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Manches LLP 
Aldwych House 81 Aldwych London WC2B 4RP
Lex 100 winner
Favoured by 5 users (Register to add this entry to your favourites)

The trainee verdict

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The lowdown (in their own words...)

Why did you choose this firm over any others? 'Friendly staff'; 'good location of offices'; 'funding provisions and salary'; 'far more client contact'; 'quality of the free coffee'; 'family department'; 'engaging interview process offers high-quality work outside of London; 'its expertise in family law and other excellent departments' 

How does your training compare with peers' at other firms? It has a relatively small intake of trainees, which I felt would offer better exposure to real work and a more challenging training contract than many firms who take scores of trainees'; 'better work/life balance here in the Thames Valley without sacrificing quality of work and exposure to big-name clients'; 'football mid-week' 

Best thing about the firm? 'Partners are approachable and take an active interest in trainees' development' 

Worst thing about the firm? 'Offices are a bit dark'; 'social cohesion not the best'; 'slightly concerning staff turnover' 

Best moment? 'Working on a series of high-profile family cases'; 'contact with counsel'; 'making great friends within the firm'; 'judicial review success'; 'being relied upon to understand the facts and law on a case and briefing others more senior than me'; 'writing substantive pieces of advice on an unfamiliar subject for a new client, which went out virtually unchanged and received very positive feedback from the client' 

Worst moment? 'Having to make an ad hoc application to a master in the High Court, it put me on the spot as I was not expecting to have to do that'; 'the time I thought I'd lost an original document and went trawling through the confidential waste bin only to remember I'd given it to my supervisor!'; 'spending a solid week printing documents from a CD for disclosure'; 'losing a document in the office and having to own up... only to find it the next day' 

The Lex 100 verdict

The firm

A 'premier league player' in family law, Manches LLP is regularly engaged in high-value divorce cases, as well as an increasing volume of international matters. Other areas of strength include corporate, commercial property, disputes and media. Complementary offices in Oxford and Reading ensure that the firm also features prominently across the South East. 

The star performers

Commercial property; Construction; Corporate and commercial; Family; Information technology; Intellectual property; M&A: smaller deals up to £50m; Media and entertainment.

The deals

Represented Basilea Pharmaceutica against Johnson & Johnson; advised Williams F1 on its proposed listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange; advising on a £1.5m professional negligence claim; advised Susenco in relation to its onshore wind and solar photovoltaic project; advised Bouygues Development on a £17m library and housing scheme development in Maidstone.

The clients

British American Tobacco; GAME; high-net-worth clients; Liberty Retail; Moss Bros Group; Oxford Brookes University; Papa John's; Tfl; The Institute for Animal Health; The Queen's College; the Royal Agricultural College; Toni & Guy.

The money

(from Legal Business magazine) 

Turnover in 2010: £31.1m (-8% from 2009) Profits per equity partner: £195,000 (-3%) 

The Verdict

Attracted by the 'friendly staff, good office locations, funding provisions and salary', trainees are also heavily influenced by the specialisms that Manches offers: first-class family, media and commercial property departments in London and biotechnology and life sciences in the Thames Valley offices. Plus, the trainee intake is relatively small allowing for 'better exposure to real work and a more challenging training contract than many firms who take scores of trainees'. With a painless graduate recruitment process ('no seemingly pointless abstract questions, assessment days or numeracy tests'), it is easy to settle in as the atmosphere here is relaxed and the firm is a Lex 100 Winner for manageable stress levels this year. Expect considerable responsibility very early on and the level of client contact is 'fantastic'. High-profile litigation and family cases are the order of the day here and trainees have enjoyed making ad-hoc applications to a master in the High Court and attending final hearings. Some trainees grumble about the location of the firm's Oxford office (in a business park) and the free coffee could be better. There could also be more official social activities organised. However despite this, one current trainee's best thing about the firm is the fact that they have made 'great friends'. This welcoming firm with a serious dedication to its core practices and a 'general air of decency' is very popular with its trainees … could it be the firm for you?

A day in the life of.....

A day in the life of.....

Kate MolanKate Molan, trainee, Manches LLP 
Departments to date:  Family; technology, media and intellectual property
University: St Andrews 
Degree: English literature MA 

7.00am: My alarm goes off. I know I have a busy day ahead so it's straight into the shower and off to work.

8.30am: I get into the office in time to have some breakfast, check my emails and review my calendar before the weekly meeting at 9.00am.

9.00am: I've only been in this department for a few weeks but the weekly team meeting has been a good way to get to know my colleagues and familiarise myself with the work they do. It also gives us a chance to discuss recent updates in the law. I've volunteered to discuss some points on disclosure that I picked up at a recent seminar hosted byThe Lawyer . People are receptive and interested, and I really feel like a valued voice in the team.

10.00am: Back at my desk I get ready to start a big piece of work I've been given by one of the partners: preparing a chronology for an upcoming claim in the High Court. It's a daunting task and involves analysing and organising the huge amount of information and documents that we've received from the client. I have a discussion with my supervisor, Rodric Williams, and after getting some sage advice on how to approach the work I'm feeling confident about getting started.

1.00pm: Three hours later and I've made great headway on my chronology. Rod and I agree to have a quick updating chat after lunch to see how I'm getting on. I go and get changed into my sports kit: we have a netball match against another firm in Lincoln's Inn Fields. I hadn't played netball since school before joining the Manches team and it's been a great way to get some fresh air and meet trainees and associates at other firms.

2.00pm: After storming our way to a satisfying win, I head back to the office for a quick shower and change, then go back to my desk. After a sandwich, Rod and I sit down to discuss a new matter which has come to us all the way from a court in Massachusetts. Rod practised in New Zealand and New York before coming to London and attracts a huge variety of cases and clients. I've been lucky enough to work on cases with an international dimension in both my family seat and now here in commercial technology. This new matter sets us quite a tight deadline and, before I know it, I'm taking a note on a conference call with a lawyer in Germany.

3.30pm: Rod has a look at my chronology and gives me some guidance on how to improve and develop it over the next few days, ready to send to counsel by the end of the week. We then head into a meeting with the client and barristers to discuss the merits of issuing a claim now or holding back for a week. I take a detailed note of the meeting and circulate a list of action points afterwards so that everyone is clear on what was discussed and agreed upon.

6.00pm: Manches' family department hosts a seminar on the new requirements for compulsory mediation and the impact this will have on the courts and lawyers. Afterwards, there is an opportunity to discuss the issues over drinks before everyone heads home for the evening.

About the firm

About the firm

Address: Aldwych House, 81 Aldwych, London WC2B 4RP

Telephone: 020 7404 4433

Fax: 020 7430 1133

Website: www.manches.com

Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Senior partner: Jane Simpson

Managing partner: Melvin Pedro

Total partners: 60

Other fee-earners: 95

Total trainees: 20

Other offices: Oxford, Reading 

Who we are:  A strong commercial firm, also incorporating a market-leading family law practice, that prides itself on its pragmatic approach to clients and colleagues - communicating high-quality, practical solutions in a clear, timely and cost-effective manner. 

What we do: We have strengths across specific industry sectors: international wealth protection, commercial technology, retail business and real estate. These sectors are serviced by the following practice areas: commercial property, construction, commercial litigation, corporate, IP/technology/media, employment and family law. 

What we are looking for: Self-motivated individuals with an excellent academic record who are practical, commercially minded, organised, articulate, adaptable to change, good team players, personable, social and who have a sense of humour! 

What you'll do:  Practical on-the-job training in four different seats, with opportunities to run your own files. The PSC is run throughout the two years, so you can match elective choices to seats or areas of particular interest.

Perks: Season ticket loan, BUPA, life assurance, PHI, pension - all available within three to six months of commencing training contract. 

Sponsorship: We offer sponsorship for fees and maintenance for the GDL and LPC. 

Application process

Apply to: Sheona Boldero. 

How: Online via website. 

When to Apply: By 31 July 2012. 

What is involved: First and second interviews with some short assessment exercises as part of second interview. 

Facts and figures

Trainee places available for 2014: 10 

Applications received pa: 850 

Percentage interviewed: 10% 

Salary

First year: £30,000 (London) (under review) 

Second year: £33,000 (London) (under review) 

Newly qualified: £50,000 (London) (under review) 

Vacation schemes

Summer: June and July (apply by 15 February 2012).