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The 15-month-old daughter of a vulnerable mother who could not care for her has been placed in the care of the local authority so she can be adopted. The girl’s parents had been in a relationship since 2017. The mother was a vulnerable adult with learning difficulties who suffered from a syndrome that required a
In an employment relationship, the identity of the employer is usually very clear; however, where an employee works for a group of companies, it can sometimes be trickier to identify which of the group companies is the true employer. This can sometimes cause issues, particularly from a tax perspective, when it comes to identifying where
My training contract was due to start on the 1st July 2020, and thankfully unlike many other firms, Machins did not postpone my start date because of COVID-19. I started my first seat, in the Private Family department in the Berkhamsted office, when the effects of the pandemic were lessened and ‘Rishies Dishes’ were all
Starting as a trainee can sometimes be daunting. Our trainee solicitors have put together 10 top tips to help you along the way. Prioritise effectively. Usually, you should prioritise your direct supervisor’s work before the work of other members of the department. Sometimes this may mean speaking to the Partner you work for about your
I remember grappling with this question in my third year of university when I was knee-deep in training contract research and applications. Was I better suited to a regional firm or a city firm? Would I still have exposure to big corporate transactions or litigation at a regional firm? Would I be working in a
I am a Solicitor in the Dispute Resolution team at Machins, and have been involved with the trainee solicitor recruitment process for a few years now, since I was a trainee myself. When I attend law fairs and do talks for law students, lots of candidates ask what my top tips are for when they
January 2021 marks the start of a new year, and I am delighted to embark on my final six months of life as a trainee solicitor, before qualifying – eeeeek! My previous seats have been private family, public family, company commercial/commercial property, and now I am back to private family where I hope to qualify
They say hindsight is a wonderful thing… As I embark on my final few months (5.5 to be exact) as a trainee solicitor, I’m writing to a former me, and any other future trainees, to set the record straight… Dear Future Trainee, Wow, you did it?! No, I know, you’re not qualified yet or maybe
by Brad Johnson and Samantha Ball The musician and grime artist Kano once said, “There’s more than one way to make it” and much to many people’s surprise becoming a Solicitor couldn’t be more true to this statement. At the time of writing, I am in my second seat in the Employment Department and my
As a trainee, two things are guaranteed: 1) you will copy a forests worth of paperwork and 2) you will work in at least two departments. If you are lucky – or unlucky – you might work in four departments. This seemingly routine aspect of the training contract is, to my mind, the greatest cause