Lex 100 - Foot Anstey

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Foot Anstey

Salt Quay House, 4 North East Quay, Sutton Harbour, Plymouth PL4 0BN

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The trainee verdict

The lowdown (in their own words...)

Why did you choose this firm over any others? 'Ambition'; 'general atmosphere of the firm'; 'very good reputation'; 'excellent assessment day'; 'breadth of work'; 'tries to live up to its corporate values'; 'friendly'; 'firm's desire to develop and progress'; 'opportunity to work within four different offices covering the South West'; 'great opportunities for diversity and progression'

How does your training compare with peers' at other firms? 'More seat choices'; 'benefited from a lengthy, well-structured induction'; 'wider variety of seats'; 'great social aspect'; 'greater amount of support'; ' no expectation of having to work extra long hours'; 'I am actually assisting with transactions'

Best thing about the firm? 'Friendly atmosphere'; 'great team ethos'; 'a general ambition to progress'; 'approachable colleagues'; 'being assigned a buddy'; 'trainees are completely involved with the firm'; 'amazing Plymouth office'; 'lifestyle hour'; 'investment in training'; 'usually invited to the firm's events and parties'; 'the firm asks the trainees to organise a charity project each year'

Worst thing about the firm? 'Offices are spread out across the region'; 'choice of training seats is slightly restricted'; 'trainee retention is a problem'; 'strong focus on business development'; 'pay is ok, but not the best in the region!'; 'too much emphasis on chargeable hours'; 'the biscuits are too good!'

Best moment? 'Attending a tribunal with a QC'; 'attending a completion meeting and getting thanked by the client for the work that I had done'; 'attending a mediation at a big City firm'; 'organising several different charitable events'; 'our firm Christmas party'; 'having an extremely positive mid-seat review'; 'opportunities to undertake advocacy'

Worst moment? 'Getting to grips with systems at the beginning'; 'carelessly posting certain important documents to the wrong address'; spending many hours photocopying and paginating'; 'my current seat has been a steep learning curve'

The Lex 100 verdict

The firm

From its offices in Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton and Truro, Foot Anstey advises businesses, public sector organisations, charities and individuals throughout the South West and beyond. The firm continues to expand bringing in new lawyers from local rivals. The media and publishing team advises a national client base, including a number of major newspaper publishers. Clients feel that the firm 'works effectively to deliver objectives.'

The star performers

Clinical negligence; Commercial litigation; Commercial property; Crime; Employment; Family; Insolvency and corporate recovery; Insurance; Licensing; Media and entertainment; Personal injury; Personal tax, trusts and probate; Property litigation.

The deals

Advised Progressive Digital Media Group on acquiring Canadean's issued share capital; represented Viridor Waste Management on buying Pearsons Group; provided VAT advice for a not-for-profit organisation on a multimillion-pound residential care home portfolio redevelopment; assisted the Clipper pub on a licensing review brought by the police; acted for a retired independent financial adviser who is bringing an action for breach of human rights against the FSA.

The clients

Associated Newspapers; Devon Wind Power; Exeter College; Hitachi Capital Business Finance; Northcliffe Media; the Ministry of Defence; Odeon Cinemas; Plymouth Community Homes; Rodda's; Shelterbox; the Dartington Hall Trust; the Eden Project; Torbay Council and Cornwall Council.

The Verdict

South West-based Foot Anstey continues to score well across the board attracting trainees to the firm thanks to its good retention rate, 'drive and ambition' and a 'very good' reputation. The firm initially impresses on the 'excellent' assessment day and continues to do so with its attitude towards growth and enthusiasm. The training offers a 'good breadth' of work and 'a great deal of opportunities for both professional and personal development'. Current trainees feel like they get very hands-on experience compared to their peers ('I am actually assisting with transactions and can see how my input affects them') and a lot more client contact without spending long hours in the office. The firm also scored well for social life; the 'genuinely friendly' staff and a popular 'buddy' system for each seat means that trainees feel that they 'are viewed as being part of the firm from day one'. The Christmas party and charity events, as well as firm events and parties, are added bonuses. Complaints relate mainly to the fact that at times there is 'too much emphasis on chargeable hours' (welcome to the reality of working life as a solicitor!). The fact that the firm's offices are spread across the region with trainees expected to rotate between them is also a source of irritation for some. However, highlights such as 'attending a tribunal with the QC' and having the opportunity to undertake advocacy are real pluses. If you are looking for a firm in the South West with a reputation for being a 'big fish in its pond' and not resting on its laurels in terms of growth and quality, then Foot Anstey would be an excellent choice.