Moving to the UK as an Overseas Planning or Environment Lawyer The demand for Planning and Environment Lawyers in the UK is strong.  With continued investment into infrastructure projects especially in areas such as renewables as well as the continued demand in more traditional development planning, workloads are high in an under-lawyered sector.  This has been exacerbated by the increase of in-house jobs that is attracting experienced lawyers away from private practice as they look to diversify their experience.  Although there is a slight uncertainty created by an electi ..read more

Origin Legal - A Take on Legal Apprenticeships with Howes Percival LLP. Last week Jason Nottage spoke with Howes Percival's HR business partner Katy Tebbutt to discuss all things to do with Legal Apprenticeships. As an innovative law firm, Howes Percival have embraced the non-traditional route to becoming a solicitor. Katy having been with Howes Percival for over 25 years tells us the story and everything you need to know about becoming a legal apprentice. Firstly Katy, thank you for your time and for giving us an insight into being an apprentice solicitor. Early February was National Appr ..read more

Origin Legal interview Nexa Law Jason Nottage recently sat down with John McAuley and Eliot Hibbert from Nexa Law to discuss the world of consultancy and all things Nexa. The firm has been going from strength to strength in recent years, so it was time for Origin Legal to find out more. Great to meet you both. So, John congratulations on recently joining Nexa as CMO and Head of Talent. Can you explain your role and some of the reasons you have joined Nexa? John: I’ve actually been involved with Nexa since day one, as a founder Director having worked with Eliot in 2016.  I got to know ..read more

Why you should consider practicing Planning & Environment Law in the UK.  I began recruiting Planning & Environment Lawyers in 2002.  I didn’t take long to realise that they are nice people who were enthusiastic about the work that they do.  This led to me developing my own interest in working in this sector.  Having now recruited in Planning for over 20 years at all levels, it got me thinking as to why I enjoy collaborating with clients and candidates in this space so much and why others should consider it as a career.  This piece is aimed at trainees, p ..read more

The rest is politics Although the title of a popular podcast, it also sums up what is happening in the Planning market right now.  Below I consider what impact this might have on recruitment for lawyers in the next 12 months. Planning Lawyers continued to be in demand in 2023 but certain sectors have been a little quieter, especially on the Town & Country Planning side as Real Estate transactions slowed.  However, demand in the infrastructure sector remains steady as projects in transport and energy continue.  The Government's recent announcement on HS2 and the Prime Min ..read more

Origin Legal interview with James Geary, Managing Partner, EMW Law Last month Jason Nottage, Director at Origin Legal took time out to take a summer lunch with new EMW Law Managing Partner James Geary. Under the gaze of St Pauls Cathedral from the roof terrace at Madison, Jason and James discuss his new appointment, the latest happenings at EMW Law and the current legal market. Congratulations James on your appointment of Managing Partner at EMW Law. Having started with the firm as a trainee in 2000, what does it mean for you to be leading the firm? Thanks Jason! Yes, as you say, I started ..read more

The Rising Demand for Private Client Solicitors in the South of England In recent years, we have seen a significant surge in the demand for private client solicitors in the South of England. Several factors contribute to the increased demand for private client solicitors in this region, ranging from demographic shifts to evolving legal complexities. In this article, we explore the reasons behind the growing demand for private client solicitors in the South of England. Wealth and Population Growth: The South of England is home to numerous affluent families, entrepreneurs, and business own ..read more

2023 NQ Market Update I wanted to put pen to paper by way of an update on the 2023 NQ Market. Historically, year on year, by mid to the end of May the market has sprung fully into action and the purple patch of interviews for NQ job hunters has begun. The pattern emerging from all our consultants across the country is that this year law firms are slightly later in putting offers to trainees. This has meant we are seeing an unusually high number of really good quality candidates and at present a lack of job opportunities. The message coming through from clients is mixed with some reporting ..read more

The Cayman Islands Received wisdom might lead you to believe that in the City, a high-level legal career only comes with compromise. You want weekends, family time, holidays, sleep? Look elsewhere. Perhaps that ‘elsewhere’ should include the Cayman Islands. The offshore sector is about as close as the legal profession gets to the ideal mix of high-quality work, good money, genuine prospects, and yes, a sensible work-life balance. That’s not to say that lawyers here don’t work hard. It is a fiercely competitive market and you’re advising on the Cayman law elements of huge cross-border deals ..read more

What is a corporate lawyer? Working within the legal requirements of the business world is vitally important as ending up on the wrong side of the law can at best see a company suffer considerable damage to their reputation and at worst be put out of business because of legal sanctions. Making sure a business operates in a way that is compliant with the most up to date areas of corporation law, all companies will rely on the expertise of a corporate lawyer. While many firms will rely upon outsourcing their corporate lawyer responsibilities to specialists at a separate firm of solicitors, co ..read more