Monday, July 09, 2012

Legal 500 South West Law Firm

The Legal 500 listing for the top law firms in the South West.

The following is the break down of the top rated firms in the South West



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  • The full regional analysis is here:

    http://www.legal500.com/c/south-west

    Friday, June 17, 2011

    Osborne Clarke Bristol Hire BLP

    The lawyer reports that

    "..Osborne Clarke has hired Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) funds partner Tim Simmonds as a partner in its Bristol office.

    Simmonds was head of BLP’s funds and financial services regulatory group. He becomes Osborne Clarke’s first dedicated funds partner and the third partner in the firm’s financial services team..."

    http://www.thelawyer.com/osborne-clarke-bulks-up-in-bristol-with-blp-hire/1008258.article

    Wednesday, February 16, 2011

    Unemployment has risen sharply among the legal professional during the recession

    Unemployment has risen sharply among the legal professional during the recession.

    This article highlights the rise in the unemployment among solicitors.

    “…Along with architects, surveyors and vets, solicitors comprise one of the professional groups to have experienced the biggest percentage increase in unemployment rates since the economic downturn. Many of those made redundant are thought to be in their late 40s and early 50s.

    Since March 2008 the number of unemployed solicitors claiming benefits has risen by 401% to over 1,800. The number of unemployed architects rose from 155 to 1,595, but surveyors have fared worst, experiencing a near tenfold rise in the unemployment count. The number of accountants out of work has risen 250%...”

    The full article is here:

    http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/unemployment-rate-among-solicitors-climbs-400

    Wednesday, April 30, 2008

    Simply Law Jobs celebrates fourth birthday with record results


    This week sees the fourth birthday of Simply Law Jobs, the leading niche law recruitment jobs board.
    The site was launched in the spring of 2004 and unlike many other recruitment sites that have been launched and fallen by the wayside; SimplyLawJobs.com has gone from strength to strength during this time

    Since joining the Simply Online Services group of jobs boards at the end of 2007 and a subsequent re-brand in January of this year, this success has been even more marked.

    There are currently over 15,000 live jobs on the site and nearly 18,000 unique visitors were recorded in March this year.

    Clients of Simply Law Jobs are benefiting greatly from the site’s success in many ways. Not only are there more job seekers than ever before (over 10,000 at present) and a growing CV database, but also application rates have doubled month on month compared to a year ago.

    In addition to this, there are dedicated account managers who are on hand to advise clients and help them get the most out of their recruitment advertising campaigns.

    Michelle Jones, Project Manager for Simply Online says "I am ecstatic to see the business doing so well and firmly establishing itself as a top industry player.

    “Since Simply Law Jobs became part of Simply Online it has grown dramatically and our client advertisers are certainly reaping the benefits.”


    For more information about SimplyLawJobs.com please contact Ian Partington on 01772 639030 or email ian@simplygroup.net.

    Wednesday, March 26, 2008

    Legal Work in Bristol and the South West


    The South West although lacking a city in the same size as Manchester, Birmingham or Leeds has a thriving legal recruitment market centred around legal vacancies in Bristol, Swindon, Exeter, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Plymouth. The satellite towns and cities based in Wiltshire, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Cornwall also have a very active legal recruitment market.

    Law Job Opportunities in Bristol


    Bristol is the undoubted centre of the legal recruitment market in the South West. With a population of roughly 400,000 it is smaller than other regional law centres but its great travel links with London are a distinct advantage. The city hosts a selection of top Legal 500 firms offering great law jobs for the ambitious solicitor, paralegal or legal executive. The major players in the legal jobs market in Bristol include; Burges Salmon LLP, Bevan Brittan LLP, Bond Pearce LLP, Clarke Willmott, Osborne Clarke and TLT Solicitors who have recently opened an office in London.

    Bristol Solicitor Jobs




    The opportunities for law jobs in Wiltshire are split into two distinct regions. One is centred on Swindon and the M4 corridor the other based around Salisbury in the south of the county. Legal 500 firms in the area include Laytons who have offices stretching from Bristol to Swindon. Withy King also have offices in Bath and Swindon and are keen to move into London. Thring Townsend are a leading south west law firm: ''An expanding South West firm with over 280 staff in Bath, Bristol and Swindon and an impressive national and international client base. The firm's continued growth means strength in depth and the resources to provide the very best for clients.'' Legal 500, 2006 Edition

    The South of Wiltshire tends to look towards firms in Dorset centred around Bournemouth, although Salisbury based Wilsons has a strong status in the private client and estates markets that reaches far beyond the region.

    Law Jobs in Dorset


    The legal recruitment scene in Dorset is based around the larger law firms in Bournemouth and those across the border in Hampshire, especially law firms in Southampton. Lester Aldridge’s head office is in Bournemouth.

    Legal Vacancies in Gloucestershire


    Although the Spa town of Cheltenham is located in the South West it tends to look much more towards Birmingham than Bristol in terms of legal work. The legal jobs market is kept active by a clutch of legal 500 firms based in the city that include; BPE, Charles Russell LLP, Clark Holt and Maitland Walker.

    Legal Vacancies in ‘The West Country’, Devon and Cornwall


    Despite its remote nature the West Country’s legal recruitment market is very active. In Plymouth and Exeter top lawyers, solicitors and paralegals are in high demand. Legal 500 firms include Foot Anstey who are based in Plymouth, Stephens & Scown with offices in Devon and Cornwall, and Cornish Firm Follett Stock, plus Michelmores and Ashfords both from Exeter. If you are looking for a new legal job away from the major cities then the West Country could be the place to seek your next legal career move.

    Personal Injury Solicitor - Legal 500, Featured Job

    Regional top 200 firm require a solicitor to join their Legal 500 rated department in Bristol. The personal injury team handles an extremely varied caseload ranging from exceptionally specialist cases to less complex issues. Containing some of the highest regarded specialists in the country and encouraging a friendly knowledge-sharing environment, the team boasts an impressive client list including large insurers and commercial undertakings.

    You will have the opportunity to work alongside the firm's experienced fee earners, this will include assisting in complex cases, building client relationships, drafting and negotiating. Supervision and training will be provided as necessary. Opportunity to handle a caseload will be given to candidates with sufficient experience.

    Applications from candidates with RTA, EL or PL experience, in either defendant or claimant settings will take precedence.


    Tuesday, November 07, 2006

    Applying for Jobs On-Line

    Applying for Jobs On-Line

    If you are reading this article from simplylawjobs.com – the chances are you have applied for a job via the internet. The figures are quite staggering - With over 12 million people a year in the UK using the Internet to look for work.

    A recent Newspoll showed that when asked "If you could use only one way to find a job?" 35.4% of all job seekers nominated the Internet. – this was the highest of all the options. It is quick and easy. However, with the increased ease of applying comes the increased number of applicants to each and every job posted online. Using sites like simplylawjobs.com – gives you the ability to search 1,000's of vacancies in one place.

    As a job-board we see 100s of job applications a day go through the site, People are applying for jobs that range from senior partners in magic circle firms to trainee legal clerks, legal executives and legal secretaries. We have some ‘pointers’ for you that will help your applications.

    1.Make the most of the functions available on the sites you are using:
    A) Jobs-by-email service offered (this is fairly standard across most sites) – but this will help you know about jobs as they are being advertised. You will only benefit from this if you register.
    B) When you register you can view jobs and add them to a wish-list, so you can go back later and look into making applications when you have more time.
    C) When registered and you apply for jobs it will automatically complete your details on the application so you wont have to type this in again – this will save you time.
    D) Posting/registering your CV on simplylawjobs.com can help you find the right job, quicker and easier. This is a completely confidential service. You could “Get headhunted " - register your cv and let the specialist recruiters come direct to you with suitable career opportunities. THIS is a way to - Uncover the active and hidden job market - many roles are concluded even before the adverts are written and the cv responses are dealt with – on the basis that specialist recruiters daily search databases for suitable candidates- don’t miss out, post your CV. To do this on simplylawjobs.com (once you have registered_ - log into your account and then go to the 'Post your CV' tab. Make sure that you have completed your details correctly - such as area of law, location and profile as this gives the recruiter a summary of you. If you don't complete these details, the chances are - you will be overlooked. If they are interested the recruiter will email you and then, at your discretion you can allow them to view your complete CV. The process gives you complete anonymity until YOU chose to make allow contact/access. Go on.... what are you waiting for!?

    2. Don’t apply for multiple jobs at the same recruitment agency – this can annoy the agency. Just because it is quick to apply online doesn’t mean you would just make application after application without making a note of who the agency is. Eg: you see 5 roles that meet with what u r looking for. 3 of them are with agency X – we would recommend that you make 1 application and within the covering note say that you are applying for that role but you are also interested in job ref Z & job ref Y that is also with their agency.

    3. Remember, online ads will get thousands of responses, so it is crucial that you must do exactly what it says in the ad. If the employer is asking for your CV by email, don't send another copy through the post just to be sure. This will be seen as wimpish - or worse, you will appear a luddite who does not trust the modern IT way of doing business.

    4. Don't apply for a job you're not qualified for. Stick to the jobs you would apply for without the convenience of the Net. If it's not worth a stamp, and envelope and a CV printed on nice paper, it's not worth hitting "Apply Now" button.

    5. Put as much into your online CV as you would a hard copy application, if not more. Just because it's easier to respond doesn't mean recruiters/hiring managers have become more lax in their standards. If anything, they're standards have become more stringent, for the flood of applicants. Use the job description as a blueprint for your application, emphasizing the skills you possess that will be of greatest value to the company you're applying for. Spell and grammar check every piece of correspondence.

    6. Follow-up as you would if you had you sent a hard copy application. It looks good, and shows that you are serious about the position and not just blindly angling for a bite. Remember, the old rules of the job search still apply.

    7. We do notice that people seem to be using ‘cute’ but rather unprofessional email addresses on their application – so, an email received from sexyswinger@yahoo or earfluff@btinternet may not be the best approach!

    You need to give a professional impression from the first time you contact a prospective employer or legal recruitment agency. The funny private email address needs to be thought about. What does it say about you? You will be better setting up something more suitable for a short period of time (there are loads of net based internet services that a free to sign up to).

    8. Email addresses are not the only way that a prospect employee can fall foul of the internet. Have you ever googled an employer before an interview? All careers advice now strongly recommends that you use the internet to research any prospective employer. It’s sound advice, the more you know about a company the more you can tailor your answers. The more you can research a firm the more clued in you will appear.
    The issue now is that companies are beginning to google candidates to gain information about them! - Chair of your University Law Society,
    a respected charity volunteer, a knowledgeable columnist on your student newspaper - for you it may be advantageous. The real problem is that people forget that networking and community sites like myspace and online blogs are easily searchable. Those photo’s from a stag weekend in Prague or the slightly indiscrete blog about the Christmas party. Well these things are not difficult to find. It may not be strictly legal but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.

    The web is not a closed circle of friends. You – as Job hunters need to be very wary of what you post on the i/net. The rule of thumb should be if you wouldn’t tell a future employer than don’t post it on the net!

    HAPPY Job Hunting from Simplylawjobs.com