Criminal Law Department – Newly Qualified Solicitor

We understand that a career in law should be as unique as the individual undertaking it. There should be no tired formula for selection to the role and the path to success can and should mean different things to different people.  It’s for these exact reasons that we’ve set out to be one of the most sought after legal employers in the North by crafting a unique blend of personal and professional benefits that allow each member of the team to progress in the direction they desire.

The Role

We’re looking to recruit a newly qualified Solicitor to our burgeoning Criminal Law team, presenting an opportunity to learn and work alongside some of the best in the business.

What You Can Expect

The successful applicant can expect to receive the finest on-the-job training in Criminal Law with a particular emphasis on motoring law matters.

The role will involve preparing and conducting cases in the Magistrates Court, the Crown Court as well as PACE interviews on occasion.  We only accept private paying instructions and there is no Legal Aid work. As such there is no requirement for regular out of hours police station attendance or court work although some out of business hours work may be required albeit on an infrequent basis.

The department also deals with general commercial regulatory work and you will gain experience and develop expertise in these areas, as well as some intellectual property work and sports law. Training will also be given on conducting hearings in the Magistrates Court and the applicant must again be willing to develop this experience. This is with a view to running such matters without supervision in the future. If you’re looking to progress quickly but with complete support from experienced professionals, then this is the role for you.

• High quality clients across personals, professional and sporting organisations
• Varied case load
• Expert guidance and in-house training
• Autonomy and support in equal amounts
• Unlimited ceiling for professional development
• An employer who values personal matters as much as legal matters
• A carefully crafted career plan that’s tailored to you and your goals

What We’d Like from You

Whilst newly qualified, we don’t need someone with experience in criminal law but an eagerness to embrace this area of practices is essential, as is a desire to train and develop your skills on an ongoing basis. Likewise, an interest in growing your portfolio of clients will see the right person flourish.

We like people with:

• energy and spark, who can connect to those around them
• good old common sense mixed with drive and integrity
• a range of interests outside of the law
• a sharp intellect – our work is intellectually demanding so you’ll need the ability to think on your feet as well as research and present with impeccable insight and detail
• the ability for independent thought
• commercial awareness
• the ability to show grit under pressure
• a good sense of humour

Where You’ll be Based

The role will be based in both of our Huddersfield and Halifax offices.  The applicant will also be required to attend our other offices, be able to travel to court and to client meetings at client premises.

Application Advice

We’d like it if you sent a covering letter that tells us about you, why you are interested in a career in law and why you think Chadwick Lawrence is the place for you (and vice versa). This information should be factual and should cover what you’ve been up to, where and the things you’ve learned along the way. Ideally this won’t just be about your career to date in the legal sector. We genuinely want to understand your journey and how you spend your time outside of your studies too.

In terms of length, think concise and precise as opposed to War & Peace so no more than A4. Please feel free to include any other information which you think may be relevant to your application and we’d also recommend that your CV doesn’t stretch much further than 2 sides of A4.

To apply, please send your CV with a covering letter to jobs@chadlaw.co.uk

Apply Now

We would like to take this opportunity of thanking you for your application. Due to a high volume of applications for this role it is not possible to reply to each Applicant individually. If you do not therefore hear from the Firm within 2 weeks of your application, please presume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Chadwick Lawrence is an equal opportunities employer.  Selection criteria and procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure that individuals are treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities.