Archive for March, 2010

Attorney Jobs – A Guide

Attorney jobs in the UK can include patent attorney jobs and trademark attorney jobs. This type of legal work is heavily involved with intellectual property, copyright and patents.

Patent Attorney Jobs

Patent attorney jobs are in place to ensure that inventors or organisations get the correct intellectual property rights for their concept or product. The government is responsible for providing inventors with the right to stop any other parties from commercially using their ideas to make similar products. This is often for limited periods whilst the business establishes itself and gains a market of its own. The majority of patent attorney jobs can be in private firms or within larger manufacturing organisations. People in patent attorney jobs can also be called patent agents. Patent agents assess markets in order to determine whether a new product or concept does not already exist, and is eligible as a new innovation to be patented. On behalf of the inventor or business, they apply for patents and can protect inventors if the patent is infringed.

Patent Agent Activities

According to whether the patent agent is working for private clients or is protecting a large corporation’s products, patent attorney jobs will generally include:

  • Ascertaining whether a patent application will be successful by discussing with inventors/manufacturers
  • Analysing technical and scientific documents to decide if new innovations are not infringing others
  • Writing patent drafts using legal and technical terms
  • Processing applications for patents in accordance with governing bodies
  • Working with solicitors and barristers in defence or support of patents

Entry and Work

Attorney jobs such as this one will usually require a degree of 2:1 level in technical, scientific or engineering discipline. Patent agent trainees can start on salaries that could range between £22,000 and £32,000. With experience and progress, it is possible to earn between £80,000 and £400,000.

Trademark Attorney Jobs

Trademark attorneys are legally trained to assist companies in protecting their products or services and their trademark rights. Trademark attorney jobs can require the protection of logos, names and shapes that a company has trademarked. The legal support provided by trademark attorney jobs ensures that large companies can keep their identity and integrity secure. Intellectual property issues like licensing and copyrighting are also included in this field, and trademark attorneys must advise clients regarding these matters.

Trademark Attorney Jobs – Activities

The tasks carried out by trademark attorney can include a vast array of activities such as:

  • Researching trademarks that are new
  • Ensuring that proposed trademarks are not already in use
  • Giving advice on copyright/design issues
  • Managing, enforcing and protecting intellectual property rights such as patents, trademarks and copyrights
  • Negotiating
  • Drawing up contracts
  • Managing a portfolio of different brands
  • Advising on international trade marking as well as UK

Entry and Work

All graduates can apply for these jobs, however priority can be given to those with degrees or HND in law, English or foreign languages. Salaries on entry can range between £20,000 and £27,000. Senior levels can earn up to £100,000.

Monday, March 29th, 2010 admin
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BVC Jobs

BVC stands for Bar Vocational Course and is designed to train law graduates so that they can be “called to the bar”. This is usually undertaken by those who wish to begin BVC jobs such as barristers in England and Wales. As of September 2010 the BVC will be restructured and renamed as a result to the BPTC (Bar Professional Training Course). There are 10 different institutions where the bar vocational course can be taken and the fees range greatly for college to college.

Entry

The BVC or BPTC courses require candidates to already have a law degree that is not less that a 2:2 honours. It is also possible to begin a bar vocational course with a degree in another discipline no less than a 2:2 but with an additional qualification in the CPE (Common Professional Examination). However, that is not to say that the qualifications alone will gain entrance to those wishing to apply. Candidates must demonstrate a good range of extracurricular activities at university as well as other ways that they have managed to get themselves involved academically. Applicants should also show that they are fully committed to the English Bar.

The BVC is a highly competitive course, and out of all those that apply, just over half will get a place. Potential BVC jobs after qualifying are extremely sought after, powerful and well-paid positions. After the completion of the bar vocational course (or the BPTC after September 2010), it is necessary to find pupillage within the industry.

Pupillage

This is the equivalent of a solicitor’s training contract. Graduates of the bar vocational course who are seeking BVC jobs must complete the final stage of their barrister training by undertaking pupillage. This can be likened to a type of apprenticeship within the law world that uses the knowledge and experience gained from university degrees and the BVC or BPTC in the barristers’ chambers. This normally lasts a year.

BVC Online

The Internet offers a good way of applying to BVC courses. BVC online allows users to apply to any and all of the BVC provider institutions. After applications are complete, BVC online lets applicants check the status of their applications and will send notification via email upon success or rejection from a college.

BPTC

The BPTC is the newly named and structured course for those wishing to become barristers. It will begin its first academic year in September 2010.

Monday, March 29th, 2010 admin
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Partners head for Aus as crisis rumours hit DLA Piper’s Middle East offices

Things are going from bad to worse at DLA Piper’s Middle East offices, with rumours of partners disappearing and office space being sold off.

Insiders have told RollOnFriday that there simply isn’t enough work for the massive number of partners the firm recently hired for Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and a raft of them have now been shipped off to DLA Phillips Fox in Australia.

The departures have left a lot of empty desks - so many, in fact, that the firm is rumoured to have been selling off office space in an attempt to recoup some losses.

A spokeswoman said, “Last year we reduced our resource levels, through redundancy, redeployment, natural wastage. In order to align our office space with our existing needs we are considering sub-leasing around 40% of our Dubai office space. We do not intend to reduce our office space in Abu Dhabi. We work very closely with DLA Phillips Fox as part of our strategy to support clients across Asia Pacific.

In line with that strategy, two lawyers have relocated to Australia and we have another lawyer there on secondment, who will return to our Middle East practice in due course. In addition, two former partners from our Dubai office are working on significant projects in Australia and continue to support our practice in the Middle East”

Source : Roll on Friday

Thursday, March 25th, 2010 admin
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Banking Lawyer – Job Description

The banking profession may have been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent years, but there’s no doubting the world of finance still remains a very attractive career path for many jobseekers. Banking law is an extremely important part of the sector, and below we take a look at the general duties and average salary of a banking lawyer.

Bank Of England

Banking Lawyer – Work Overview

  • Banking lawyers will concern themselves with numerous aspects of finance law on a daily basis
  • Banking and finance is very much a global industry – so anybody keen to pursue a career in this area will need to demonstrate an extensive knowledge of both domestic and international business and finance regulation.
  • Interpreting complex banking law in a clear and concise manner to clients
  • Liasing with other lawyers and legal representatives in relation to finance cases
  • Mediating and consulting on financial litigation cases
  • Facilitating and approving large-scale banking transactions
  • Overseeing insolvency cases
  • Drafting legal documents
  • Working long hours, late nights and early morning to bring legal disputes to a resolution
  • Demonstrate both authority and empathy in complex legal cases
  • Finally, a banking lawyer will require incredible reserves of concentration, as every detail counts

Banking Lawyer: Average Salary

Depending on experience, the average salary of a banking lawyer can vary from £50,000 to £100,000+ per annum.

Interested in a career in this area of law? Find banking lawyer jobs on City Law Jobs

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 admin
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Criminal Law Jobs – A Guide

Criminal law jobs centre on the prosecution of an individual. Criminal law is generally directed through the criminal justice system so if you are trying to find criminal law jobs then you must have an excellent understanding of the British justice system.

You will find it hard to find criminal law jobs unless you have a 2:1 or higher in a law degree. This is a bare minimum and many employers expect more and will require postgraduate qualifications which are specialist to criminal law.

If you are convinced that criminal law is the branch of law you want to specialise in then it is essential you research major criminal law employers as they will state the qualifications they require for a low level criminal law job.

Criminal law jobs require a high level of commitment due to training taking up to 7 years before you even get your first job. The education doesn’t stop here either, you will constantly need to update your knowledge to keep up with the changes in law. You might find yourself working unsociable hours and becoming stressed due to the high pressure environments of criminal law jobs.

General Tasks for Criminal Lawyers

 

  • Preparing cases for court.
  • Examining and cross examining witnesses.
  • Dedicating your time to keep up with the ever evolving laws.
  • Drafting legal documents.
  • Leading negotiation.

Your salary as a criminal lawyer will alter due to experience but once you have worked your way up the criminal law ladder then you can expect to be earning up to £60,000 per year and possibly more.

 

 

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 admin
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Employment Law Jobs – A Guide

Employment Law jobs require a lot of commitment and training. It is not always clear what is involved in jobs in employment law so this guide should help you with the basics.

Jobs in employment law are complicated due to laws continuously changing and evolving. Consequently there are plenty of employment law jobs available which help both businesses and individuals.

Employment Law Job Tasks – What is Involved?

  • Keeping up to date with changes in the law.
  • Read law journals and reports to stay in touch with transformations in employment law.
  • Drafting contracts and other legal documents.
  • Helping and advising junior legal professionals.
  • Hold meetings with clients to ensure progress.
  • If you are given any advice then it is your responsibility to follow it up with appropriate research to ensure the accuracy of the advice.

There is great potential for developing exciting careers in employment law. Your salary will depend on your level of experience. If you are fresh out of law school then your salary will be no more than £30,000 per year once you are experienced then you can earn above and beyond £100,000.

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 admin
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BPP Law School

BPP Law School is one of the UK’s leading legal education providers. They have a total of 6 law training schools around the country:
• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Leeds
• London – Holborn
• London – Waterloo
• Manchester

Each year BPP Law Schools enrol over 5,500 students aiming to gain one of several legal qualifications on offer. BPP’s reputation is such that they have a link with 19 of the country’s leading law firms who send their trainees without law degrees to them only.

Courses and Study Life
There is a large range of different law training programmes offered at BPP Law Schools. These vary to suit individual needs and expectations. Expert practitioners teach using modern learning facilities and technologies.

Aside from the exceptional law training methods and means, there are common rooms for leisure time with TV, food and pool tables. There is also the possibility to join a number of societies, clubs and organisations. Parties that mark the beginning of term, Christmastime and a Summer Ball are widely attended by students.

Law Training Programmes Offered…

Undergraduate & Postgraduate
• LLB (Hons)
• LLB Business Law (Hons)
• LLB (GDL conversion)
• Commercial Law Graduate Certificate
• LLM (in choice of: Commercial; Financial Regulation & Compliance; International Business Law; Professional Legal Practice)

Professional
• GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law)
• LPC (Legal Practice Course)
• BPTC (Bar Professional Training Course)
• Bar Transfer Test

Short Courses
• LLB/GDL Revision
• Summer School

Funding
Law training normally requires a large investment of money. Courses can range from £6,500 to over £14,000 for one year. There are ways in which BPP assist prospective students with regards to funding. There are a very limited number of scholarships available that help in different financial ways. In addition, there is the chance to win an essay competition that awards one free place per year.

Monday, March 22nd, 2010 admin
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Tullett defectors forced to repay loyalty bonuses

A group of City brokers will have to pay back loyalty bonuses of up to £500,000 after defecting from Tullett Prebon to one of its closest rivals, a court ruled today.

The ten brokers were at the centre of a bitter legal dispute in which Tullett accused rival BGC Partners and Anthony Verrier, a former senior Tullett executive who left to join BGC in 2008, of conducting an unlawful conspiracy to poach its senior staff.

Mr Justice Jack, sitting in the High Court in London, today ruled that BGC is liable for damages after inducing the brokers to breach their employment contracts with Tullett.

A hearing to determine how much BGC will have to pay will be held at a later date. (more…)

Thursday, March 18th, 2010 admin
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Conveyancing Jobs – A Guide

In simple terms, conveyancing relates to any legal work that involves the buying or selling of a home.  Conveyancers offer specialist legal knowledge on housing issues, commercial property issues and land disputes. To learn more about conveyancing jobs and conveyancing secretary jobs, read this guide.

Conveyancing

Conveyancing Jobs: Daily Duties and Work Profile

  • The most important job of a conveyancer is to oversee the buying and selling process and ensure a property transaction runs as smoothly as possible.  Any legal matters, paperwork and contracts relating to a property purchase or sale will need to be studied by a conveyancer. It’s the job of a conveyancer to advise a client on every step of the property transaction process.

General duties will include:

  • Liasing with clients on a regular basis regarding a property, commercial or land transaction
  • Advising clients on estimated fees and providing a timetable of the legal processes involved
  • Scrutinising title deeds and relevant Land Registry documents
  • Analysing HIPs to ensure no legal issues will arise
  • Drafting contracts and fielding negotiations with the other legal parties involved in the property transaction
  • Ensuring the contract moves successfully towards the exchange
  • Finalising all financial issues
  • Ensuring any leasehold transactions follow the wishes of the landlord
  • General legal administration relating to the property sector

Conyeyancing Job  Salary Information

  • Starting salary – £15,000
  • Although the starting salary is fairly low, once you have gained full experience of the job you can earn anthing from £25,000 – £40,000 a year.
  • After three years in conveyancing, you can apply to join the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), which will allow you to work self-employed or enter into a partnership – which could prove extremely rewarding when it comes to salary in the long term.
  • Commission payments can also top up the annual salary of a licensed conveyancer considerably.

Interested in a career in this profession? Find conveyancing jobs on City Law Jobs.

Thursday, March 18th, 2010 admin
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Family Law Jobs

One of the most interesting areas of the legal profession is family law – and thousands of people every year consider family law jobs as their chosen area of law.  Of course, legal issues in this area can be extremely sensitive, so it’s a profession that requires patience, understanding and dedication.

Family Law

Family Law: The Essential Guide

  • Family law concerns sensitive legal interaction between family members. The most common issues relate to marital issues, custody of children, divorce, adoption, issues relating to the family estate and inheritance, and the execution of wills.
  • To become a family law solicitor or family law barrister you’ll need to undergo the relevant training. After gaining a law degree, to pursue a career in this area of law it’s best to study for a postgraduate qualification or diploma that specialises in family law.  Some set qualifications may be required before you can practice certain areas of law, so if you are dedicated to following a certain career path, it’s essential to do the relevant research before you apply for courses.
  • Inevitably, family law can involve great distress for those involved and trigger many emotions, so if you’re planning on interacting with clients in this area of law,  it’s essential to be a good mediator and demonstrate the ability to cope with a large number of challenging family situations.
  • If a family lawyer is working on legal issues pertaining to children, a lot of your time will be spent consulting witht the Child Support Agency and relevant social workers.
  • You’ll also need to consult and brief fellow lawyers about any relevant legal issues at hand.
  • Other duties  include general administrative tasks (such as filing legal documents), networking with other attorneys, attending court proceedings and discussing legal issues in a concise and considered manner with clients.

Interested in a legal career in this area? Find family law jobs on City Law Jobs

Thursday, March 18th, 2010 admin
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