What it's like to work with us
Ask anyone here what makes the firm special and you'll likely get the same answer – the people. One of our legal apprentices, Abbi Lavill, said: "I first joined the firm when I was 18 years old and I was starting out on my legal apprenticeship – I had no idea what to expect, but everyone was brilliant. There was so much patience, so much warmth and so much generosity offered to me. Having been here for almost two years, I understand now that this was no 'smoke and mirrors' charade; this is just who the people are."
Whether you're coming into the firm as a partner, an associate or a paralegal, you're guaranteed a warm welcome and all the support and encouragement you need. Our team is a great example of this. Paralegal, Chandni Duggal, remarked: "I'm lucky enough to spend every day working with some of the best lawyers in their field, and we have diverse and interesting work and clients. We don't just claim to have a 'family feel' – we really do. When something goes well for someone, the whole team is ready to celebrate and toast their success. And on the flip side, if for any reason someone is in need of help or support, the team will rally around.
Joining our team as a junior member, you'll have access to a wealth of resources and the invaluable experience of your senior colleagues. You will be assigned a supervisor who will be on hand to guide and mentor you as you grow in confidence and experience, as well as access to regular training sessions that are run by your peers and PSLs on 'hot topics' and changes in legislation. The work here will engage and challenge you – even as a junior member of the team, you'll have a significant amount of client contact, files of your own and the chance to work on complex matters that come to us as a result of the impressively sophisticated nature of our clients.
We're keen to nurture our own, so we offer the support and encouragement required for career progression at all levels. Ed Colreavy – a partner within HDR who began his career as a trainee here – commented: "I've always enjoyed the fact that the work is challenging, the team is supportive and the clients are enjoyable to work for. In the early part of my career that allowed me to develop my skills as a transactional lawyer quickly, with just the right amount of guidance. And more recently, against the background of a housing supply shortage across the UK, I have been able to step up and contribute more to the business as a partner, by helping to grow our practice area. It's been hard work, but greatly rewarding at every stage."
But by no means is it all work and no play. Team socials and post-work drinks are a regular occurrence. And then there's the firm's annual party and the Real Estate group's quiz, which are always nights to remember.