SJ Berwin - PLUM 2009

EMPLOYMENT
By Louise Olding
Second year trainee
The employment department acts mainly for
employers, advising in relation to a wide variety of
employment issues ranging from recruitment all the
way through to the termination of employment. The
work involves a high level of personal interaction
with clients who often require immediate answers
within an area of law that is constantly changing.
The work carried out within the department is
varied and can include corporate support (e.g.
due diligence, drafting warranties and indemnities
for corporate acquisitions and disposals), standalone
work such as drafting service agreements,
compromise agreements and staff handbooks
and contentious work which can include all types
of employment claims such as discrimination or
unfair dismissal.
Typically trainees will review employment
documents, assist with due diligence exercises,
carry out research, compile and present the
weekly employment know-how bulletin, draft
monthly client up-dates and get involved with
the preparation of client seminars. A personal
highlight for me was being able to assist with
five major discrimination claims, where we were
acting for one of the firm’s largest clients.
As a trainee there is also the opportunity to attend
training sessions to develop a better understanding
of key employment law issues as well as attending
various marketing events offered by the employment
department, such as client breakfasts and evening
seminars. A particularly memorable evening was
attending a client event at the open air theatre in
Regent’s Park.
PENSIONS
By Sarah Brown
First year trainee
Pensions are increasingly becoming an issue for
both businesses and individuals, as often seen in
the media; in light of this, a new seat for trainees
has become available in the pensions department
at the firm. The department tends to act for company
employers or trustees of pension schemes.
The type of work within the department can
include corporate support on mergers and
acquisitions of companies (during the course of
which it is not unusual to discover that the financial
liabilities of the relevant pension schemes exceed
the value of the target group!), as well as standalone
work, such as advice in relation to the
establishment, operation, winding up, restructuring
and insolvency of pension schemes. Litigious
pension work can also arise from time to time.
Trainees in this department undertake research
into all aspects of pensions law (which can
include complex aspects of trust, employment,
tax and corporate law). They can also become
involved in drafting letters of advice to clients; and
play an important role in ensuring that members
of the department are kept fully abreast of
developments in the pension arena. Further,
trainees can expect to assist with due diligence
exercises and the review of pension documentation.
There is also the opportunity to get
involved in employment work on occasions.
One of the best things about being a trainee in the
pensions group is being part of one of the smaller
teams in the firm and therefore getting good
exposure to a wide variety of matters from an early
stage, there are many opportunities for trainees to
meet and work with clients directly. The department
is friendly and there are plenty of opportunities to
socialise with one another after a busy day in the
office as well as the chance to attend client dinners
and marketing events as part of the team.
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