Professionals: Guide launched to help newly-qualified solicitors navigate recruitment market; Trio of planning wins for law firm; and more

LEEDS headquartered legal recruitment specialist Florit Brooke has published a free guide for newly qualified solicitors in the region looking for their first role.

The 2017 NQ Solicitors Survival Guide is available to download from the company’s website. Based on the most frequently asked questions from trainee solicitors, it is designed to give an overview of everything newly qualified solicitors need to consider in relation to finding the right job for them.

It includes advice on the best time to start their job search, writing a CV that will secure interviews, interview preparation, the lowdown on different practice areas and how to choose a recruitment consultant who will help you succeed, as well as advice on alternate career areas if your aspirations have changed.

Anthony Brooke, one Florit Brooke’s two founding partners, says, “We produced our first Survival Guide in 2015 based on conversations with trainees. We asked what they most wanted advice about – concerns about the current job market; the elements of job-hunting they were most and least comfortable with; the practical support they found most useful; the gaps in their industry knowledge – and their responses helped shape the content for the first two Survival Guides.

“Whilst much of that content remains relevant for this year’s newly qualified solicitors, we’ve updated the 2017 guide based on additional feedback from trainees, and also added a rundown of different practice areas to help NQs focus their search and find the role that’s right for them.”

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CORPORATE law firm Shulmans is celebrating the success of its planning team following three landmark cases to kick-start 2017.

Shulmans acted on behalf of national motorway service provider Extra MSA as part of the team that successfully secured planning permission for new motorway services at Junction 45 of the M1, Skelton, Leeds.

The scheme, which has been widely supported by both the public and local MPs, will create a significant number of jobs in the region and the innovatively designed building includes a range of ancillary restaurants, fast food, retail, business, leisure and community facilities.
 
The second success has been from its work with Barratt Homes, in relation to a planning appeal for 299 homes in East Ardsley, Leeds. After initial plans were rejected by Leeds City Council, the appeal was allowed by the Secretary of State in December who noted that the council did not have a robust five-year supply of housing land and its policy of previously designated Protected Areas was out of date.  Barratt Homes will now look to proceed with the development.

The firm is also representing Independent York Councillor, Johnny Hayes who launched a Crowd Justice campaign to fund the Clifford’s Tower Visitor Centre Judicial Review. The much-publicised case centres around the proposed construction of a visitor’s centre embedded within the base of the tower’s historic mound, the design of which was poorly received by many local residents.

Shulmans has successfully coordinated and launched the Judicial Review.

Amanda Beresford, head of planning at Shulmans, said: “It has been a particularly successful start to the year for the department, with three significant cases for the Yorkshire region. Our work spans a wide range of clients, including private sector developers, national infrastructure providers, residential developers and local authorities – all of which come to us due to our extensive planning expertise, particularly in complex and specialist issues.”

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THE corporate team at Walker Morris has been recognised for its deal success in Bloomberg’s Global M&A Market Review Legal Rankings for 2016.

Walker Morris has been ranked joint 17th overall in terms of number of M&A deals on which it has advised in 2016, making it one of the UK’s most active deal advisers.

The team has also been ranked 12th in the UK Mid-Market deal count for deals up to $250m and joint 13th in the UK Mid-Market deal count for deals up to $500m.

John Hamer, head of corporate at Walker Morris, said: “Following a strong 2016 for the team, we are absolutely delighted with the Bloomberg rankings and the recognition it gives to our talented lawyers. Being ranked in the top 20 law firms in the UK for the number of announced deals in 2016 is testament to our success and the strength of our M&A practice on a national basis.”