If you are interested in becoming a trainee then please forward your CV to hr@buckles-law.co.uk or call 01733 888888.

Natalie qualified in 2010

"Whilst researching which firm to apply to for a training contract I had three main characteristics in mind to be fulfilled. I was seeking a firm which was seen by its clients as proactive and approachable, which valued and supported its employees and which gave its trainees as much responsibility and experience as they could cope with.

With Buckles I have not been disappointed. As a first seat trainee in Commercial Property I was given more responsibility than I was expecting to be entrusted with and set enough challenging work to keep my mind mentally stimulated. I was also afforded the opportunity to run some residential property transactions from start to finish. This gave me a sense of what it is like to have your own caseload, as well as a more in-depth understanding of the process of a property transaction.

My current seat is in the Construction and Engineering department, where I have been involved in a variety of disputes from defective works to terminated contracts. This has increased my knowledge of specific construction legislation in practice, as well as experiencing the progress of a dispute. Again, I was provided the chance to run my own cases which put into practice my knowledge of the Civil Procedure Rules, as well as how best to advise our clients of their options.

I have found that the people within the firm are always friendly, approachable and willing to assist you if you have a query, regardless of their level in the firm. They have also recruited a high calibre of experienced professionals, meaning there is a wide breadth of skill and knowledge from which to learn from.

All fee-earners allocating work to you are encouraged to provide constructive feedback and you are supervised both on an individual task basis, as well as by your head of department, so there is never the feeling of “sink of swim”. Seat reviews are carried out mid-way through and at the end of each seat and are useful to identify skills you need to cover, areas you are completing satisfactorily and those you need to improve on.

From my first interview at Buckles it was apparent that this is a firm which takes pride in looking after and investing in the future of its staff and its clients. Having been on various training programmes and attended networking events since joining the firm, it is clear that the firm values the impact each individual can make to a clients’ experience with the firm. I believe I have had more client contact than other firm’s would allow their trainees to have.

As for how they are perceived by their clients, I have quickly come to realise that Buckles is an enthusiastic firm which is seen by their clients as being forward thinking, friendly and providing pragmatic solutions to clients’ problems. Buckles are highly thought of in the business community and take steps to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest developments in the local area. They also hold a number of marketing and networking events which the trainees are encouraged to be involved with. This illustrates the trust placed in trainees when building relationships with clients and other professionals." 

Alison qualified in 2010.

"My route into law has not been the traditional one. Law was not an area I considered when deciding career direction at school. Having originally been to university to Master’s degree level, worked in the Health Service for a number of years in clinical and managerial roles and bringing up a young family, life experience led me to seriously consider studying law and I haven’t regretted the direction in which it has taken me. Having completed the GDL and LPC part-time whilst working full-time, I successfully obtained a training contract with Buckles.

I started my training contract with Buckles in September 2008 in the Employment Team. The team deals with both contentious and non-contentious aspects of employment law and from the first day I was exposed to clients often being the first point of contact for them on the telephone as well as developing the practical skills of a solicitor.

My second seat is in the Personal Injury/Clinical Negligence Department. Once again, I have felt that I am a part of the team and given real responsibility from the outset. Encouraged to attend court and conferences with counsel, I feel that I am gaining useful experience for the future.

Both teams have been extremely supportive of trainees. Asking questions is encouraged and feedback is given regularly. I have been allocated ‘real work’ from day one and have been lucky enough to see matters through from start to finish.

Buckles doesn’t solely put the emphasis on work with regular out of office social events and contributing to the local community. The friendly and supportive atmosphere means that there is always someone who is happy to help, at all levels of experience, from other trainees to partners."

Alex is a current trainee at Buckles and qualifying in 2012.

"Looking for the right training contract is difficult; you want to make sure that the firms you apply to offer good quality work that you can enjoy and learn from, whilst at the same time it needs to have an atmosphere that you feel comfortable in so that you become a well-rounded and experienced lawyer at the end of your contract. Buckles offers all these things.

From my first interview all those involved in the recruitment process made me feel comfortable and welcome. The process was challenging but was structured in such a way that it was not overwhelming or daunting, and even at times enjoyable!

My first seat started in April 2011 and was in the Private Client department. From day one I was involved in client meetings and dealing with work that would add real value in progressing client files.

Throughout my first seat I was given more responsibility than expected and as my experience in the seat developed I was entrusted with my own clients and caseload. This involved advising clients on a day to day basis, both face to face and over the telephone or in writing. Whilst this gave me an excellent opportunity learn and understand the law and practice in the private client sector, it also meant that my skills in dealing with people and directly advising clients grew.

My second seat is with the Dispute Resolution department, where I take on a variety of work dealing with social housing, construction disputes, contract disputes and debt collection. I am again responsible for my own files and clients. This provides a fantastic opportunity to learn about the specific and detailed legislation and case law that governs these areas. I also gain first-hand experience of the dispute resolution process, from initial instructions through to a mediation meeting or full trial, with all the steps in between!

"Buckles focuses on providing excellent support and feedback to trainees and recognises the importance of this. Trainees are given a high level of supervised responsibility and their own caseloads. There is always support in whichever department or team I am working with; I am encouraged to ask questions as and when I need to and know that constructive feedback will always be provided by both the lawyers who are supervising me on specific tasks and also from the heads of department and the training principle.

Everybody at Buckles is approachable and friendly and importantly, everyone is willing to help with queries or questions I have. This is reinforced by the excellent level of legal skill, knowledge and experience in the firm which I am able to utilise to provide the best possible service to my clients.

Buckles places great emphasis on recruiting trainees who will be able to progress their career through qualification and beyond with the firm and prides itself on the quality of work and experience that they can provide to their trainees. Looking for the right training contract is difficult, but with Buckles I have made the right decision." 

I joined Buckles in April 2011 after completing a law and economics degree at the University of Leicester and the Legal Practice Course at College of Law in Bloomsbury, London. I was excited but also a little daunted about starting my legal career! I arrived on my first day at Buckles wide-eyed and slightly unsure of what to expect, however, the friendly nature of the firm and the warm reception I was given quickly alleviated those fears and confirmed that I had made the right choice.

Before starting with Buckles I was given a “trainee buddy” to speak to and who I could ask any questions that I might have had before joining the firm. This was a great way for me to get to know both a member of the firm and learn more about its culture. I met my trainee intake and the firm’s current trainees before starting at Buckles and it was great to see these friendly faces on the first day.

My first seat was in the property department, where I initially sat within the commercial property team but also undertook much work for the residential property team. This was an eventful six months where I was involved in drafting and negotiating leases, licences, transfers of equity, sale agreements dealing with residential and agricultural land and dealing with SDLT forms. By the end of my seat I was running my own files and had a lot of direct client contact which was great experience; this continuous contact with clients was overwhelming at times but allowed me to gain a real sense of responsibility and achievement. I was always made to feel like a trusted and valued member of the Property team from the outset.

My current seat is in the Private Client & Tax department where the range of work includes drafting wills and trust deeds, assisting with administration of estates, completing lasting powers of attorney applications and applying for deputyship orders to the court of protection. I am also tasked with a lot of research into a variety of interesting areas, including inheritance and capital gains tax, offshore trusts and tax issues for a various clients. I was also lucky enough to be involved in assisting the department with the nationwide annual charity campaign called “Will Aid” which is a special partnership between the legal profession and UK charities. With this variety of work I am sometimes set fairly tight deadlines and achieving this can be both challenging and rewarding. The private client and tax team is far from what I had expected. Each day is never the same as the day before it, with an extremely knowledgeable and quirky team who truly are a joy to work with!

Life at Buckles is not all work and no play; we are encouraged to have a good work/home-life balance. There are regular social activities ranging from formal networking and marketing events, which enhances your confidence and ability to work with the wider legal community, to more casual events such as quiz nights or social functions within the departments.

Not only is Buckles supportive of the trainees, it lets us spread our wings and have a voice that is heard by our superiors. Monthly meetings with both my supervisor and firm mentor allow me to discuss my training and progression. Supervision and support is always there and the firm’s open door policy ensures that all staff members at all levels are approachable.

With such a diverse, highly experienced and friendly team of solicitors and support staff helping me to develop both professionally and personally, Buckles is the perfect match for me!