These boots are made for walking
This ambitious firm has grown rapidly, doubling its size in the past seven years. It now has a turnover in excess of £20m. It has whizzed towards its target – “to be the premier firm in the South West” – with confidence. According to one trainee, “it's definitely very close to being there, if not there already.” The opening of the new Bristol base just a stone's throw from Temple Meads station is a seriously bold statement. Managing partner John Westwell shed light on the Bristol move: “The opening of the Bristol office is client-led and driven by significant opportunities in sectors in which we have a strong and growing reputation.” Bolstering Foot Anstey's already impressive media and financial services practices, the new office will also expand its reach in key areas including commercial, dispute resolution, employment and real estate. The firm is no stranger to lateral hires, having taken on six at partner or associate level from 2010/11 – it is these that will constitute the bulk of the new Bristol office, along with a few longer-established Anstey residents.
What is the aim of all this expansion? “To win more national clients, alongside keeping local clients happy,” claimed one savvy trainee. “The plan is to move from having lots of small clients to having big clients that send us regular work.” Westwell confirms: “A fair proportion of our turnover currently emanates from within the Bristol market, so this is a logical next step for the firm.” Foot Anstey already has an impressive and diverse range of clients on its books, from the regional Cornwall Farmers Ltd and the Eden Project, to national treasures Halfords and Which?. The firm is particularly highly ranked by Chambers UK for its corporate, tax, clinical negligence, family, crime, employment, licensing and planning departments.
A shoo in to the law
Trainees are encouraged to spend time in at least two of Foot Anstey's offices. Each of these takes on its own clients, which means that there are “subtle differences” in the work on offer in each town. There are usually a handful of seats going at the Truro and Taunton offices, while Plymouth and Exeter tend to take the majority of trainees. It ultimately comes down to business needs. Current trainees have experienced seats including clinical negligence, private client, family, banking, employment, agriculture, corporate and commercial, commercial property and media, or some unusual mixture of a few of the above. Banking, insolvency and commercial litigation anybody? Trainees state their top three preferences, and while first-years don't necessarily get their first choice, “most trainees, particularly in their second year, do.”
Over the past five years, Foot Anstey's corporate department has completed 221 different deals, and been top-ranked regionally by Chambers UK. The department's main focus is on the local community, servicing businesses in the region, but it has also worked with some major national players including Halfords, the Progressive Digital Media Group and waste management giants Viridor. Trainees describe the firm's corporate and commercial offering as a “really good learning curve.” They get a shot at drafting themselves, negotiating directly and working on ancillary documents for large transactions. Due to the massive multimillion-pound scale of the deals involved, trainees reported “being a bit more of a cog than in some other seats, but you're always learning at the same time.” In Exeter, trainees get to undertake company secretarial work for clients, filing annual returns and dealing with paperwork for over 50 companies.
Commercial property is another major firm-wide presence. While the team deals with the odd residential transaction, particularly in Taunton and Truro, the bulk of its work is for relatively big commercial clients. In the past year the department has acted for a range of local and national names, from Cornwall Council to Lloyds TSB. Trainees love the property seat for the sheer amount of responsibility afforded them. “Instantly, my supervisor gave me about ten of my own files,” said one happy source. “I was entrusted with the whole package really – from starting up a transaction to completing it.”
If deals and doorsteps aren't your thing, Foot Anstey also features the largest dedicated claimant clinical negligence team in the South West. Massively popular among trainees, the department works with individuals in their claims against NHS trusts and private practitioners, recovering compensation of up to £2.5m. One trainee reported handling a massive case with about 140 potential claimants. “I had support if I needed it,” they claimed, “and it was a real confidence boost.” With bags of client contact and seriously juicy cases, clin neg provides a welcome respite from transactional work for many. “If you want to do a commercial seat you're encouraged to, but if you're not commercially minded there is still room for you here.” If this sounds appealing, check out Foot Anstey's private client seat, which “really gives you a diverse range of things to do,” and its family seat, which has masses of client contact and chances for advocacy. “On average I was in court for about three days a week,” beamed one contented source.
Last but not least, Foot Anstey's small media law seat is worth a mention for the top quality of its clients. The firm represents “some of the biggest newspapers in the UK” through its work with Associated Newspapers and the Newsquest Media Group. Its influence, however, spreads as far as Odeon Cinemas and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Put your feet up
They might enjoy their time out, but trainees at Foot Anstey are seriously on the ball when it comes to business acumen. Despite the firm's relatively smooth sailing through the recession, our sources claimed that its renewed focus on commercial skills and development hits you “as soon as you walk through the door.” According to one trainee, “they encourage you to find innovative ways to make sure everyone in the firm knows who you are.” This is beneficial for trainees, who can really make a name for themselves prior to qualification, as well as ultimately being a bonus for the firm: “They're honing our skills to bring in future business.”
Spending time in more than one of Foot Anstey's offices isn't mandatory but is heavily encouraged, and according to one source, “I'd say every trainee has done seats in at least two different offices.” Sources explained that “in the long term, it is good to know who to refer work to and it’s a great way to get to know different associates. Ultimately, it is your decision, but it is more sensible to move around.” The only real downside to this set up is the sheer distance between Foot Anstey's outposts. While Plymouth to Truro (a whopping 56 miles) is just about doable, no trainee has yet attempted the epic commute from Plymouth to Taunton. The addition of new seats in the Bristol office, tentatively planned for March 2012, will add a new element to the firm's training contract. “We will support trainees financially and practically if they want to do seats there,” says HR manager Sarah Felfel.
Happy Campers
Trainees can't praise Foot Anstey's “spectacular” Plymouth HQ enough – “it overlooks the harbour and you can see right out to sea.” Exeter isn't too shabby either, bang in the centre of town. The new purpose-built Truro office is right next to the river, while Taunton is located right next to that marvel of the South West: the, er, M5. “It's all very modern and new though!” sources assured us. The set-up is pretty consistent across all four current offices. “You wouldn't walk into a Foot Anstey office and not know what to do or where to go,” explained one source.
Trainees tend to live in either Plymouth or Exeter. Despite the distance, they are a relatively close-knit bunch and social events often transcend the geographical divide. “We go out for meals and nights in the pub: it's all quite informal,” explained one. They are clearly not a group to turn down a challenge, camping out on the roof terrace of the Plymouth office on a chilly February weekend to raise money for the charity Shelterbox, and putting on a Blind Date style skit featuring impersonations of partners in front of 400-odd colleagues at the Christmas party. “It went down fantastically, but was terrifying beforehand!” revealed the brave thespians who received a standing ovation.
So how do you get a ‘foot’ in the door with these happy (rooftop) campers? While there is a healthy mix of personalities at the firm, there are a few trends that stand out. Firstly, this bunch is noticeably passionate about life in the South West. While it is certainly not a prerequisite, many of the current intake studied at Plymouth University and more than a few had previously worked at the firm in a paralegal or support role. In 2011, all four qualifiers remained with the firm upon qualification.
And finally...
If you're committed to the idea of doing high-calibre legal work without ditching the South West lifestyle, Foot Anstey needs to be on your list.