Burges Salmon scheme pays off for 31 Halliwells hopefuls
More than two-thirds of the prospective Halliwells trainees who signed up to a scheme run by Burges Salmon to find them new firms have now landed training contracts.
Stephen McNulty
The scheme was launched in August, with the goal of finding training contracts for the 51 students whose contracts were cancelled when the Manchester firm went into administration earlier in the summer.
A total of 35 firms signed up to the programme, which saw the students’ CVs and offer letters collated and sent to appropriate firms.
At the time of going to press 42 students had taken part, with 33 offered new training contracts. Of those, 14 are from the group due to start at Halliwells in
September 2010, with the remaining 19 from the 2011 intake
Burges Salmon senior partner Stephen McNulty, who conceived the scheme, said he believed that several other trainees had earned contracts with other firms independently.
He added that the level of response to the project had surprised him.
“Some people said we’d be lucky [to house everyone] as it’s a tough market,” McNulty said. “But I think some firms have found space on top of their normal intakes.
“People have recognised that they have a responsibility beyond self-interest. The collapse [of Halliwells] was a big shock to all of us and it’s those down the food chain who are most affected.”
Burges Salmon has taken on one extra trainee due to the initiative, while all magic circle firms are understood to have either signed up or expressed support.
Readers' comments (1)
Anonymous | 23-Nov-2010 10:06 am
Not all Halliwells hopefuls were included in the noble efforts by Burges Salmon. Those prospective trainees for the London office, the ones offered training contracts but had yet to undertake their LPC were left out in the very cold and frosty. Hill Dicks, HBJ etc did take on most of Halliwells prospective’s in the North West however, those who had TC’s for the London office were overlooked, forgotten about and not even offered places in the North West.
Having to make fresh applications for TC's in an attempt to secure a place for 2012/13 within 2 weeks of the closing deadline left them under enormous uncertainty and pressure. You would have thought it would be enough to put the prospective’s off a career in Law but those who are truly committed were left with no choice but to carry on with part-time jobs and take on huge bank loans to cover costs of the LPC which they formerly were being funded for. Also as they already had paid out large deposits on accommodation they were committed either way to potentially loose a fortune.
With no TC’s on offer thanks to the very rushed applications, a 2:1 LLB from a top UK university, around £15k of debt to get through an LPC it begs the question... what was the point?
I say to Burges Salmon and the rest of you…. Well done for taking in the year 1 and 2 trainees but have you even considored the plight of the prospective’s who are dedicated and committed to a career in Law but were left out in the cold?
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