Lex 100 - Prettys

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Prettys

Elm House 25 Elm Street Ipswich IP1 2AD

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The trainee verdict

The lowdown (in their own words...)

Why did you choose this firm over any others? 'It is a young and dynamic firm'; 'clear emphasis on equal opportunities'; 'they had all of the practice areas that I was interested in qualifying into'; 'good reputation for trainee work'; 'location'

How does your training compare with peers' at other firms? 'Everyone, from partners to support staff, is approachable and supportive'; 'secondment opportunities'; 'diverse range of the practice areas'; 'shorter hours'; 'clients are often of more varied commercial/personal backgrounds'; 'training is the same or better'

Best thing about the firm? 'Trainees are given practical hands-on experience'; 'diverse range of practice areas'; 'given responsibility for our own files, albeit under close supervision'; 'open-door policy'; 'good support network'; 'quality of training'; 'partners are extremely approachable'; 'friendly working environment'

Worst thing about the firm? 'Parking'; 'seat preferences have not been taken into account so far'; 'would be nice to have a canteen or a social lunch area'; 'not enough notice of what your next seat will be'; 'offices don't integrate enough'

Best moment? 'Attending a pre-hearing review at the East London Employment Tribunal and drafting contracts of employment'; 'getting to sit in on meetings with important clients and being asked my opinion'; 'district judge shadowing'; 'attending an all day mediation'; 'organising the arrest of a ship in Ipswich docks as agent for a Dutch lawyer'; 'completing several property transactions'

Worst moment? 'I have not yet had a worst moment'; 'photocopying bundles'; 'some very quiet periods during a seat'; 'failing to deliver by a deadline'; 'a massive photocopying task'

The Lex 100 verdict

The firm

With offices in Ipswich and Chelmsford and now Cambourne, Prettys is a large, full-service East Anglia firm with a broad-ranging practice that maintains strong ties with the business community in Ipswich and beyond. Shipping is a key area, and the firm also has interesting specialisms in bloodstock and sports law, while around a quarter of its work is for private clients.

The star performers

Bloodstock; Commercial litigation; Commercial property; Corporate and commercial; Debt recovery; Employment; Family; Personal injury; Personal tax, trusts and probate; Professional negligence; Shipping; Transport.

The deals

Defended a $120m arbitration claim for an Indian shipyard; advised on a $36m oil tanker purchase; defended a $1.2m bunkering claim.

The clients

Adanat Care; Lloyds Banking Group; PFS Shipping; RBS.

The Verdict

Prettys is a great choice for those looking for a mix of private client and commercial work. The 'young and dynamic' firm based in East Anglia offers trainees the chance to do a six-month secondment in London and a truly 'hands-on' training experience. There is a lot of client contact and expect to be given responsibility for your own files from early on, although thanks to the open-door policy at the office there is always someone willing to provide support and guidance if you get stuck. The firm's reputation locally is 'fantastic' and the type of work undertaken is very varied; a highlight for one current trainee was 'attending a pre-hearing review at the East London Employment Tribunal and drafting contracts of employment,' whilst for another it was 'organising the arrest of a ship in the Ipswich docks as agent for a Dutch lawyer'. Current trainees find that there is not always enough notice given about seat changes and parking can be a bit of a nightmare. Trainees would also really like to have a canteen or social area in the office. However, the firm is a Lex 100 Winner for work/life balance, meaning that you will have plenty of time to socialise outside of work. For those looking for a quality firm in East Anglia, Prettys is a serious consideration.