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Andrew Jackson 
Essex House Manor Street Hull HU1 1XH
Lex 100 winner
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The trainee verdict

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The lowdown (in their own words...)


Why did you choose this firm over any others? 'Commercial reputation, biggest firm in Hull'; 'good local reputation'; 'excellent standard of training'; 'a smaller firm offering good client contact and a sense that everyone's an individual and a key member of the workforce'; 'local to friends and family'; 'departments which are recognised regionally and nationally'

How does your training compare with peers' at other firms? 'Better client contact, more responsibility, more meaty commercial cases'; 'trainee contact partner scheme and buddy scheme are not present in some other firms'; 'get to see files through from start to finish, even if seat is finished'; 'my training is provided by senior lawyers'; 'salary lower than peers, however work/life balance is better'

Best thing about the firm? 'Client base'; 'open-door policy for trainees'; 'investment in training'; 'wide variety of departments'; 'willingness to make best use of its trainees which results in us getting a great deal of hands-on experience'; 'friendly but professional atmosphere'; 'almost everyone is down to earth' 

Worst thing about the firm? 'Some photocopying but not mountains'; 'lack of social activities outside work'; 'remuneration - salary is Law Society minimum and no contribution to LPC fees'; 'building old and in need of modernising'; 'secrecy of senior management about the direction of the firm and likelihood of being kept on'

Best moment? 'The first time I attended a client on my own, it was good to feel the firm trusted I could do the job'; 'when I was noted by the managing partner as a good networker at my first ever corporate event'; 'receiving praise from clients and generally being valued and credited for good work I've done'; 'visiting an elderly client on my own'

Worst moment? 'Running to HM Land Registry to make an urgent application. It started to rain heavily and I arrived soaked to the skin only to have the application rejected'; 'being so busy at first and feeling overwhelmed'; 'sending original documents to the other side'; 'poor review at the end of one seat, although in retrospect it was the kick up the backside I needed'



The Lex 100 verdict

The firm

Property and shipping are key areas for Hull-based Andrew Jackson. It remains the only practice in the region with dedicated wet and dry shipping, sea fisheries and marine environment teams, in addition to a team specialising in transactional and finance matters. The firm also has respected know-how in retail development, particularly in the food sector.


The star performers

Agriculture and estates; Corporate and commercial; Commercial litigation; Commercial property; Construction; Crime; Employment; Family; Health and safety; IP/IT; Personal tax, trusts and probate; Property litigation; Transport.

The deals

Advised Heron Frozen Foods Ltd in its acquisition of 18 former Woolworths stores; advised Oughtred and Harrison in its demerger and sale by MBO; advised J Ross Developments on multi-million-pound Tesco Superstore project in Wales; advised the fiancée of a rich list member on a pre-nuptial agreement, the couple having combined assets in excess of £1bn.

The clients

Allianz Northern Ireland; Associated British Ports; AXA Insurance UK; Cannons; Hull FC; International Power; North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee; Road Haulage Association; Seven Seas.

The money


The Lex 100 verdict

The largest firm in East Yorkshire, Andrew Jackson's reputation spreads beyond its Hull base. Many current trainees were attracted by its reputation for training ('generally regarded as very good within the region') and no-nonsense approach. There's a good range of work as the firm has the full complement of commercial and private client seat options plus some interesting niches, such as shipping and transport. Senior lawyers provide your training, with one trainee finding 'most of my work comes through assisting partners in their caseload'. Levels of responsibility are high, apparently particularly compared to larger Leeds firms, and there's plenty of client interaction, whether through meetings or networking. The open-door policy is roundly praised as are the friendly atmosphere and down-to-earth colleagues. The firm is also a Lex 100 Winner for manageable stress levels, with trainees praising the 'excellent support structures'. As in previous editions, the main gripe continues to be money. If you're looking for big bucks be aware the salary is Law Society minimum with no contribution to LPC fees. One trainee comments 'the firm is keenly marketed as a competitor for regional business, but its salaries do not match its ambitions'. However, another concedes 'work/life balance is better than that experienced by most peers'. The firm scores poorly for social life and confidence of being kept on, with some concerns raised about future prospects: 'when the recession hit it was felt almost immediately, and in many respects quicker than larger firms'. That said, this is a very common theme this year in firms of all sizes and there remain many advantages to training at a smaller firm such as AJ, particularly one offering good client contact and 'a sense that everyone is an individual and a key member of the work force'.

A day in the life of.....

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About the firm

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