Lex 100 - Michelmores LLP

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Michelmores LLP

Woodwater House Pynes Hill Exeter EX2 5WR

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The trainee verdict

The lowdown (in their own words...)

Why did you choose this firm over any others? 'Ambition'; 'friendly people'; 'good-quality work'; 'great support'; 'a great head office'; 'offers the lifestyle of the South West but with high-quality clients and a variety of work'; 'the location and quality of the work'; 'the partners and associates seemed very approachable'

How does your training compare with peers' at other firms? 'We have more choice when it comes to seats'; 'our benefits exceed those of the other similar firms in the area'; 'the right level of responsibility'; 'I get to experience a much broader variety of work ranging from researching, writing letters of advice and preparing for trials'; 'I do not know of any other firm where people get this sort of exposure so quickly'

Best thing about the firm? 'The people make it a great place to work'; 'the range of clients we attract'; 'the friendly atmosphere'; 'culture of the people who work here'; 'the people'; 'the gym'; 'the approachability of the partners'; 'its inclusivity'

Worst thing about the firm? 'The departments do not often feel very cohesive'; 'in smaller teams there is often a sense of isolation'; 'lack of communication about firm-wide decisions'; 'its location on the outskirts of the City means the social life is not as good as I would have hoped'; '

Best moment? 'Attending an appeal case at the Royal Courts of Justice in London'; 'contributing to client meetings and having direct contact with the clients'; 'general independence to run my own files'; 'completing a major deal for one of the firm's largest clients'; 'my involvement in the academies initiative'

Worst moment? 'A district judge phoning me to ask some difficult questions about an appeal case that I had lodged'; 'feeling like I'd taken on too much work, but I quickly learnt the importance of time management'; 'Waiting to hear about seat choices for over three weeks'

The Lex 100 verdict

The firm

Michelmores is an ambitious, Exeter-based firm, with a leading reputation in the South West, and it also has an expanding London office. The full-service firm is strong in both public and private sector work, and it has an excellent private client practice, advising on complex, high-value matters, with an increasingly international element.

The star performers

Banking and finance; Charities; Clinical negligence: claimant; Commercial litigation; Commercial property; Corporate and commercial; Insolvency; Intellectual property/information technology; Local government; Personal tax, trusts and probate; Planning; Private finance initiative (PFI).

The deals

Advised REDS Technology on acquiring two renewable energy companies; acted for Swedfund on its equity investment in Mada; advised St Austell Brewery on beer tie arrangements; provided EU public procurement advice to Teignbridge District Council regarding a regeneration project;

The clients

Bridge Business Recovery; Devon County Council; Devon Primary Care NHS Trust; ICICI Bank; Intelsat; London Borough of Islington; State Bank of India; the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham; West Dorset District Council.

The Verdict

'It is a firm that has everything going for it: ambition, friendly people, quality work and great support' says one current trainee summing up why they chose Michelmores. The vacation scheme is the perfect showcase giving applicants a taste of the 'variety of big brand-name clients' that the firm advises and the impressive head office. The ambition and culture of the firm are also big pluses making trainees feel that they are at a firm that is going places. Given the 'right level' of responsibility, trainees experience a 'broad' range of work 'ranging from researching and writing letters of advice to preparing for trials'. This sensitive approach to work and responsibility ensures that the firm is a Lex 100 Winner for manageable stress levels as well as the fact that there is a lot of partner contact. Expect plenty of client contact as well, plus a lot of encouragement to attend client meetings and marketing events. The 'range of clients' demonstrates the high quality of the firm. The location on the outskirts of town means that social events are rarer, even on Friday night, and trainees feel that there is sometimes a lack of cohesion between the departments. However, attending appeal cases at the Royal Courts of Justice and involvement with the Academies initiative ensures that trainees are kept busy on some pretty exciting work. If you are looking to put down roots in the South West then Michelmores should be at the top of your list.