legal players have now gone public with their new grants as they transition from the Legal Practice Course to the SQE. You can check these out on The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2023.

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The competition for Ireland’s brightest legal talent looks set to hot up with a number of big UK law firms putting plans in place to launch training contract programmes or increase their existing offerings.

Simmons & Simmons has had a presence in Dublin since 2018 and currently hires four trainees each year. The firm says it plans to double this number to eight over the next three years.

“This investment in developing talent represents our commitment to the Dublin market and our clients with an Irish presence,” a spokesperson from the firm said. Irish rookies can also take advantage of a faster, hybrid training scheme and secondment opportunities across its international offices, the firm said.

Bird & Bird and Taylor Wessing confirmed plans to recruit Irish trainees for the first time, having both opened offices in Dublin in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Bird & Bird said it hoped to launch Irish TCs next year but were not yet able to confirm how many. A spokesperson said, “we very much look forward to bringing some trainees on board as we continue our growth in Ireland; this has always been an important part of our plan”.

Taylor Wessing, meanwhile, said it plans on recruiting Irish trainees within the next three years. The firm’s talent director Wendy Tomlinson said:

“Having recently established new training contract opportunities in Cambridge, and with the launch of our new solicitor’s apprenticeship programme in the UK, these are opportunities we’re looking to expand on in other regions and which support the growth plans we have for our office in Dublin.”

Elsewhere, Fieldfisher said it remained “committed to offering a well-structured training scheme to up to 10 trainees each year”. The firm launched in Dublin in
2019 through a merger with Irish firm McDowell Purcell.

As previously reported by Legal Cheek, Addleshaw Goddard is set to recruit eight trainees this spring and a further eight in 2024, as part of plans to double the size of its Dublin base by 2025. The news came following AG’s merger with Irish outfit Eugene F Collins in March 2022.

Several other big UK-headquartered firms have entered the Irish legal market in recent years amid fears that they would be locked out of the EU market following the 2016 Brexit vote. These include DLA Piper, Linklaters and Pinsent Masons.

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Addleshaw Goddard has announced a spring 2023 trainee retention score of 89%.

The outfit has confirmed to Legal Cheek that eight of their nine trainee solicitors due to qualify this March have opted to stay put.

The firm’s newly qualified (NQ) lawyers in London will start on a salary of £95,000, while their counterparts in Leeds and Manchester will earn £62,000. In London, trainees earn a salary of £52,000 in year one, rising to £56,000 in year two.

As for its performance in our latest Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey, AG scored A*s for training, WFH, tech and peer support, as well as As for the quality of work, work/life balance, eco-friendliness, office and partner approach-ability.

The firm recruits over 60 trainees each year via two intakes, and recently confirmed it will take eight into its new Dublin office later this year.

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Life as a trainee isn’t easy, so a friendly and supportive culture can be crucial to getting you through the difficult moments. Fortunately, the results are in, and Legal Cheek can reveal the law firms where it’s smiles and backslaps all-round.

The 2,000 plus respondents to the Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey 2022-23 were asked to rate the supportiveness of their peers on a scale ranging from 1 — ‘not at all supportive’ to 10 — ‘highly supportive’. Likewise, partner approachability could be quantified from 1, or ‘not at all approachable’ to 10, or ‘highly approachable’. Firms are then scored from A* to D on the Legal Cheek Insider Scorecard for each category.

Although over thirty firms feature on the two shortlists, scoring A*s for peer support or partner approachability, only Bristows, Fletchers, Hill Dickinson, RPC and TLT secured the top grade in both categories. The results are listed alphabetically below:

Best law firms for peer support 2023

Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst, Bristows, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Clyde & Co, Dechert, Express Solicitors, Fletchers, Forsters, Gibson Dunn, Goodwin Procter, Hill Dickinson, Norton Rose Fulbright, Pinsent Masons, RPC, Taylor Wessing, TLT, Travers Smith, Watson Farley & Williams, Weightmans

Best law firms for partner approachability 2023

Accutrainee, Ashfords, Bird & Bird, Bristows, Debevoise & Plimpton, Dentons, Eversheds Sutherland, Fieldfisher, Fletchers, Gateley, Hill Dickinson, Morrison Foerster, Orrick, RPC, Russell-Cooke, Shakespeare Martineau, Squire Patton Boggs, Taylor Vinters, TLT.

Respondents were also given the chance to submit anonymous comments to justify their scores and provide further insights into their firm’s supportive rookies and approachable partners. Here are a selection of comments from the firms shortlisted above:

How supportive are your peers?

“Very collaborative, and very friendly peer group. They’re genuine friends who I can go to for support, share tips and insights into the work.”

“There is no culture of competitiveness between the trainees. Everyone supports each other.”

“All of the trainees within my office are incredibly supportive of each other and there is no feeling of competitiveness when it comes to getting NQ jobs. The trainee chat is very active and you know that, no matter how stupid the question, you always have somebody to go to.”

“I love my trainee cohort, we have bonded really well and regularly meet up for lunch and coffee. We also have a WhatsApp chat that we use to check in on each other. The benefit of a large cohort is having a lot of people around you to build a support network.”

“Excellent culture with many opportunities to extracurricular. A very supportive environment.”

How approachable are your superiors?

“There’s a real open door policy — meaning that if I leave the door to my office open, my superiors are likely to stop by for a chat.”

“Including partners — there’s no hierarchy or delegation through associates. Partners will call you directly and ask for your thoughts which is a great learning opportunity.”

“All very approachable which surprised me the most about working with Partners.”

“Every single person (at all levels) is approachable and can always spare time to help you.”

“No matter the level of seniority, every partner that I have experienced working with or spoken to outside of a department has been incredibly welcoming, approachable and helpful. They want you to succeed and you know you could go to them with any issue you had.”

The winning law firm in each category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2023, sponsored by BARBRI and BPP University Law School, on Tuesday 14 March 2023.

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The results are in! Legal Cheek’s exclusive survey reveals the law firms with the highest scores for training and quality of work.

The Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey 2022-23 questioned over 2,000 trainees and junior associates on what life is like at the UK’s leading law firms, with a handful of firms scoring an A* in the training and quality of work categories.

Respondents rated the training they’ve received on a scale of 1 to 10 — with 1 being ‘very poor’ and 10 being ‘excellent’. Similarly, respondents rated the quality of work from ‘not at all stimulating’ to ‘highly stimulating’. Firms are then scored from A* to D on the Legal Cheek Insider Scorecard for each category.

With these two categories being the centrepiece of a training contract, achieving the highest possible grade is a sure-fire way to attract the attention of training contract seekers.

A total of six law firms scored A*s and feature in the shortlist for both categories: Burges Salmon, CMS, Farrer & Co, Mills & Reeve, Osborne Clarke and Willkie Farr & Gallagher. Below are the results listed alphabetically:

Best law firms for training 2023

Addleshaw Goddard, Allen & Overy, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Burges Salmon, CMS, Clifford Chance, Dentons, Farrer & Co, Freshfields, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters, Macfarlanes, Mayer Brown, Mills & Reeve, Osborne Clarke, Pinsent Masons, RPC, Shoosmiths, Slaughter and May, TLT, Travers Smith and Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Best law firms for quality of work 2023

Akin Gump, Burges Salmon, CMS, Farrer & Co, Forsters, Hogan Lovells, Latham & Watkins, Lewis Silkin, Mills & Reeve, Mishcon de Reya, Osborne Clarke, Ropes & Gray, Shakespeare Martineau, Shearman & Sterling, White & Case and Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Through submitting anonymous comments in the survey, respondents could expand on their scores to give further insight into their experiences at their firm. Here is a selection of comments from some of the above firms:

How would you describe the training you have received?

“People are interested in your day to day development as well as the broader picture of how you develop key skills as a junior lawyer. There is an active effort to keep you from doing too much of the same thing. Everyone has so much time for trainees and you can tell they take real enjoyment and supervision and teaching.”

“Training is consistent, well planned and practical.”

“The continued support and guidance has really helped my ability to move between different departments smoothy, understand the areas of law I’d like to work in and provide career guidance for the next steps to qualification.”

“Very high end. I’ve been working directly with very senior people since I started. I’m allowed to make tasks my own and take ownership of them which I’m very pleased about. I’ve developed hugely in a short period of time.”

“Supervisors and the wider teams are genuinely invested in the provision and quality of training (largely because we are seen as the future of the firm).”

How stimulating is the work you are given?

“Throughout my training contract there has been a recognition of when I’ve been reaching my comfort zone and a constant effort to keep pushing me further whilst supporting me at the same time. I have been able to run my own matters and take real ownership over pieces of work.”

“Trainees get involved in top work from day one. No photocopying or printing!”

“As a trainee I have received a broad range of work from the more classic “trainee” tasks to leading workstreams, drafting contracts and leading on client calls.”

“I’ve been given a broad range of contentious and non-contentious work. The breadth of work includes drafting documents, assisting on the signing process for large scale transactions and preparing documents for court hearings.”

“The work is overall of great quality and there is lots of trust from the team.”

The winning law firm in each category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2023, sponsored by BARBRI and BPP University Law School, on Tuesday 14 March.

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“Often you pick one area of law, but another area picks you,” says Chisolu Obumneke-Okeke. It is certainly true in his case. Obumneke-Okeke did not plan to be an energy lawyer — he didn’t even select the subject as an elective whist at university in Nigeria (where he was born, raised, and educated). He was interested in litigation, as he wanted to see what it would be like going to court, but he also had an interest in IT law.

Upon graduating from the Nigerian Law School in 2016, he worked as an associate in a law firm for a couple of years as well as for MTN, Africa’s largest mobile network provider. In 2018, Obumneke-Okeke moved to George Etomi & Partners, one of Nigeria’s leading law firms. Whilst there, he spent time on secondment to Eko Electricity, as in-house legal counsel, and here developed a passion for energy law. He decided that it would be helpful to complete a masters in this field. A friend in the UK happened to mention that Teesside University in Middlesborough offered scholarships and so he applied to their LLM programme and was successful.

The move from Nigeria to the UK seems to have gone smoothly for Obumneke-Okeke. He tells us that since Nigeria is a Commonwealth country, the laws are modelled on English laws. It was therefore relatively easy for him to transfer across both his legal knowledge and skill-set. After completing his LLM, Obumneke-Okeke moved to Warwick and got a job as in-house legal counsel for the National Grid. However, he missed the culture of being in a law firm, where your peers are working on the same things as you and there is a “family-like thinking”. Obumneke-Okeke applied to international law firm Addleshaw Goddard, selecting their Leeds office as it was close to Middlesborough, where he completed his LLM, but also came with the advantage of being in a vibrant city with a thriving legal market. He joined Addleshaw Goddard as an associate in the infrastructure, projects & energy team in April 2022 and lives only a few minutes away from the office by e-scooter!

Despite not planning to be an energy lawyer when he was an undergraduate, it is clear that Obumneke-Okeke is now incredibly passionate about the area. He explains that it is exciting because it is always changing. “If you speak to me tomorrow, a new law or directive will have come out,” he says. Whilst he admits that this can make the area challenging, he emphasises that it also keeps it interesting. The sector is also an incredibly important one. Obumneke-Okeke is passionate about the environment and achieving net-zero. As he says, “if we succeed in reducing net carbon, we can save the world”. The move towards green energy has made the sector more interesting, he says. There is also an advantage to being in the UK, which has net-zero carbon aims, unlike Nigeria which is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels.

Obumneke-Okeke tells us that sometimes when sat watching TV in the evening, an advert for a new electric car will come and he will think: “I remember this!” It will be a project that he has previously worked on. Similarly, he has been at airports when going on holiday, thought it looked familiar, and then remembered that he has advised a sector specialist about that airport. As he explains, “whenever you see an advancement, such as the new Hitachi trains or rollout of new Volkswagen cars, someone has done the infrastructure behind it”. Seeing the real-life impact of his work is one of the most exciting parts of his job. He describes it as a “privilege” to work on this developing area of law.

Of course, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing over the past few years. The Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have brought new challenges. Obumneke-Okeke explains that when drafting force majeure clauses, it is now vital “to be mindful of these factual and political scenarios”. He gives a hypothetical example of a client with a power base in the crossfire of the war: you will probably have to include certain clauses in their contracts that you would never previously have thought about.

There is no doubt that there are big questions facing the energy industry right now. As an energy lawyer, Obumneke-Okeke is involved in finding practical solutions. He tells us that he is excited to see what will happen going forward and is especially looking forward to attending COP26, the next United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Obumneke-Okeke has undoubtedly had an exciting career journey so far. He says that a lawyer’s story often looks easy, but that the hard work goes on behind the scenes. He advises aspiring solicitors to work hard on their applications or covering letters. “Make sure your cover letter reflects what the firm is doing and what value you can add,” Obumneke-Okeke says. “You need to be really specific and detailed as nobody will call you and ask you for an explanation.” Studying the partners at the firm is a good way to find out what the firm is working on. He recommends reading about some recent projects that interest you. He also recommends students to complete vacation schemes and internships and advises aspiring lawyers from minority backgrounds to apply to initiatives such as 10,000 Black Interns.

Obumneke-Okeke tells us that when he was in law school, a friend told him: “once you are qualified, you have the rest of your life to be a lawyer so there is no rush. You can try and do different things”. This stuck with him. His advice to students would be to move at your own pace and not be afraid of changing course. There will undoubtedly be bumps on the road – everyone faces rejections and is confused at some point — but Obumneke-Okeke says to give yourself grace and not give up. He explains that “every step counts” on the journey to being a lawyer, and that “it is always better to apply than to live with regret”. His final words of wisdom to wannabe solicitors or those considering a change in career are: “you are not a tree; you can always move”.

Legal Cheek is hosting an IN-PERSON event, ‘Commercial awareness focus: Navigating a world in flux – with Addleshaw Goddard‘, on Tuesday 18 October (tomorrow). The event is now FULLY BOOKED but you can take a look at our other student events.

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A raft of leading law firms have publicly pledged to ensure that students qualifying as solicitors through “alternative routes” are treated the same as their counterparts undertaking the more traditional training contract.

The 17-strong group pledge to screen candidates in a “fair and inclusive way”, which will not disadvantage those who have completed an alternative route to legal qualification, including an apprenticeship.

Firms making the pledge, which includes the Magic Circle law firms Clifford Chance, Linklaters and Freshfields, promise to assess all candidates’ suitability for any given role based on their experience, behaviour and competence to avoid disadvantaging those who have not done a TC, with inclusive competencies being listed for new positions and CVs being matched against the skills needed to fulfil the demands of the role.

You can read the pledge in full here.

Other signatories are Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst, Burges Salmon, CMS, Charles Russell Speechlys, DAC Beachcroft, Eversheds Sutherland, Fenchurch Law, Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose Fulbright, RPC, Simmons & Simmons, Trowers & Hamlins, Watson Farley & Williams.

The recruitment promise follows the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) and a new set of rules that give wannabe solicitors the flexibility of completing work experience with up to four different organisations in place of a traditional training contract. This has led to concerns from some that it will create a so-called ‘two-tier’ profession where law firms favour candidates who have completed a TC over those qualifying via one of the alternative pathways.

Commenting on the pledge, Norton Rose Fulbright’s corporate and early careers recruitment partner Clementine Hogarth said:

“It has been inspiring to see so many leading law firms come together to help level the playing field across the industry — the enthusiasm in the market about legal apprenticeships is really exciting. As we continue to further diversity and inclusion in the workplace, it is essential that we are recognising alternative routes into legal careers, and recruiting and progressing people based on talent and merit alone. The pledge is designed to highlight this commitment.”

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Addleshaw Goddard has put pen to paper on a 15 year lease deal that will see it relocate its City of London headquarters in 2024.

The firm’s 600 London-based lawyers and staff will take up residency across eight floors — or 114,000 square feet — of a grade II-listed building in heart of the financial district opposite the Bank of England.

The building at 41 Lothbury is undergoing a major refurb and once complete will boast roof terraces on floors seven and eight, “offering spectacular views of the City’s skyline”, as well as 3,500 square foot of basement space to house a new fitness studio, cycle and shower facilities.

The firm, which achieved an already impressive A grade for its offices in our latest Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey, says the move will mark a “slight increase” on the space currently occupied in its Milton Gate premises.

John Joyce, managing partner, commented:

“This is a really exciting move for us. Our new HQ and the client experience there will capture the imagination of our people and provide an inspiring space, with amazing credentials, for current and future generations of AG. We wanted to create the best possible environment for collaboration while also factoring in future growth in a more modern building configuration with better environmental credentials than our current space provides and 41 Lothbury will tick all the boxes.”

He continued: “London has delivered impressive growth for us and, in our new HQ within a historic building in the heart of London’s financial district, we will have the opportunity to grow further. The move underpins our continued ambition to service our great clients from a fantastic City which is instrumental in supporting our global platform.”

A number major firms have office moves in the pipeline including Allen & Overy, Hogan Lovells, Kirkland & Ellis, Linklaters and Travers Smith.

The post Addleshaws selects new City HQ appeared first on Legal Cheek.

Addleshaw Goddard (AG) is to close its Hong Kong office later this year and will adopt a ‘best friend’ approach going forward.

The UK-headquartered firm’s office in Hong Kong will close in September upon expiry of its lease.

AG has been operating from the city-state since 2012 where it now has a total headcount of 36 staff made of seven partners, 20 solicitors and nine business-services professionals. A number of partners and solicitors, including trainees, will be moving to Howse Williams.

The firm said in a statement today that its immediate focus is to support its staff and help them find a new home, with some possibly relocating to nearby Singapore, which it plans to bolster as its key presence in Asia, Dubai or London.

Addleshaw Goddard managing partner, John Joyce, said:

“No firm likes to withdraw from jurisdictions which it has previously identified as important to it, but having carefully considered our position in Hong Kong and the unique set of challenges we face there, we do not feel that renewing our lease, whilst continuing to hope for a dramatic change in outlook, is something we can economically justify.

“Reluctantly, we therefore believe that now, with a lease event upon us, is the right time to make a change.”

Joyce continued: “Today’s news does not change our desire to invest and grow in the markets and sectors that are important to our clients. A clear Asia strategy remains a key requirement for our business and we will revert to a ‘best friend’ approach going forward in order to serve client needs in Hong Kong. We continue in Singapore and will look to build out that office as our key presence for Asia.”

AG has recently expanded in Europe, opening offices in Luxembourg, France and Germany. It merged with Irish law firm Eugene F Collins in March this year.

As AG looks to close its doors in Hong Kong, fellow UK-headquartered law firm DWF has announced an affiliation agreement with Hauzen, a five-partner specialist firm founded just five years ago and advises clients in the Hong Kong financial markets.

DWF entered into an agreement with Eldan Law in Singapore last year. The move aims to complement this agreement and strengthen DWF’s presence in Asia.

DWF chief executive, Sir Nigel Knowles, said: “We are continuing to build out our international footprint, with the latest agreement signed with Hauzen in Hong Kong. This is a key global financial centre and we see a clear opportunity to increase activity focused on areas where we have sector strength, but without overcommitting operationally.

Sir Nigel continued: “This will strengthen our offering to our global clients with interests in China and Hong Kong, whilst also improving our ability to directly support Chinese clients. We have been assessing this market for some time and believe that Hauzen represent an excellent strategic and cultural fit with DWF.”

Hauzen founder and managing partner, Basil Hwang, who was formerly founder and managing partner of Dechert‘s Hong Kong office, added: “We are delighted to have reached an affiliation agreement with DWF and believe this move will allow us to strengthen existing client relationships and develop new ones. It is a reflection of how far we’ve come since we founded this firm just five years ago and it is a big step forward for us as we seek to grow and globalise our offering.”

The post Addleshaws to shutter Hong Kong office as DWF enters city with new alliance appeared first on Legal Cheek.

LegalEdCon 2022 returned in-person on Thursday 12 May, the first Legal Cheek conference since the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) on 1 September 2021.

The SQE has brought about a major shake-up to legal education and the wider profession. Over 200 delegates arrived at our annual conference to hear about the opportunities this will bring to attracting and retaining top talent within the profession, and hear about the future of legal education and training.

LegalEdCon 2022 featured sessions including opening up the profession to diverse future lawyers; solicitor apprenticeships; legal tech and the future of training; sustainability and its importance; the practical implications of the SQE; the future of the bar; and considerations beyond the SQE. A key theme that emerged in the speakers’ (view the full speaker roster) talks was how the SQE has the potential to open up the profession to a talented cohort of more diverse lawyers.

Session 1: Thinking differently to open up the legal profession to diverse future lawyers

The speakers (part one):

• Dorothea Bannerman-Bruce, senior learning manager at Linklaters
• Rohan Samrai, future lawyer and Social Welfare Solicitors Qualifying Fund scholar
• Jordan Yohannes, trainee solicitor (secondee) at Phoenix Group
• Dr Assal Kareem, Breaking Barriers SQE scholar

In the first part of the session, we heard impassioned talks from three aspiring lawyers about how the diversity schemes they were participating in, respectively, were helping them to facilitate their dreams to become lawyers via the SQE. Rohan Samrai, future lawyer and Social Welfare Solicitors Qualifying Fund (SWSQF) scholar, spoke on how SWSQF was allowing him to qualify as a social welfare lawyer and serve disadvantaged communities.

Jordan Yohannes, trainee solicitor (secondee) at Phoenix Group, discussed how the Flex Trainee scheme is enabling her to qualify as a lawyer and overcome the cost barrier to the profession. Finally, Dr Assal Kareem, Breaking Barriers SQE scholar, moved the audience with her journey as a lecturer in Iraq to moving to the UK as a refugee, able to access a legal career because of the Breaking Barriers SQE scholarship. After these talks, Dorothea Bannerman-Bruce, senior learning manager at Linklaters, chaired a Q&A with the three to probe further into their journeys.

The speakers (part two):

• Lucie Allen, managing director of BARBRI Global
• Ray Berg, managing partner at Osborne Clarke
• Mary Bonsor, CEO and founder of Flex Legal
• Lorna Nsoatabe, associate at Slaughter and May
• Gemma de Cordova, barrister at Gatehouse Chambers

The second part of this session was a panel discussion and Q&A chaired by Lucie Allen, managing director of BARBRI Global. Ray Berg, managing partner at Osborne Clarke, spoke on his journey, urging the audience to re-evaluate their opinions about “what a lawyer looks or sounds like”. Mary Bonsor, CEO and founder of Flex Legal, discussed how Flex Legal was opening up the profession through Flex Trainee, a scheme which enables in-house legal teams to access the best and brightest young, diverse legal talent.

Lorna Nsoatabe, associate at Slaughter and May, touched on the importance of allyship and how inclusivity is a key driver for retention of talent, while Gemma de Cordova, a barrister at Gatehouse Chambers, highlighted the necessity for representation and mentorship within the sector to encourage more individuals into the profession.

Session 2: Solicitor Apprenticeships — a new generation of qualified lawyers

The speakers:

Alison Wells, company director of legal and HR at BPP University Law School
Maia Crockford, solicitor apprentice (seconded to Sainsbury’s) at DAC Beachcroft
George Yates, solicitor apprentice at BBC
Roma Mcpherson, solicitor apprentice at Colt Technology Services
Rosie Buckley, early careers recruitment lead at Dentons

Alison Wells, company director of legal and HR at BPP, began this session with an overview of what a solicitor apprenticeship is and how it works in practice. She then handed over to Maia Crockford, solicitor apprentice (seconded to Sainsbury’s) at DAC Beachcroft, who discussed how her solicitor apprenticeship provided her with the opportunity to be the first person in her family to go to university, while giving the opportunity to have a career she loved.

George Yates, solicitor apprentice at BBC, spoke on the opportunity it afforded to have an income which provided financial independence. Roma Mcpherson, solicitor apprentice at Colt Technology Services, offered the audience an insight into how the apprenticeship was developing her both professionally and personally. Rosie Buckley, early careers recruitment lead at Dentons, described the positive relationship between solicitor apprentices and the rest of her firm and how this was helping the firm grow and develop.

Session 3a: Legal tech and the future of training as a lawyer

The speakers:

• Siobhan McGinley, head of segment marketing at LexisNexis
• Chloe Kennedy, legal management consultant at Deloitte
• Professor Scott Slorach, director of learning & teaching at The University of York Law School
• Faisal Zainal, legal technology and innovation executive at Macfarlanes
• Nicole Tan, innovation & legal technology senior manager at Addleshaw Goddard

Siobhan McGinley, head of segment marketing at LexisNexis, kicked off the session by discussing the role legal technology plays in her job. LexisNexis, as creators of legal tech tools, familiarise their legal practitioner clients with these tools to provide them with ways to make their day-to-day more efficient.

Chloe Kennedy, legal management consultant at Deloitte, discussed her experiences at the Big Four player and described the blend of law with technology is in part driven by globalisation and clients increasingly wanting more for their money.

Professor Scott Slorach, director of learning & teaching at The University of York Law School, highlighted how law school has integrated legal tech into students’ education and how this contributes to their development, both during university and beyond.

Our lawtech session is underway! #LegalEdCon22 pic.twitter.com/M6GXjLHMB0

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 12, 2022

After Faisal Zainal, legal technology and innovation executive at Macfarlanes, studied the Legal Practice Course (LPC) he was drawn to legal tech to be a part of the “modernisation of inefficient processes”.

Nicole Tan, innovation & legal technology senior manager at Addleshaw Goddard, had her interest in legal tech sparked when she worked as a legal manager at Freshfields and echoed similar reasons for entering the sector.

Session 3b: Why law firms need to take sustainability seriously to attract the best talent

The speakers:

• Laura Yeates, founder of the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance and head of graduate talent at Clifford Chance
• Sasha Langeveldt, project manager at Students Organising for Sustainability UK
• Joshua Rutt, Sustainable Recruitment Alliance Student Advisory board member and future trainee solicitor at Macfarlanes
• Maria Connolly, partner and head of real estate and energy & renewables at TLT
• François Feuillat, partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Laura Yeates, founder of the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance, highlighted that early talent plays a critical part in improving the legal industry’s sustainability practices. She shared the three-phase approach adopted by the Alliance — ‘review, reduce, report’ — to help signatories achieve sustainability objectives. Joshua Rutt, Sustainable Recruitment Alliance Student Advisory board member, and Sasha Langeveldt, project manager at Students Organising for Sustainability UK, emphasised the weight that students nowadays place on an ethical employer, revealing that students would rather earn less if it meant working for an employer who shares their values.

Partners Maria Connolly and François Feuillat encouraged law firms to continue to review their practices, noting that ESG (environmental, social and governance) matters have come to the fore.

The resounding message from the panel was that now is the time for action from both students and employers — it is up to each of us to champion change in the industry.

Session 4a: What does the SQE mean in practice?

The speakers:

• Maxine Warr, head of education and training at the Solicitors Regulation Authority
• Morette Jackson, director of business development at The University of Law
• Laura Yeates, head of graduate talent at Clifford Chance
• Tim West, partner at Herbert Smith Freehills

In the first of two sessions on the SQE, a panel of speakers discussed the practical implications the new training regime is having — and will have — on education and training.

Maxine Warr, head of education and training at the SRA, reflected on the SQE’s journey from concept to introduction, noting the first cohort of students had now completed both parts of the new assessment, with results for the latter part due to be released in August.

Director of business development at The University of Law, Morette Jackson, referenced the law school’s efforts to create and develop a range of SQE prep courses with innovation at their core. She drew comparisons between dating and students selecting the most appropriate course: “students need to find the one they connect with and what matters to them”, she said.

We are live at one of our first two afternoon sessions 'What does the SQE mean in practice?' with speakers from @sra_solicitors, @UniversityofLaw, @Clifford_Chance and @HSFgraduatesUK pic.twitter.com/xN02phy1CD

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 12, 2022

Laura Yeates, head of graduate talent at Clifford Chance, explained how the firm had spent time “reflecting” on what it wanted to achieve through the new regime, and revealed it had chosen to “front load” its prep through a bespoke course designed in partnership with ULaw.

Herbert Smith Freehills partner Tim West provided delegates with an overview of how the firm plans to integrate the SQE. As part of the City Consortium, future trainees will complete a “bespoke” SQE programme with BPP.

Session 4b: The future of education and training at the bar

The speakers:

• Steven Barrett, Big Voice London chair and barrister at Radcliffe Chambers
• Mark Keith, director of programmes at BPP University Law School
• Jacqueline Cheltenham, national BPTC and BPC programme director at The University of Law
• Chris Kessling, vice dean at The Inns of Court College of Advocacy
• Mark Neale, director general of the Bar Standards Board

Having heard from various speakers on the solicitor-side of the profession earlier in the day, the afternoon session in the St Pancras Room at LegalEdCon 2022 was dedicated to everything education and training at the bar.

Mark Neale, director general of the Bar Standards Board, kicked off a series of presentations looking at the bar reforms over the past three years from a regulatory perspective.

Adding law school insights were Jacqueline Cheltenham, national BPTC and BPC programme director at The University of Law, and Mark Keith, director of programmes at BPP University Law School. Both speakers discussed how we can be re-thinking bar training in response to regulatory change and learning from the past and present to best serve prospective barristers of the future.

Big Voice London chair and barrister at Radcliffe Chambers, Steven Barrett, encouraged the audience to consider whether radical change is needed in education and training at the bar, drawing attention to the current burden on young people looking to qualify and the need for greater diversity in the profession.

Rounding off the session, Chris Kessling, vice dean at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy, discussed the ICCA’s position in the market and its return to bar training. This was followed by an audience Q&A session exploring topics including what more the bar could be doing to promote itself and whether it could be going further with innovative course design.

Session 5: Beyond the SQE

The speakers:

• Dr Giles Proctor, chief executive officer of The College of Legal Practice
• Joy Davies, principal lecturer at Nottingham Law School
• Professor Peter Hungerford-Welch, associate dean (postgraduate and professional programmes) at The City Law School
• Susan Cooper, founder and CEO of Accutrainee
• Grace Strutton, head of people & development at Lawyers on Demand

In this session the audience heard about some of the far-reaching effects that the SQE will have on training as a lawyer.

At the heart of the changes is the fact that students will be able to take qualification into their own hands. This is potentially quite disruptive as it will mean paralegals will use the new Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) system to become solicitors without the need to secure a formal training contract.

Susan Cooper, founder and CEO of Accutrainee, a pioneer of flexible training contracts, expects her experience of working with companies’ in-house legal teams to find students training placements to become ever more popular under the new regime.

Indeed, Lawyers on Demand (LoD), the flexible lawyering firm, has launched a similar model where its paralegals can qualify as solicitors under the SQE through time spent with big clients such as Airbnb and Adidas. LoD head of people & development Grace Strutton said the scheme already has 20 trainees.

For the College of Legal Practice, a new entrant SQE provider backed by former magic circle lawyers, this is an opportunity to work with the likes of Accutrainee to create innovative new study programmes tailored to students’ needs. CEO Giles Proctor outlined his vision for the years ahead.

Nottingham Law School, meanwhile, sees a gap in the market for qualified junior lawyer training amid a concern that SQE-qualified solicitors may have knowledge gaps in certain more specialist practice areas. Joy Davies, principal lecturer at Nottingham, explained her plans to support firms in this area.

Professor Peter Hungerford-Welch, associate dean at The City Law School, expects the upheaval and dash of chaos wrought by the SQE to end up placing a premium on an education at a traditional university law school — so long as the learning is delivered with a healthy dose of employability training.

We are live at the final session of #LegalEdCon22 'Beyond the SQE' with speakers from @collegalpract @NLS_NTU @CityLawSchool @Accutrainee and @LOD_Law pic.twitter.com/75o08Vz277

— Legal Cheek (@legalcheek) May 12, 2022

Keynote by legal education YouTuber Ibrahim Mohamed

Ibrahim Mohamed, Britain’s top legal education YouTuber and a future trainee solicitor, delivered the keynote speech. In this keynote, he dismantled what he describes as unhelpful “diversity terms”, explaining why the use of terms such as ‘BAME’ and ‘state school’ were “problematic”. He explored the microaggressions most faced by future graduates, the psychology behind the ‘resilient diverse candidate’ and wrapped up with the five A’s that students want to see from law firms, their colleagues and higher education institutes committed to making a change — these A’s being acknowledgment, accountability, access, accommodation and advice.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdoAPUGKxHt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Legal Cheek publisher, Alex Aldridge, brought the conference to a close, thanking the speakers, delegates and headline sponsors BARBRI, BPP University Law School and The University of Law, as well as silver sponsors LexisNexis, The City Law School, The College of Legal Practice, Nottingham Law School, Flex Legal, The Sustainable Recruitment Alliance and The Food Chain.

@legalcheek Little sneak peak of LegalEdCon22 #sqe #trainingcontract #lawyersoftiktok #lawfirms #lawschools #uni ♬ About Damn Time – Lizzo

The post What went down at LegalEdCon 2022 appeared first on Legal Cheek.

On Thursday (12 May) Legal Cheek’s annual future of legal education and training conference will return as an in-person event at Kings Place, London.

Delegates at LegalEdCon include learning & development and graduate recruitment experts from 70 leading law firms and chambers, as well as leading academics from universities across the UK. Throughout the day-long conference, there will be a series of TED-style talks and panel discussions exploring the topics at the forefront of the industry.

The final batch of speakers have today been announced and are listed below. They will join the vast roster of speakers announced over the last few months, including high profile figures from magic circle law firms and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Latest speakers:

• Maria Connolly, partner and head of real estate and energy & renewables at TLT
• Lorna Nsoatabe, associate at Slaughter and May
• Joshua Rutt, member of the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance Student Advisory Board and future trainee solicitor at Macfarlanes
• Siobhan McGinley, head of segment marketing at LexisNexis
• Joy Davies, principal lecturer at Nottingham Law School
• Jordan Yohannes, trainee solicitor (secondee) at Phoenix Group
• François Feuillat, corporate partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
• Nicole Tan, senior manager, innovation & legal technology at Addleshaw Goddard
• George Yates, solicitor apprentice at BBC
• Faisel Sadiq, barrister at Gatehouse Chambers
• Mark Keith, director of programmes at BPP University Law School
• Maia Crockford, solicitor apprentice at DAC Beachcroft, seconded to Sainsbury’s
• Jacqueline Cheltenham, national programme director for BPTC and BPC, and associate professor at The University of Law
• Chris Kessling, vice-dean at The Inns of Court College of Advocacy
• Chloe Kennedy, legal management consultant at Deloitte
• Grace Strutton, head of people & development at Lawyers on Demand
• Susan Cooper, founder and CEO of Accutrainee
• Rosie Buckley, early careers recruitment lead at Dentons
• Roma Mcpherson, solicitor apprentice at Colt Technology Services
• Mark Neale, director general of the Bar Standards Board

The speakers will explore areas including diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, the apprenticeship route to qualification as a solicitor, legal technology, and sustainable recruitment.

Following a networking lunch on the Kings Place gallery mezzanine, the afternoon sessions will focus on what the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) looks like in practice, as well as the opportunities beyond the SQE rollout. We’ll also hear about the future of education and training at the bar with a separate dedicated session. The day’s events will close out with a keynote from Britain’s leading legal education YouTuber Ibz Mo.

LegalEdCon is headline sponsored by BPP University Law School, BARBRI and The University of Law, with LexisNexis, The College of Legal Practice, The City Law School, Nottingham Law School, Flex Legal and the Sustainable Recruitment Alliance as silver sponsors.

Final Release tickets are still available to purchase. Secure your place now.

The post Latest speakers announced as profession gears up for LegalEdCon 2022 appeared first on Legal Cheek.