What makes a leading UK law firm? - Burges Salmon

Our head office

‘Arguably oneof the country’sfinest firms.’Chambers Student Guide4 Burges Salmon

Introduction5As a leading UK law firm with globalreach, Burges Salmon has a nationaland international client base to beenvied. We offer all major practicearea disciplines and provide thehighest standard of legal andbusiness advice to clients rangingfrom government departments andFTSE 100 companies to charitiesand private individuals: Coca-ColaHellenic, Discovery Channel, TheCrown Estate and Virgin, to namea few.Excellent client service underpinseverything we do. Our lawyers arenot only leaders in their fields but arealso able to recognise the broaderrequirements of our clients, takinginto account their strategic andcommercial needs.Our culture is open andcollaborative, enabling lawyersfrom different practice areas to worktogether to fit each client’s particularrequirements. We have the flexibilityto adapt how we work, enabling ourlawyers to develop stronger workingrelationships, which in turn allowsus to offer our clients a seamlessservice. This is a deliberate andenduring strategy that increasinglydifferentiates us as a firm.Talent is critical to our success. Weare looking to recruit future partners,not just future trainees. As a resultwe invest much time and resourceinto personal development;actively encouraging training, andsupporting ideas and suggestionsat every level of the business.A leading UK law firm 5

Trainee solicitors Megan Summers and Rory Trust

7Our work‘A class act, BurgesSalmon undertakesa phenomenal amountof high-calibre work.’Legal 500

Our work‘Work on deals of allsizes and complexity ispraised as ‘impeccable’by a client base thatappreciates the firm’sblend of technicalexcellence andcommercial nous.’Legal 500•Acting for Discovery CommunicationsEurope in their successful defence ofHigh Court proceedings for trademarkinfringement and passing off brought byA&E Television Networks, ranked as oneof The Lawyer’s top cases of 2012•Assisting Harrods and Virgin on brandingissues around the globe, including trademark infringements and copyrighting,counterfeiting and advertising issues•Advising the Greater London Authorityand the London Development Agencyon the process to select a developer totransform the 34 acre Royal Albert Dock inLondon, in a £1bn deal that is the first majorproject to see a Chinese developer investingin London•Advising the Nuclear DecommissioningAuthority on two of its major projects:its appointment of Babcock DounreayPartnership Limited as the parent bodyorganisation for its former research anddevelopment site at Dounreay in Caithness,and its agreement to transfer an NDAownedsite at Capenhurst, to URENCO•Representing The Co-operative Groupin a successful appeal against the OFT –overturning a decision to impose recordfines totalling £225 million on ten retailersand two manufacturers which the OFTalleged had engaged in anti-competitiveconduct relating to the pricing of tobaccoproducts. The case was the joint winner ofthe Competition/Regulatory Team of theYear category at the 2012 Lawyer Awards8 Burges Salmon

•Advising Babcock International Groupplc on a major public sector restructuringproject that will see them deliveringeducation services to more than 360schools in partnership with Devon CountyCouncil•Advising MeyGen on the pioneering400MW Round One marine scheme in theInner Sound, Pentland Firth, set to be theworld’s largest tidal energy project•Competition Commission – advisingon the corporate aspects of the sale ofStansted Airport for £1.5bn in cash, havingpreviously advised on the sale of bothEdinburgh and Gatwick airports•Advising Leeds United FC on a test caserelating to match day policing charges onpublic highways and winning both the caseand subsequent appeal by West YorkshirePolice at the High Court and Court of Appeal•Successfully representing The FootballLeague in disciplinary proceedingsbrought against Watford AFC which was thefirst major case concerned with financial fairplay in football•Providing on-going advice to SaharaForce India F1 Team on a claim broughtagainst it by McLaren•Advising iCON Infrastructure PartnersII, L.P and EEA Holdings Ltd on a majorinvestment in the Beckton Combined Heatand Power plant in East London•Advising Business Growth Fund on itsinvestment of £3.92 million of growth capitalin Magmatic Ltd, which trades under the highprofile ‘Trunki’ travel product brand name•Advising two Saudi Equestrian showjumpers in the run-up to the London2012 Olympic Games after their horsestested positive for a controlled medicationsubstance. Their appeal at the Court ofArbitration for Sport in June 2012 wassuccessful•Advising the London Fire andEmergency Planning Authority on theappointment of Babcock, on an interimbasis, to ensure the continuity of the supplyand maintenance of their 4000 strong fleetof fire engines during the Queen’s Jubilee,Olympic and Paralympic year followingthe occurrence of a financial crisis at theircontracted supplier•Advising longstanding client The CrownEstate on the acquisition of Princes House(incorporating BAFTA HQ) in St James’,London for £87 million•Advising SSE Renewables and RWENpower Renewables on the planningpermission for the £1.8bn Galloper OffshoreWind Farm off the Suffolk coast, settingthe industry precedent for such offshoreconsents under the new Planning Act 2008regime for major electricity projects•Advising International Power andMorgan Stanley on all aspects of the400MW Inner Sound Tidal Stream projectoff John O’Groats, the largest project of itskind in the world•Advising Isle of Anglesey CountyCouncil on Horizon/Hitachi’s multi-£bnproposals for two new nuclear powerstations and a major National Grid overheadgrid connection, being one of the largestinward investments ever proposed in Waleswith potential to transform the regionaleconomy•Advising Bristol City Council and NorthSomerset Council on the South BristolLink, a major highways scheme, includinga complex compulsory purchase order•Advising QinetiQ Pension Scheme ona case which resolved the central issue asto the rights of the scheme to switch therevaluation indices and materially improvethe security of scheme members•Advising Milk Link on its merger withArla Foods, creating one of the first evermergers between a UK and a foreignco-operative•Advising Spear Group, the global labelsbusiness on its acquisition by Viennaheadquartered Constantia Flexibles Group,working alongside Thompson Hine LLP inthe USA leading UK law firm 9

Trainee solicitor Madison Fowler

Our practiceareas11Our unique collaborative culture means that our lawyersfrom different practice areas work together, sharing theirskills and experience.The breadth of our practice allows for greater variety ofexperience during your training contract, as well as theability to make a more informed decision on qualification.

1.Commercial2.Corporate& FinancialInstitutions3.Disputes,Environment& EnergyCommercialCommercial ContractsCompetitionData Protection &Freedom of InformationIntellectual PropertyMediaOutsourcingProduct LiabilityProjectsPFI/PPP & InfrastructurePublic Procurement & State AidSportTechnologyTelecommunications12 Burges SalmonBanking & FinanceAcquisition FinanceAsset FinanceCorporate BankingDebt Capital Markets & SecuritisationsDerivativesIslamic FinancePrivate BankingProject FinanceReal Estate FinanceCorporateCorporate AdviceEquity Capital MarketsJoint VenturesMergers & AcquisitionsPrivate EquityEmploymentBusiness Immigration &Prevention of Illegal WorkingBusiness TransfersDiversity & DiscriminationEmployment TribunalsRestructuring & RedundanciesTrade UnionsTraining for Managers & EmployeesPensions & IncentivesAuto EnrolmentCompany Share Option PlanConcise DocumentationEnterprise Management IncentivesProfessional Trustee ServicesShare Incentive PlansSharesave or Save As You EarnUnapproved PlansDisputesAlternative Dispute ResolutionBanking DisputesCommercial DisputesDefamationEnvironmental DisputesFinancial Services DisputesFraud & White Collar CrimeIncident & Emergency ResponseInformation Technology DisputesInsolvency DisputesIntellectual PropertyJudicial ReviewPensions DisputesProfessional NegligenceReal Estate DisputesShareholder DisputesTax DisputesTransport & Rail DisputesConstruction & EngineeringConstruction Dispute ResolutionConstruction ProcurementEnvironment & EnergyContaminated LandCriminal ProsecutionsEmissions Trading & Carbon LawEnvironmentEnvironmental Compliance& RegulationEnvironmental ProjectsEnvironmental Risk Managementon TransactionsGreen Deal & ECOOperationalPolicyREACH & Chemicals RegulationsResource & Waste ManagementStrategyTransactional AdviceWater

4.Private Client& WealthStructuring5.Real Estate& PlanningPrivate ClientArt & HeritageCommercial TrustsContentious TrustsFamily & MatrimonialFamily Office ServicesImmigrationInternational Wealth StructuringLanded EstatesTax & Estate PlanningTrust & Charities ManagementWills & ProbateTaxArt & HeritageComplex Compliance & DisclosureExecutive TaxFinance & Insolvency TaxForeign Property StructuringInternational Wealth StructuringInvestment Funds TaxMergers & Acquisitions TaxPartnership Tax & Tax PlanningReal Estate TaxTax Advice for Companies& ShareholdersTax & Estate PlanningTax Disputes & LitigationVAT, Duties & Stamp TaxesReal EstateCorporate OccupierEscheatLandownerMineralsPlanning & Compulsory PurchaseReal Estate DevelopmentReal Estate FinanceReal Estate InvestmentScottish & Northern Irish Real EstateSocial HousingPlanning & Compulsory PurchaseCompulsory Purchase & CompensationEnvironmental Impact Assessment& HabitatsHeritageHighways & Public Rights of WayJudicial Review & Statutory ChallengeNationally Significant InfrastructureProjectsPlanning Applications & Appealsincluding Inquiry AdvocacyPlanning & Highways AgreementsTVGs & CommonsA leading UK law firm 13

Global reachWhether clients need legal advice inthe UK or abroad, be that in Europe,Asia, Africa or the Americas, BurgesSalmon is able to meet that demand.That global reach is provided by anetwork of independent preferredlaw firms with whom we have builtclose and lasting relationships.Those firms are selected not onlyfor their independence but also fortheir approach to quality and servicedelivery which reflects our own.We invest considerable resource indeveloping and maintaining thesenon-exclusive relationships, whichenables us to provide a seamlessinternational service to our clients.Trainee solicitors can expect to beinvolved in international work andwill have the opportunity to dealwith lawyers from across the globe,frequently playing a key role incoordinating and project managingcross-jurisdictional work. Languageskills are highly valued and can offertrainees exposure to high qualityinternational work early on in theircareer.Many of our lawyers have completedinternational secondments, and weregularly welcome secondees fromclients and preferred firms.14 Burges Salmon

Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge

‘ A cityof radicalenergy andlaid-backconfidence’The Times

Solicitors Lydia Bailey and Pedro Gemal

Yourdevelopment19Learning & developmentSix seat systemEarly responsibility & supportPost qualification & career developmentSecondments

Learning &developmentTrainee solicitor Stacey Yon with partner Ross PolkinghorneBurges Salmon takes training veryseriously as we see our traineesas our future partners. We firmlybelieve that our people are ourgreatest asset, which is reflectedin the amount of time we spenddeveloping each individual.We have designed a bespokeprogramme for our trainees,encompassing the SRArequirements and more. In additionto the Professional Skills Course,we provide training on other topics,such as presentation skills, and offerone to one coaching and support toeach individual. The success of thisprogramme is clearly demonstratedin our impressive retention rates andhigh level of internal promotion.Burges Salmontakes training veryseriously as we seeour trainees as ourfuture partners.20 Burges Salmon

Six seat systemClient receptionWe incorporatesix seats into ourtraining contractrather thanthe usual four.This allowstrainees maximumexposure toall areas of thefirm’s work.Our six seat training structure allowsthe opportunity to experience awider range of practice areas beforemaking a decision on qualification.During this time you will spend thefirst four seats alternating betweenour main departments.You will be required to complete aReal Estate seat and a contentiousseat.You also need to select twoother seats from the followingdepartments:• Banking & Finance• Commercial• Corporate• Employment• Pensions & Incentives• Private Client & Wealth StructuringYour fifth seat is an option seat,where you can choose to revisit adepartment of particular interest orvisit a new area to complement yourchoice of qualification department.The final seat is your qualificationseat. This is spent in the departmentin which you will qualify, therebyallowing you to build the necessaryskills and contacts for a smoothtransition on qualification.A leading UK law firm 21

Our commitmentto trainees ishighlighted by ourimpressive retentionrate, which is wellabove the industryaverage.22 Burges Salmon

Early responsibility& supportPartner Ann Metherall with trainee solicitorsAnthony Lindley and Rachel WestburyTrainees are given earlyresponsibility balanced with anopen door policy for advice andguidance. Each trainee is assigneda Principal for the duration oftheir training contact as well as asupervisor throughout each seat.Principals are partners and arethere to mentor trainees, providingadvice and support whennecessary. Regular meetingsoffering support and developmentalso take place with HR.All of our supervisors are trainedto ensure that you get as much aspossible out of each seat and feelsupported every step of the way.They can tailor your workload toreflect the areas you find mostinteresting and will give you thelevel of responsibility that you feelready for.There are many opportunities to takean active role in cases involving highprofile clients, as well as runningyour own files on smaller cases. Thenature of our practice means thatyou will come into contact with manydifferent clients over a broad rangeof practice areas and get involvedin a wide variety of work across thebusiness.We employ a highly skilled team ofsecretarial and business servicesstaff who ensure that everythingruns smoothly. As a trainee you willhave dedicated secretarial supportfrom day one, so that your time isnot spent on general administrativetasks which are not beneficial toyour development as a lawyer.A leading UK law firm 23

Post qualification &career developmentNewly qualified solicitor Stephen LavingtonTraining doesn’t end withqualification at Burges Salmon.We continue to invest heavily in yourdevelopment throughout yourcareer to ensure your personalgoals are met.We have a dedicated in-houseLearning and Development teamwith the resources and expertiseto develop any skills which you feelwould be of benefit to you and yourdevelopment as a lawyer. We alsohave a programme providing you withthe key skills identified for each levelof post-qualification experience.‘I feel very fortunate to havehad the chance to work insuch a broad range of distinctpractice areas, and for my ownpreferences to have been keyin determining my seats. Thishas given me a good base ofexperience to draw upon, andalso confidence in my decisionto qualify into the Environment,Planning and Energy Unit.’Stephen LavingtonNewly qualified solicitor24 Burges Salmon

SecondmentsWe encourage the undertakingof secondments, either to the legaldepartments of major clientcompanies, or to other law firmsbased internationally. Secondmentsoffer new perspectives on theprofession, involving a mix of culturaland legal education which benefitsyour overall development as a lawyer.Our trainee solicitors have recentlyundertaken secondments at the jointLaw Societies in Brussels, FirstGroupPLC and Nationwide.We are also involved in an exchangeprogramme which has been createdfor qualified lawyers practisinginternationally. A number of ourlawyers have spent time with oneof the top US firms and we intend toextend the programme into othercountries, thereby broadening therange of experience availableand the development of furtherinternational links.A leading UK law firm 25

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OurpeopleChris Allen / Future Trainee SolicitorChloe Perea-Poole / Trainee SolicitorMaria Burgess / Newly Qualified SolicitorTim Roberts / AssociateSandra Forbes / Partner27

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ChrisAllen‘The six seat rotationstood out as afantastic professionaldevelopmentopportunity, allowingtrainees to make themost of their trainingand gain maximumexposure to the firm.’Future Trainee SolicitorDegree: Marine Biology at University of Wales,SwanseaGDL and LPC: UWEDeciding to change my career to follow a new direction intolaw was a big decision and one that was not taken lightly.It was important to me that I received the best possibletraining in a supportive and ambitious working culturewhile gaining exposure to high calibre clients over a rangeof practice areas. I was immediately impressed by BurgesSalmon, with a training programme regarded as one of thebest in the country, a portfolio of high-quality clients anda wide range of market leading departments. The six seatrotation stood out as a fantastic professional developmentopportunity, allowing trainees to make the most of theirtraining and gain maximum exposure to the firm.The assessment centre and vacation scheme at BurgesSalmon gave me hands on experience and a real idea ofwhat it would be like to be part of the firm. Right from thestart everyone made me feel very welcome with traineesand partners eager to expose me to their projects and getme involved where possible.Since securing my training contract, Burges Salmon hascontinued to maintain contact and offer support. Futuretrainees receive the monthly newsletter ‘Wharfside’ andinvites to Christmas and summer social events. This hashelped to maintain my familiarity with the firm and hasgiven me the opportunity to get to know and socialisewith future trainees.All of these experiences have given me a very positiveimpression of the firm, its people and its culture and I amnow very excited about joining the Burges Salmon team.A leading UK law firm 29

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ChloePerea-Poole‘Throughout therecruitment processand since starting atthe firm it has beenapparent that BurgesSalmon truly believesthat its trainees areintegral to the futuredevelopment of thefirm’Trainee SolicitorDegree: LLB Law, University of Birmingham;LLM Commercial Law, University of BristolLPC: College of Law, BristolI first came across Burges Salmon at a university lawfair and was instantly impressed by how down-to-earththeir representatives were for a firm with such a robustreputation. The culture of Burges Salmon is one of itsbiggest selling points - when you are going to spend somuch of your working life immersed in it, finding a firmwith an ethos that is right for you is crucial.I was looking for a working environment that was not onlydedicated to providing prestigious clients with an unrivalledquality of service, but also one that offered its employees afriendly and open atmosphere in which to do so. Somethingthat has really struck me about all members of staff that Ihave met here is not only how personable and helpful theyare, but also how good they are at what they do.Throughout the recruitment process and since startingat the firm it has been apparent that Burges Salmontruly believes that its trainees are integral to the futuredevelopment of the firm, something clearly evidenced intheir impressive retention rates. They invest a great dealof energy and resource to ensure that we receive the bestpossible training, while feeling supported from day one.A leading UK law firm 31

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MariaBurgess‘Burges Salmon’sunique trainingcontract programmehas been invaluablein preparing me forqualification as asolicitor.’Newly Qualified SolicitorDegree: History and Economics, Oxford UniversityGDL: College of Law, BloomsburyLPC: UWEBurges Salmon’s unique training contract programmehas been invaluable in preparing me for qualification asa solicitor. During the six seats I did across the firm, I wasencouraged to take on responsibility but at the same timewas always supportively supervised.Trainees at Burges Salmon are encouraged to get involvedwith all aspects of work, including business developmentand training, as well as the giving of legal advice. This hasbeen superb preparation for the commercial realitiesof practising as a solicitor in a leading UK law firm.Secondment opportunities further enhance the trainingexperience: I spent four months at the joint Brussels Officeof the Law Societies and gained invaluable insights aboutEuropean law-making and politics.As a newly qualified solicitor in the Pensions team, I havealready been involved in a wide range of work, and returningto the department for the final seat of my training contractmade the transition from trainee to solicitor much easierthan I anticipated. The team advises on all aspects ofpensions law and acts for trustees and employers of definedcontribution, defined benefit and hybrid schemes at allstages of their lifecycle, so each day brings new experiences.The top quality work the firm does for market-leadingclients, its commitment to training and retaining exceptionallawyers, and its friendly, collaborative approach all makeBurges Salmon a great place to work.A leading UK law firm 33

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TimRoberts‘ You are continuallylearning, and there’sa really good trainingand support networkto ensure you’re neverout of your depth whentackling somethingfor the first time.’Associate, CorporateDegrees: Law with Politics, Durham University;Law in International Development, Warwick UniversityLPC: College of Law, GuildfordWhen applying for a training contract, Burges Salmoncame highly recommended by a number of people ashaving a quality client base with a very strong reputationand, crucially, a client-focused outlook. On looking intoit further, the combination of great people and a fantasticlocation was, and still is, a huge draw for me.Much of the work I do involves working as part of a teamwith other departments across the firm, so the fact we areall under one roof is a real plus as it’s only ever a short walkto discuss a matter face-to-face.Associates in the Corporate unit are encouraged tomaintain a broad range of work, rather than get pigeonholedinto any one practice area, although we tend to developsector specialisms in the longer term. This means thereis a real variety in the role which ranges across: mergersand acquisitions, general corporate advice, equity capitalmarkets (Official List and AIM) and private equity. Anincreasing amount of this work is cross-border, involvingboth clients and advisers in other jurisdictions. Whilethe range of work can be daunting, it does mean you arecontinually learning, and there’s a really good training andsupport network to ensure you’re never out of your depthwhen tackling something for the first time. The open doorpolicy that we have here has definitely remained, even asthe firm continues to grow.A leading UK law firm 35

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SandraForbes‘It is important toBurges Salmonto recruit peopleat all levels of thehighest calibre,and our traineesare no exception.’Partner, BankingDegree: Law, University of ManchesterLaw Society Finals (now the LPC):College of Law, ChesterI became a Banking Partner in 1996 and I am now Headof the Corporate and Financial Institutions department.Burges Salmon is one of the UK’s leading law firmsand the work we do is often high-value and complex.Our client base, which includes many multi-nationalcompanies, expects and demands advice and serviceof the highest quality.It is important to Burges Salmon to recruit people at alllevels of the highest calibre and our trainees are noexception. Our staff, including our trainees, represent thefuture of this firm, and our comprehensive recruitmentprocess (involving assessment centres, vacation schemesand the traditional interview) ensures we only recruit thevery best trainees.We are committed to developing and training our lawyersto allow them to grow to their full potential within asupportive environment, and our training contractprovides exactly that opportunity. We give trainees realresponsibility at an early stage in their career and whilstthis makes the training period challenging, it is ultimatelyvery rewarding.A leading UK law firm 37

DiversityOur success as abusiness dependsalmost entirely onthe quality of ourpeople.38 Burges Salmon

We recruit, retain and motivate the highest calibrepeople across all areas of our business, whatever theirgender, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientationor age. Our long-standing commitment to our people isevidenced by us being among the first law firms to reachthe ‘Investors in People’ standard (IIP) and we havesuccessfully been reaccredited every three years since.The aim of our Diversity Committee is to progress thefirm’s diversity agenda. As such, we are signatoriesof The Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Charter,members of the Employers’ Forum on Disabilitiy, andpart of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions Programme.A leading UK law firm 39

Georgian terrace in Clifton VillageBristol International Balloon FiestaCharity of the Year: Wensleydale bike rideBrunel’s ss Great BritainOur Gromit at Paddington StationRecent Springboard eventThe dragon boat racing team in actionBristol Old Vic theatreThe One Glass Wharf signpost40 Burges Salmon

TraineelifeBristol lifeSports & socialBurges Salmon in the communityOur offices41

Bristol lifeBristol has a unique character,combining the best of city livingwith a quality of life that is hardto beat. With a gross domesticproduct per head higher than anyEnglish city except London, Bristolwas recently rated as ‘the UK’smost economically successfulregional capital’ (Financial Times).A cosmopolitan, multi-culturalcity, Bristol is home to a diversepopulation and is renowned for itsvibrant cultural and entertainmentscenes. Throughout the year,the city is home to a variety offestivals and regattas, includingthe International Balloon Fiesta,St Paul’s Carnival, and the HarbourFestival.Whether you want a quiet drink withfriends, an evening at the theatre,or a big night out, Bristol really doesoffer something for everyone. Duringthe summer, the Harbourside isperfect for alfresco dining anddrinking. Alternatively, you canhead up the hill to Clifton whereyou will find a fantastic selection ofindependent bars and restaurants.Bristol is also home to the Old Vic(the oldest working theatre in thecountry) and the Hippodrome,which regularly features West Endmusicals in its line-up.Shopping in Bristol is diverse,and you will find all the big namesyou would expect from a majorregional capital. The Cabot Circusdevelopment has revitalised the cityand created a UK top 10 shoppingcentre.Combined with all this bustlingactivity, Bristol offers breathtakingscenery. The city is full ofmagnificent architecture, fromBristol Cathedral, the prestigiousUniversity and the BrunelSuspension Bridge, to the moremodern developments along thewaterfront and business areas.There are plenty of open spaces,such as the Ashton Court Estateand the glorious Clifton Downswith views over the Avon Gorgeand Suspension Bridge. Ventureslightly further afield and you willfind some of the UK’s most stunninglandscapes and coastlines areright on your doorstep.For sport enthusiasts, first classrugby, football, horseracing,mountain biking, cricket, sailingand surfing are all within easyreach, as well as a variety of moreadventurous activities that may takeyour fancy. Bristol was also namedEngland’s first ‘cycling city’ and hasreceived government funding toimprove facilities and increase thenumber of cyclists in the city.Housing options in Bristol areattractive and affordable and mostresidential areas are within a 20minute walk from the city centre.You might choose to live in oneof the modern watersidedevelopments and catch theferry to work, or stroll in from themore traditional Georgian terracesand Victorian areas surroundingthe centre.42 Burges Salmon

Cabot Circus

Sports & socialBurges Salmon has its own sportsand social club so you will never beshort of something to do.The social committee hosts eventssuch as trips to Paris, Amsterdamand Bruges as well as subsidisedcinema and theatre tickets. Thereis also a range of sports clubs thatrun at lunchtime and after work,including football, netball, hockeyand rugby.In addition to social club activities,there are several firm-wide eventsthroughout the year including theannual summer party, to whicheveryone, including future trainees,is invited. Informal socials also takeplace once a month, which providea great opportunity to get to knowcolleagues from across the firm.Trainee solicitors also arrange atrainee weekend away each year,most recently to Wales.44 Burges SalmonCompeting in the dragon boat race

Announcement of charity of the year – Grand AppealClockwise from top left – Peter Morris (Burges Salmon), Wallace & Gromit, Jamie Cameron (Burges Salmon),Sarah Vipond (Grand Appeal), Richard Knight & Ellen (Burges Salmon), Helen Haskell (Grand Appeal)46 Burges Salmon

Burges Salmonin the communityOur involvement in the communityis an important part of who we are.The fact that almost all of our peoplelive in and around Bristol makesthat commitment all the stronger.As one of the largest employers inthe city of Bristol, every area of thefirm takes an active involvement inthe communities in which we liveand work. Our volunteering policyallows every employee to take oneday paid leave per year to help inthe community.Our lawyers donate some oftheir time on a ‘pro bono’ basisin supporting not-for-profit andcharitable organisations. Thisincludes advising and acting fora variety of organisations such as:Citizens Advice Bureau, Avon andBristol Law Centre, Bristol MuseumDevelopment Trust, LifeCycle UK,Bristol Racial Equality Council,The Museum of British Surfing,Send a Cow and the Bristol WoodRecycling Project. Our traineesolicitors supervise and trainstudents who run the Universityof Bristol Law Clinic.The firm also lends financialassistance to local charitiesthrough its Charitable Trust,and all members of staff electa preferred ‘charity of the year’which is supported througha range of fundraising activities.Recent events have includedStrictly Legal, a take on the populardance show, and the BurgesSalmon Bake Off, in whichpartners and staff membersfrom across the firm competed.A leading UK law firm 47

One Glass WharfBurges Salmon’s head office isin purpose-built offices in theTemple Quay area of Bristol.Our relocation in 2010 was one ofthe largest commercial propertytransactions to take place in Bristolin recent years.Temple Quay is rapidly becomingknown as the city’s business hub.Bristol Temple Meads train stationis just a few minutes walk from theoffice and the area is the focus ofsignificant investment, providingbars, restaurants and shops. Theclose proximity to the Cabot Circusshopping centre allows easy accessto big name shops such as HarveyNichols and House of Fraser.One Glass Wharf is one of themost prestigious and comfortableoffices in the city. We workedclosely with The Carbon Trust toensure that it is also one of the mostenvironmentally friendly. Initiativesinclude using harbour water as aheat exchanger for our cooling/heating system, rain water recycling,and building with environmentallyfriendlymaterials.The offices have been designedto feel modern, welcoming andcomfortable with understatedexcellence, to reflect the levelof professionalism expectedfrom a leading UK firm. Facilitiesinclude a rooftop terrace forclient entertaining, break-outspaces, waterside seating and theGlassworks cafe which has quicklybecome the social hub of the firm.48 Burges Salmon

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New Street SquareBurges Salmon’s London officeis at 6 New Street Square (EC4).The office is an award-winningdevelopment between the City ofLondon and the law courts and hasexcellent client facilities includingseminar and project rooms.The office reflects our continuedinvestment across the business,enhancing our profile as a leadingUK law firm in both the London andinternational markets.Although our lawyers are notpermanently based in London,many spend an increasing amountof their time at our New StreetSquare office, meeting with bothexisting and prospective clients,working on deals, and preparingfor hearings and court cases.As a trainee solicitor, how muchtime you spend in London willdepend on the work you are doingand the department in which youare based. However, you will havethe opportunity to visit the officeduring your training contract.50 Burges Salmon

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Trainee solicitors Amy Davies, Ashley Crathern and Ursula McGuigan

Vacation schemesApplication deadline: 14 January 2014Vacation schemesBurges Salmon runs four two-weeksummer vacation schemes eachyear. Vacation schemes are highlyrecommended for anyone wishingto pursue a career as a solicitor. Youwill have the opportunity to sit intwo different areas, supervised bya qualified solicitor, and undertaketasks such as drafting, research andletter-writing.There is a definite emphasis on‘real’ work, with opportunities toattend court hearings and clientmeetings. In addition to this, we runseveral skills sessions and partnersand senior solicitors give practicearea talks over breakfast eachweek. Trainee solicitors organisea programme of sports and socialevents to give an all-round view oflife as a lawyer at Burges Salmon.All candidates are offered a trainingcontract interview at the end ofthe two-week scheme which isconducted by a recruitment partnerand a member of our HR team.Vacation schemeassessment centresIn order to be considered for avacation scheme in summer 2014you must submit an application bythe 14 January 2014. Successfulcandidates will be invited to attendan assessment centre in earlyFebruary.Assessment centres include agroup exercise, a psychometric testand a brief interview with one of therecruitment partners or a memberof the HR team. There are also talksfrom lawyers on their practice areas,presentations by current trainees,lunch, and a tour of our office to givecandidates a chance to get to knowus as well.‘The firm ensures thatall vacation schemestudents are involvedin a range of realwork; I was invited toattend conferencecalls and even a clientmeeting with a partner.Spending two weekswith the firm hasdemonstrated howmuch Burges Salmonvalues its people andit has highlighted thecollaborative cultureof the firm.’Charlotte HolgateVacation scheme student, 201353

Assessmentcentres & trainingcontract interviewsApplication deadline: 31 July 2014Assessment centresIf you wish to be considered fora training contract and you havenot attended a vacation scheme,you will need to come to one ofour assessment centres whichtake place in August. Assessmentcentres include:• group exercise• written exercise• psychometric test• talks about the firmThere is also the opportunity tomeet current trainees who will showyou round the office and answer anyquestions you may have.Training contract interviewsTraining contract interviews takeplace at the end of August/earlySeptember for people who haveattended an assessment centre.The interview will be conductedby a recruitment partner and amember of our HR team.54 Burges Salmon

How &when to applyOnline applicationTo apply for a vacation scheme and/or training contract, you will needto complete an online applicationform which can be accessed via thecareers pages of our website:burges-salmon.com/careersWhen to applyWe accept applications for vacationschemes and training contractsfrom penultimate and final yearlaw students, final year non-lawstudents, graduates and thoseconsidering a change of career.VACATION SCHEME CANDIDATES(LAW AND NON-LAW)1 OCTOBEROnline applications open14 JANUARYDeadline for vacation scheme applicationsTRAINING CONTRACT CANDIDATES(LAW AND NON-LAW)1 OCTOBEROnline applications open31 JULYDeadline for training contract applicationsFEBRUARYVacation scheme assessment centresJUNE - AUGUSTVacation schemes including training contract interviewMID AUGUSTAssessment centresAUGUST/SEPTEMBERTraining contract interviewsA leading UK law firm 55

BenefitsGDL and LPC sponsorshipWe have an arrangement with theBristol Institute of Legal Practice(at UWE) and the University ofLaw, to deliver both the GraduateDiploma in Law (GDL) and the LegalPractice Course (LPC) to our futuretrainee solicitors. This ensuresthat our future trainees receive anexcellent standard of teaching whilstalso providing choice as to whereyou live and study before you beginyour training contract with us.We will pay your tuition fees ifyou are due to start either the GDLor LPC once you have been offereda training contract with us. Inaddition, we pay maintenancegrants of £7,000 to LPC studentsand £14,000 (£7,000 per annum)to students studying for both theGDL and LPC. If you have anyqueries about our arrangementwith UWE and the University ofLaw please contact the traineerecruitment team.For further information aboutthe course providers please goto their websites:uwe.ac.uk/bilplaw.ac.uk/homeSalary informationOur rates of pay are substantiallyin excess of those recommendedby the Solicitors RegulationAuthority and are supplementedby an annual bonus scheme.Rates are reviewed annually withincreases taking effect from1 September.Salaries as of 1 September 2013 are:1st year trainee: £33,0002nd year trainee: £34,000For further information regardingtrainee recruitment, please contact:Frances Lambton,Trainee Solicitor RecruitmentAdvisor0117 939 2229frances.lambton@burges-salmon.comOr visit our careers pages atburges-salmon.com/careers56 Burges Salmon

‘For breadth, depthand quality of experienceyou’d struggle to do betterthan Burges Salmon. Arewe convinced? Entirely.’Chambers Student GuideOne Glass Wharf, Bristol, BS2 0ZXTel:+44 (0)117 939 2000 Fax:+44 (0)117 902 4400www.burges-salmon.comBurges Salmon LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership registered in England and Wales(LLP number OC307212) and is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation AuthorityA list of members, all of whom are Solicitors, may be inspected at our registered officeOne Glass Wharf, Bristol, BS2 0ZX © Burges Salmon 2013