What makes Palmers Solicitors a great place to work?
We are a leading legal business in Essex, providing both private client and commercial services.
We have a strong reputation for being forward-thinking and energetic. We aim to be the employer of choice in the Essex area, employing a skilled and motivated team who are there to help businesses and people in our local community.
Above all, we are a people business – we provide a listening ear for all our clients and a supportive management team who have an open door policy which encourages the sharing of ideas and knowledge between our staff.
We believe that everyone should be treated with consideration and respect and that each individual member of the team should be recognised for their achievements.
Team Testimonial
Peter Scott is a solicitor and acts as an adviser, trainer, and coach to many law firms in relation to their strategic, financial, performance, reward, and risk and compliance issues, here is what he had to say about our team.
“I am delighted that Palmers Solicitors engaged me once again to train their team recently at their wonderfully designed and welcoming new “Palmers Hub”. I was struck, and seriously impressed, by the level of engagement of the attendees and by the leadership of the practice. It seems to me that at its heart, this is a practice which has excellent priorities – forward-thinking investment in colleagues, processes and infrastructure. The future most certainly continues to look bright for Palmers and I hope that I will be invited back to support and to train once more. – Peter Scott”
What can I expect if I work for Palmers Solicitors?
Which means interesting and varied work for you. We invest time in understanding our clients’ needs; an approach which also provides you with real job satisfaction.
We’ll give you the confidence and the training support to do a great job.
We will invest in your future!
We recognise the importance of ensuring everyone has the opportunity to develop their knowledge and have a structured career path, including:-
- A detailed staff induction programme for all new employees.
- Individual development plans encompassing both your professional and your personal development.
- Annual appraisals.
- Extensive training and development programme to include webinars, in-house seminars and external courses.
- Structured career progression – many of our managers started their careers with Palmers in trainee/paralegal roles and have progressed to become our managers who are leading the practice forward today.
Multiple office base
Palmers Solicitors have four offices, all based in Essex, although our client base is not confined to the Essex area. Our main office is conveniently situated in Town Square, Basildon, with three further offices in South Woodham Ferrers, Chafford Hundred in Thurrock and Rayleigh.
Our
Values:
Provide excellent and efficient service. We’re not stuffy lawyers – we’re very friendly and approachable – above all, we’re human!
Be a forward thinking employer with staff who embrace change.
Share knowledge and ideas for the betterment of the company and its staff.
Have accountable, self-organising teams with problem solving and future planning abilities.
Be the go-to company for private and commercial clients in Essex.
Have a motivated workforce with future-proofed skill sets.
Be the employer of choice in the Essex area.
Career progression
Supervising Director, Construction Department & Rayleigh office
- 2008 Joined Palmers as a full-time paralegal working in the Commercial Litigation department
- 2009 Having qualified as a non-practicing barrister in 2007, cross-qualified as a solicitor and promoted to assistant solicitor within Commercial Litigation department, with emphasis on developing construction law offering at the practice
- 2012 Promoted to Associate Solicitor with a task of overseeing practice’s library resources and establishing and developing the newly created Construction and Engineering Department at Palmers Solicitors
- 2014 Commenced pre-Partner appraisal year
- 2015 Promoted to Salaried Partner heading up Construction and Engineering Department at Palmers and expanding the department to two fee earners as well as being Library Partner
- 2017 Promoted to Equity Partner, in addition to being head of the Construction and Engineering Department, Adam was also promoted to Branch Partner at the newly established Rayleigh Office
- 2021 Became a Director
Supervising Director – Residential Property
- 2003 Joined Palmers as a Legal Secretary from college, working in Wills & Probate
- 2005 Moved to a secretarial role in Conveyancing, started training for the Licensed Conveyancer Course, a three year course, out of work hours at Chelmsford College
- 2008 Passed Licensing Conveyancer examinations (whilst heavily pregnant) and started fee earning in Conveyancing
- 2011 Took 18 month break for maternity leave
- 2013 Returned to Palmers as a Conveyancing fee earner
- 2015 Promoted to Associate
- 2018 Promoted to Salaried Partner
- 2021 Became a Department Director
Practice Manager
- 1989 Joined as trainee legal secretary (working for Jeremy Sirrell, Criminal Department)
- 1990 Became a Partner’s secretary as Jeremy became a Partner
- 1999 Promoted to Office Manager
- 2001 Studied CIPD qualification
- 2002 Became HR Manager
- 2016 onwards Practice Manager, on Management Committee
Project Manager
- 2003 Joined as a Junior Legal Secretary (working in Carey Jacobs’ work group in Residential Property)
- 2008 Became a Partner’s Secretary to Jeremy Sirrell
- 2014 Moved back to Residential Property as a Legal Assistant/Case Management Administrator
- 2016 Moved to the Admin Department to concentrate on being the Case Management Administrator and work more with the IT department
- 2018 Promoted to Systems, Marketing and Communications Facilitator
- 2020 Promoted to Project Manager
Recruitment FAQs
Yes we do. Email or write to Gina Newman for information on how to apply for work experience.
Yes we do. There are currently two graduate routes into law:
- You may have completed a qualifying law degree, followed by the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or
- You may have completed a non-law degree, then take the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) conversion course, followed by the LPC
The Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) is a new system of exams that introduced in 2021, replacing the GDL and LPC. All solicitors have to pass the SQE in order to qualify. Unlike the GDL and LPC, the new SQE is not a course but a series of exams, which are divided into two stages. Universities and law schools are currently developing new courses to prepare students for SQE.
Under SQE, solicitors still have to complete two years’ work experience before they can qualify, but unlike traditional training contracts, this can now be split over placements with up to four firms. Other forms of experience (eg, volunteering in a law centre) may also count toward the total experience needed to qualify.
Whether you are hoping to train to be a solicitor or you are thinking of working in a support role, it is good to have the following personable attributes:
- Great attention to detail
- Good written communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Proficient IT skills
- Well organised
- An ability to problem-solve
Yes absolutely. We are always happy to hear from talented, like-minded people who share our values.
Yes – we keep your details on file for 6 months unless you request otherwise.
We’re a very friendly, supportive team. We offer structured training and development opportunities and long term career paths.
We are also proud to be ranked in seven practice areas, for our region, by the Legal 500, an annual national guide which ranks the UK’s leading law firms.
We are CQS, Lexcel and Cyber Essentials accredited.
Our firm has won a number of prestigious awards. Most recently we were named as finalists in the National Paralegal Awards as a result of championing paralegals at our firm and supporting them along their career paths.
In the first instance, please email Gina Newman with your telephone contact details.
Corporate social responsibility
As a responsible employer, we recognise the potential impact our business has on the local community and the environment where we all live and work.
We are committed to running a successful business but we also take steps to support our staff in initiatives which have a positive effect on our Corporate Social Responsibility aims.
Palmers is proud to be part of the Disability Confident movement of change which encourages businesses to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.
Our team members’ mental wellbeing is a priority for us.