Farrer & Co

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on Farrer & Co

Farrer’s 300-year history precedes it. Occupying a magnificent Grade II-listed townhouse in London’s iconic Lincoln’s Inn, the firm is renowned for its private client prowess and high-value residential real estate work. Farrer is far from just a City firm; it operates in a ‘unique mixture of client sectors’ and ‘specifically has a leading reputation in the school and higher education sectors’, as well as ‘museums and charities’. To top it off, staff enjoy a ‘markedly better work/life culture’ than at some larger firms. The Farrer training contract operates a six-seat rotation, ‘with the last seat spent in the area of qualification, which ensures a smoother transition into NQ level’. Training is primarily on the job, and involves ‘being genuinely trusted by even the most senior partners in the firm to contribute and take on substantial tasks from day one’. This high level of responsibility can be a double-edged sword though; ‘attending court solo to support our clients and be the go-between with our barrister’ was one trainee’s best moment, but ‘the pressures of running said case largely on my own’ also made for some stressful times. Farrer’s culture is the ‘best I have heard of’, said another recruit; ‘I feel supported and challenged, and I know that the firm is investing in me with a view to me becoming a future partner’. On the flip side, some respondents pointed to ‘limited diversity, in particular of the socio-economic kind’. The good news is that this is an area in which ‘the firm is actively and legitimately trying to improve’, in particular through the ‘recently-introduced ‘Conscious Inclusion’ ED&I Strategy, which outlines key initiatives and goals for the coming years’. For ‘really interesting clients and work’ and ‘fantastic hours’ where ‘trainee contribution often counts towards the final product’, consider Farrer & Co.

A day in the life of... James Davies, trainee, Farrer & Co

Departments to date: Property litigation; Corporate; Residential property; Secured lending (current)

University: University of East Anglia

Degree: LLB Law with European Legal Systems

8.30am: I’m getting to the office slightly earlier than usual today, as it’s a busy one. I’m in the office most days as a matter of preference and aim to be in before 9am to get my head round my to-do list. I start by reviewing any tasks left over from yesterday and checking my emails to see if anything has come in overnight. I prioritise and try to make a plan of action, taking into account any meetings or training planned for the day.

9.30am: Today I’m proofreading a report on title we have drafted for a client who is in the process of purchasing a property. It’s a great way to develop my understanding of the key considerations for clients and to assist the team in a material way. I discuss with the associate some of the interesting points around planning history and some tax considerations; everyone is keen to help upskill me as well as have me help out.

12.30pm: While the weather is great, the trainees often take advantage of Lincoln’s Inn Fields being on our literal doorstep. I head to Restaurant 1701, which was opened just over a year ago, to fill up a takeaway box with salad and a delicious looking sausage roll. I head out into the sun to catch up, share experiences, and enjoy the company of the trainees

1.30pm: We get a lot of responsibility and, while my supervisor is on leave, a couple of simpler matters were handed to me to lead on with the partner. Today, we are exchanging the contracts for sale. I call the solicitor for the seller, run through the key details and provisions of the contract, and agree exchange along with a date for completion. This felt daunting the first time, but I was really well supported and am glad to have been thrown in at the deep end so early on in my career.

2.30pm: Being a smaller firm, there’s a lot of cross-referral that goes on between departments. We’ve had an enquiry from the family team regarding what notices can be placed on properties through the Land Registry when divorce proceedings are ongoing. The associate in my team has asked me to carry out the research and draft an email to the family associate setting out our options. This gives me a great opportunity to consider the intertwined nature of the firm’s offering. The associate and I briefly discuss my research and method before agreeing to send on my note with some minor tweaks.

4.00pm: We have a site visit today which is always very exciting, so the partner and I head to the tube. We deal with a lot of interesting properties nestled around London, and it’s a real blessing to be able to see these in person. We’re greeted by the selling agent, who I recently met at a networking dinner. It’s always nice to be working with a friendly face.

5.30pm: I’m back at the office, ready to tidy up my loose ends and make a plan for tomorrow. The team are great to chat with, and we have a quick debrief about the site visit and what I thought of the property.

6.00pm: I’m the co-chair of one of our Employee Impact Groups which have recently been relaunched. Tomorrow, we have one of our monthly meetings to chat about future events, debrief on the last month, and discuss what socials we might want to do. I quickly put together an agenda and make sure it’s circulated.

6.30pm: I review my to-do list, discuss briefly with some associates as to priorities for the next day and plan for the next day. A few of the associates and I head to one of the nearby pubs to catch up and socialise before getting ready to go again tomorrow.

About the firm

The firm: Farrer & Co is synonymous with the highest quality legal advice and service.

We advise individuals, families, businesses, financial services, educational and not-for-profit organisations on every aspect of the law, wherever the need arises. From our offices in London we work with trusted professionals around the world to deliver a seamless international service.

Our clients present us with complex and varied challenges. Whether that’s a complicated family trust issue, a multinational corporate transaction, or an emerging threat to their reputation, they need clear thinkers who can advise on the best solutions, fast thinkers when speed is of the essence and agile thinkers who can produce a fresh approach to get the job done. That’s why they choose us. Our clients value our in-depth knowledge, technical excellence and diversity of disciplines. But what really binds our long-standing relationships with them is our approach: pragmatic, plain speaking and always steadfast in our values, which we hold dear: values which mean we gain our clients’ trust, always strive to do the right thing, and aim for the best results for them. Superb client service sits at the heart of everything we do. We are modern lawyers with timeless values.

The clients: Natural History Museum; The Prince’s Trust; PGA European Tour; Imperial College London; Metro Bank; The Football Association; Motability; Manchester Grammar School; BMJ Publishing Group; Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.

The deals: Advised the unitholders of TwentyFirstCenturyBrand LLC, a purpose-driven growth consultancy business with global reach, which acts for household names including Airbnb, Peloton, etc. on their sale and option agreement; advised Dura Software on its acquisition of the Invosys group, a telecommunications solutions and interface provider; advised CG Wealth Planning Limited, as part of the Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management group, on its acquisition of the Scottish financial planning business Intelligent Capital from multiple individual sellers; helped a charity dedicated to supporting older people complete the sale of a multimillion-pound waterfront development plot; advised on the establishment of a new international federation, with the goal of securing the long-term future of the sport that it will govern at the Olympic Games; advising a major UK university on all aspects of employment law affecting its staff base of over 8,000, including complex and time-sensitive matters; advised a UK school on its collaboration with Tutor Impact for the opening and operation of a new, premium international boarding school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; acted for a mixed independent school on its merger with a prestigious preparatory school; advising the British Library in relation to its St Pancras development, which involves the disposal of the 2.8-acre St Pancras development site for commercial investment and the construction of gallery facilities and a public realm for The British Library; advised the National Portrait Gallery on its purchase of Joshua Reynolds’ Portrait of Mai in collaboration with the Getty Museum, California; representing Dr B.R. Shetty in his defence of US$5bn litigation, including in High Court proceedings in England and proceedings in the Abu Dhabi Global Markets Courts; acting for the principal beneficiary of a series of trusts holding billions of pounds, including the majority shareholding of their family’s listed business, as well as property and art in the UK and abroad; advising Cannacord Genuity Wealth Management on its entry into an agreement to acquire Scottish financial planning business Intelligent Capital; acting for a global private bank providing a US$400m multicurrency loan to a Cayman Island borrower, for the purpose of constructing a securities investment portfolio custodied with the bank and secured on a large mixed art portfolio; regularly advise large asset manager clients on authorised fund set ups, mergers and terminations, working closely with the client to prepare all the fund documentation and liaise with the FCA on fund applications; advising a number of UK-based asset managers on the new sustainability disclosure requirements, including working with asset managers looking to use sustainability investment labels; advising fund managers with overseas funds on routes to market in the UK, including applications under s272 FSMA and preparation for the UK’s new Overseas Funds Regime.

Senior partner: Jeremy Gordon

Who we are: Farrer & Co is a leading modern law firm with a distinguished history of providing expert legal advice to a diverse range of clients, both UK and international.

What we do: We advise individuals, families, businesses, financial services, educational and not-for profit organisations on every aspect of the law, wherever the need arises. From our offices in London we work with trusted professionals around the world to deliver a seamless international service.

What we’re looking for: Being a good lawyer requires much more than excellent academic ability. When selecting our future lawyers, we look for ambition, commercial awareness, discretion, clear and agile thinkers, open-minded individuals, resilience and analytical ability. Our minimum requirement is AAB at A level or equivalent and a 2(1) degree (in any subject).

What you’ll do: The trainee will experience six seats across the firm, handling ‘real’ work with early responsibility, and an excellent legal and skills-based training programme.

Perks: Flexible benefits scheme, sporting teams/clubs, season ticket loan, 25 days’ holiday, group income protection, group life assurance, company doctor, subsidised yoga/pilates, subsidised gym membership, pension scheme, private medical insurance after one year, wellperson checks.

Sponsorship

Farrer & Co will pay all fees relating to the Solicitors Qualifying Exam for our future trainees. To assist with living costs, they will also receive a maintenance grant and the opportunity to apply for a bursary and loan.

Seat options

Banking FS and insolvency; charity and community; corporate; employment; IP and commercial; contentious trusts and estates; dispute resolution; family; immigration; private client; tax; commercial property; residential and secured lending; rural property.

Tips from the recruiter

1. Work history. We are interested in all your work experience whether virtual or in-person, paid or voluntary, legal or non-legal, and UK-based or international. We are looking for candidates to tell us what their responsibilities were, describe the skills acquired and explain how they could transfer into a career in law. You can find a list of skills and qualities we look for in candidates on our website.
2. Activities and interests. We are looking for candidates who have a wide range of interests and/or have undertaken a substantial commitment over an extended period of time. These can be current or historic activities and do not need to be related to law.
3. Why Farrer’s? Candidates should give us multiple examples of what impressed them about Farrer & Co while carrying out their research and why they are applying to us. Before answering this question, research the firm and our initiatives. We recommend candidates take advantage of the huge selection of articles, blog posts, podcasts and videos available on our website and social media platforms.

Diversity and inclusion