Read our latest articles, news briefs and legal updates across all our different services.
An interview is likely to be required almost every time you apply for a role, and this is equally true when applying for training contracts. The process at Machins is currently split into three: (1) an application; (2) an initial interview and (3) a final partner-led interview. This post gives some tips from my experience
Beginning a training contract can be a daunting task for anyone even if you have previous experience. As a paralegal in the residential conveyancing department at two of my previous firms I found the experience to be invaluable in building up the key skills required to succeed in my training contract particularly in the following
Private Family Law is a fast-paced and unpredictable area of law as court hearings can be listed last minute and parties can issue without notice urgent applications to the court. There are some responsibilities that almost every private family law paralegal will come to experience and even though things can be daunting at first, the
Intro When applying for a training contract, the main thing you perhaps expect a trainee to do is to learn and practice how the law operates in their assigned department. However, it is important to remember that working for a regional firm can mean that your role is much wider than that, as you will
As I enter my sixth month of being a paralegal in the residential conveyancing department at Machins, I would like to provide an insight into my experience so far and advocate on behalf of a practice area that is perhaps not seen as the most glamorous field to qualify into. Nevertheless, there is a lot
Donna Patterson worked as a buyer in the Morrisons’ supermarket online business in Bradford. Whilst on maternity leave, her role was changed to fulfil the responsibilities of a full-time job, and upon her return, she was pressured to work longer hours, beyond what was stipulated in her contract. Ms Patterson was told she could do
Many aspiring trainee solicitors wonder how they can convey they will be a great trainee, or compete with applicants with months or years of paralegal experience, without an abundance of legal experience. However the skills that are required to be a successful trainee solicitor can be fostered and refined through non-legal work experience and other
The Employment Tribunal has ruled that a civil servant who was sacked after she looked up her neighbour’s private data on a government database was not unfairly dismissed. The case involved Louise Kelly, who said her behaviour had been caused by a lack of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Kelly had worked for the Department of
A GP’s receptionist has been awarded £45,000 after winning a discrimination claim over home working during the pandemic. The case involved Tracy Keown, who was classified as disabled due to her microvascular angina. She had worked at Staines Road Surgery since 2019 and was considered to be in the high-risk category during the pandemic. Her
Press Release – Monday 5th December 2022 It is with great sadness that Machins Solicitors announces the death of its Managing Partner, Mark Pelopida. Mark died unexpectedly after a short illness on Friday 2nd December 2022. He was 57 years old. For the immediate future, Kathryn Ainsworth will assume the role of Managing Partner. Kathryn