Latimer Hinks Demonstrates that the Legal Profession is not Just for the Privately Educated

July 23, 2009 - PRLog -- Among its conclusions, it says those entering careers such as the law and medicine are increasingly likely to be from affluent families, despite efforts made to open up the professions.

Policies employed by North East law firm Latimer Hinks demonstrate it has for some years now been breaking down what are perceived as the recruitment barriers highlighted by the report.

Partner Anne Elliott said: “At Latimer Hinks, where we have a rolling programme, which involves taking on several trainees a year, we have always believed that opportunity should be open to all.

“Here, we appoint on merit and are interested in the personalities and strengths of bright candidates and what they know and not where they come from. Since the turn of the century we have employed a mix of people all from different backgrounds most of whom have been state educated.”

None of the youngest partners, Andrew Way, Mark Clayton, Nicola Neilson and Claire Farrell, were privately educated. None of the recent intake of three trainees and none of the five former trainees (all of whom have all been retained as solicitors on qualification) were privately educated.

Anne continued: “All of these individuals have worked extremely hard and been self supporting. Because of the expense of training and qualification four of them studied for their final exams on two year part time courses at the College of Law involving weekend study during which period they held down full time positions with us. We have huge admiration for their resolve and sense of purpose and tenacity – their success is purely down to their intelligence, character, personality and hard work.

“Our experience at Latimer Hinks over the past 10/15 years is quite the opposite to that as projected by Alan Milburn’s report – our solicitors are much less likely to be recruited from so called ‘affluent families’.”

# # #

Latimer Hinks law firm has a team of more than 50 people serving private and corporate clients.
Their range of expertise and services covers legal issues surrounding residential property, wills and lasting powers of attorney, trusts, probate, long-term care, tax planning, commercial law, alternative energy negotiation, property and disputes, business rescue and debt recovery, divorce, pensions, employment, and land-owning.