BCS we want to 

Brabners is the result of a number of cautious mergers over the last decade, the most significant being the one with Chaffe Street back in 2001. While some law firms approach expansion with reckless abandon, with this one quality trumps quantity. Trainees explained: “Brabners is very definite about the fact it doesn’t want to grow for the sake of growing.” Instead, management “make sure that the people who do join are credible additions to the firm.” Such careful cherry-picking has propelled the firm to its current status as one of the leading firms in the North West. Of particular note are the private client, social housing and charities practices, all of which are top-ranked in the region by Chambers UK, but the corporate/commercial side of the business is also strong. And we mustn’t forget to mention the nationally recognised sports law practice – more on that later.

Not “big, scary and faceless” like many of its rivals, Brabners takes on just four or five trainees each in its Liverpool and Manchester offices, and currently has only two in the Preston branch. They spend their entire training contracts in one office, although cross-office training is a possibility.

“We are looking for people, not machines,” says training partner Tony Harvey, and the firm looks beyond academic grades. An outgoing personality and links to the North West are particularly desirable traits, and almost all of the current group of trainees were born and bred in the region.

All trainees undergo a mandatory stint in the property department, while other available seats include corporate/commercial, employment, family, litigation, private client, sport and social housing. The first seat is random, but for subsequent rotations trainees state their top three preferences and the training partner pieces everything together. “If you can’t have your first choice, he will come back to discuss it with you so you have a bit of leeway about which seats you go to.” The firm is quite flexible and some trainees reported spending only three months in a department, or returning to a seat that they particularly enjoyed towards the end of their contract.

Go (North) West! 

Brabners’ property department is well regarded in its region, partly due to its involvement with a number of significant regeneration and development projects in the North West. Recently, it has worked for everyone from the Lancashire Police Authority to the man in your local corner shop (well, Martin McColl Group, which runs a chain of them). The group also advised Cosmopolitan Student Homes on a ‘phased development’ of student accommodation, retail and office space in Manchester, and Cumbrian company Westmorland on the development of a new £30m motorway service area known as the Gloucestershire Gateway Project. This compulsory seat is popular among trainees, who are able to get stuck into a number of smaller projects and see them all the way through to the end. One source reported that the workload gradually increased over time: “I was actually surprised at the level of responsibility they were prepared to hand over to me.” Duties range from negotiating and drafting leases to managing completions. Trainees are exposed to daily interaction with clients and other law firms, primarily by phone and email but also the occasional face-to-face meeting.

The corporate and commercial team works with a diverse range of clients, from sole traders and growing businesses, to big names including RBS, Santander and Lloyds. Trainees are involved in drafting and due diligence, as well as answering the phones and liaising with clients one-on-one. This responsibility is appreciated, with one source saying: “It was quite nice to have my own little section of completion that was purely me.”

Brabners’ employment department is “a fantastic team. The partners are really intelligent people who are very helpful and spend time with trainees.” The majority of their work is on behalf of employers, but our sources reported taking on both claimant and defendant matters. Trainees are treated as integral members of the team and spend their days putting together witness statements and tribunal pleadings, amending contracts and drafting compromise agreements.

Premier League 

Not everyone undergoing a training contract can claim: “Within the first two seats I was taken to two black-tie dos and got to meet Sir Bobby Charlton.” Understandably, there is a great buzz about the sports department at Brabners. The firm has acted for Manchester United FC for over 45 years, and for Man City since 2009 – in fact, it now has more than three-quarters of the Premier League clubs on its books. Recently, Brabners has advised on Wayne Rooney’s new contract at Man United, and Liverpool’s acquisitions of Joe Cole, Maxi Rodriguez and Milan Jovanovic. The team also works on sponsorship, endorsement and image rights issues for clubs, governing bodies (such as the British Cycling Federation) and brands (such as Carling). 2012 is also set to be a busy year for the department due to its regulatory and commercial involvement with the Olympic and Paralympic games.

While the seat (only available in Manchester) is definitely more glamorous than most, it isn’t all schmoozing with sporting royalty. As one trainee explained: “Because of the high-profile people you’re dealing with, you tend to work with their agents. I did get to meet a few footballers but there’s a lot of contact with middle-men.” Trainees research recent cases, as well as drafting letters and agreements and taking witness statements. Due to its varied workload, the sport team has a great deal of crossover with the employment, commercial and litigation departments.

“Some seats are more acquired tastes” and sources tell us that, while there has “usually been no battle for private client or social housing,” time in these departments is available to trainees and can be quite interesting. A 2009 merger with Liverpool firm Bremners added significantly to both.

Bongos and barbecues 

Brabners’ three offices are situated “smack bang in the city centres” of Liverpool, Manchester and Preston. The largest office is in Liverpool. Located directly behind the historic town hall, “it is an old building but as soon as you step inside it’s quite minimalist.” The layout is mostly open-plan, but pull-out walls or ‘hubs’ give staff an element of privacy. There are also soundproof ‘pods’ scattered around the office to help facilitate private phone calls. Preston and Manchester have a similar vibe – cosmopolitan, professional and modern.

“There is no sense of being babied but you don’t feel like you’re drowning either.” Partners don’t hide themselves away and are just as approachable as their more recently qualified colleagues. Trainees claim that about 90% of their work is delegated directly from a partner, rather that trickling down through the ranks. One source reported: “I’ve been really pleasantly surprised at how nice everyone is. I feel appreciated even though I’m a trainee. We’re not made to feel like we’re at the bottom level. You can’t predict that you’ll get that at every firm.”

Brabners' people are a friendly crowd and its juniors a close-knit bunch. We’re informed that there is usually a big turnout at the pub on a Friday, and “there is always something being organised,” from departmental barbecues to firm-wide Christmas parties. The last of these has gone down in Brabners' folklore as the one with the human-sized table football, obstacle course and enormous bongo-drum circle.

The firm’s fondness for both charity and sport often fuses together, and employees have scrambled across the Inca Trail, explored the Lake District by Canadian canoe, and flown across Liverpool city centre on a super-sized zip wire.

And finally... 

Its trainees have genuinely “fallen in love with Brabners a little bit.” Three out of nine second-years stayed with the firm upon qualification in 2011.