Training contract (subject to three-month probation as paralegal)

About us

White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors are acknowledged as being a leading niche firm in the field of personal injury. The firm has a national reputation for its work involving injured motorcyclists. It is a two partner firm and both partners and an associate (out of a professional core of five lawyers) are rated band one in Chambers and/or the Legal 500.

The firm and its lawyers are described by Chambers and Partners (2017) as “a small team of highly dedicated and professional individuals who work seamlessly to provide first class service.” 

Chambers and Partners goes on to add “they are undoubtedly experts in their field”.

If you think you have the dedication, the intellect and a total commitment to ethical and client focussed delivery of legal services to bikers, please send us your CV and covering letter.

This role is also open to a barrister who has completed pupillage or sufficient pupillage to make up time out with of the independent bar.

It is a job requirement that unless you are disabled, that you have a Category A or Category A1 motorcycle licence. If you do not have a bike license now, we can assist with getting your bike license. We appreciate that with student debts, money issues and the LPC you may well not have had the time or money to get a bike license. But if you don’t fancy a biker’s life, don’t send your CV in.

The remuneration package will involve a company motorcycle for the period of your training contract. We pay a living wage for trainees. You will be expected to do most of your business travel by motorcycle, and you will be supervised by Partners and Senior Associates, all of whom are of a high and professional standard. In training you will accompany your principal by motorcycle in anything short of ice or a monsoon.

You will not be joining a claims factory, as a firm we do not buy in work.  We survive and thrive purely on our reputation amongst a small and unloved portion of Britain’s road users.  Our offices are disabled friendly, and we are genuine in that disabled applicants without motorcycle licences will be considered fairly.  To get a flavour of the firm, before you come to interview, make sure that you have had a good look at our website and there are a couple of links setout below, one of which is to our branding page video (which is admittedly a few years old) and a recent feature shot about the firm for E4.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-unlikely-bikers/on-demand/64229-005

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcAi104pi5w#t=49.0400049

We are a small firm, offering a niche service to a very small demographic.

Lifestyle with the firm

We do not work a long hours culture. If you started work at 9 o’clock, and hour for lunch, you should be finished by 5.30. There will be longer days, but you are actively discouraged not to stay at your desk past 6pm. The firm is small, friendly and most of our staff have been here for many years. There is usually overseas motorcycle travel and some journalistic work in the motorcycle press. If bikes leave you cold, please do not pretend an interest. You will find it very hard to stay at this firm if you are not genuinely fascinated by bikes and assisting your fellow bikers. We are in the South East of England, 30 miles North West of London in a rural location. You will need your own transport for your three-month paralegal stint. Living costs in Bucks are not cheap but we pay decently.

If you do not have a motorcycle licence now, we are willing to put you through your motorcycle test at our expense, but this will be the end of your three month paralegal period. Your TC will not start until you have passed your motorcycle test. Not having a motorcycle licence will delay the time you can actually start your training contract, so people with a full motorcycle licence have the advantage of an earlier start. There is nothing stopping you funding your own motorcycle training during your three month Paralegal period, and provided the costs are agreed with us, in the event of you being offered a training contract, (the last three people we took on, on this basis were all offered a TC at the end of their three month paralegal period) we will reimburse your training costs if you want to crack on to get your training contact started. However, we appreciate that you may not be in a financial position to do this. We will also advise and fund the purchase of your appropriate motorcycle safety gear. 

Applications

Method of assessment: Partner interview

Deadline:  14^th December 2016

If you are applying for a training contract with us you will spend three months as a paralegal, before we commit to you and we expect you to commit to us. If at the end of the three months you do not make the grade with us, you will not be kept on as a Paralegal. Nor will you be offered a training contract. Barristers with a practicing certificate or those eligible to complete their pupillage with a solicitor are welcome to apply. It is your duty to check with the Benchers of your Inn if you want to join us as a barrister. There is a fair amount of court work at this practice.

Applications via email with standard application form and covering letter. 

http://www.whitedalton.co.uk/App-Form-Lawyers-SF006-07-05-2014.pdf

Phone: No phone contact – seriously, call us without a really good reason and you’ll disqualify yourself.

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.whitedalton.co.uk