Joanne Davis, from Shoesmiths, will head the asset finance and regulatory practice. DWF managing partner Andrew Leaitherland said of her, “Joanne is a great fit with our new national lender services team and client portfolio. Her outstanding asset finance and consumer credit regulatory experience will help us build on our impressive commercial offering.”

He added that, “Birmingham has long since been a strategic target for the firm to ensure we are based exactly where our clients need us. The city also has a great talent pool of lawyers, many with the expertise and knowledge of the market sectors in which we specialise and aim to develop in the future.”

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Liverpool is one of the most famous cities in the UK for a number of reasons. It was selected as the European Capital of Culture in 2008 and is home to the UK’s most successful football club in Liverpool FC. Liverpool also produced arguably the biggest band the world has ever seen in The Beatles

4 of the top 100 biggest law firms in the UK are based here, consequently, there are several large firms offering legal jobs in Liverpool from high end solicitors and lawyers to legal secretaries and paralegals.

Legal Jobs in Liverpool

A big provider of legal jobs in Liverpool is DWF LLP. Their head office provides many legal jobs in Liverpool. DWF LLP are currently placed at number 52 in the top 100 law firms in the UK and had a turnover of £60m in 2009. Specialities for DWF LLP include Corporate Law, Family Law and Private Client, People, Real Estate, Finance & Restructuring, Insurance and Litigation.

The biggest law firm in the city of Liverpool is Hill Dickinson LLP and, combined with their offices in London and Greece, have over 1100 employees. Because of their size, Hill Dickinson LLP provides a lot of legal jobs in Liverpool. They specialise largely in legal matters regarding corporate and commercial finance, especially marine and maritime issues. Notable clients for Hill Dickinson LLP include Steven Gerrard and Cunard Ships. Hill Dickinson are almost 200 years old as a law firm and currently stand at 27 on the list of the top 100 UK law firms, with a 2009 turnover of £82m.

There are other providers of legal jobs in Liverpool and you can search for legal jobs in Liverpool online on websites such as City Law Jobs. Salaries vary depending on an individual’s role within the legal industry. A Paralegal could expect to earn between £18k and £25k per year whilst a solicitor or lawyer could make £60k+ a year depending on experience.

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Legal jobs in Wales are mainly found in the Welsh capital city of Cardiff. If looking for law jobs Wales offers a variety of positions ranging from smaller legal houses to big city law firms. For a guide to legal jobs in Wales, see the following information.

Law Jobs Wales
Thriving industries in Wales include media, biotech companies and high profile energy initiatives. All of these growing sectors require proper legal representation and expertise. The stability of the Welsh public sector has meant that legal jobs in Wales have not been as threatened as they could have been during the recession.

In all Welsh legal firms there are usually Welsh speakers who work there. Many of the smaller agricultural firms need lawyers who speak Welsh as their first language due to Welsh speaking clients.

Legal Jobs in Cardiff
Whereas before, many organisations would traverse the waters to Bristol for legal representation, it is now increasingly common for clients to use local legal services in Cardiff. In addition to this there is a large number of businesses that are moving from other parts of the country to Cardiff. This can only heighten the demand for legal jobs in Cardiff.

Top Legal 500 Firms in Cardiff Include:
•    Eversheds LLP – a well known Welsh firm that attracts a great deal of international world. This firm is renowned for its efficiency and business.

•    Geldards LLP – with offices in the Midlands and Cardiff this firm has more than 300 staff.

•    Hugh James – this firm concentrates on commercial and corporate finance.

•    Morgan Cole – this strong Welsh firm has grown in the public sector practice and focuses on healthcare. In fact, their healthcare team is one of the best in Britain.

There are many legal jobs in Cardiff for large firms similar to those mentioned above. However, legal jobs in Wales also include all the smaller firms in rural areas. These suit more traditional legal work with local clients.

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Edinburgh Overview

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and also widely recognised as one of the most beautiful European cities.

It’s rich in history, with the medieval Edinburgh Castle dominating it’s centre, surrounded by a network of tiny alleyways, then as you move out these are replaced with wider Georgian streets, constructed in the 1800’s.

The Edinburgh Legal Scene

In Scotland many of the larger law firms have offices in both Edinburgh and Glasgow (and often Aberdeen as well). Both cities are dominated by the ‘Big Four’ (see next section).

The legal scene in Edinburgh has placed much reliance on providing services to the financial sector which has itself suffered recently with companies such as RBS and the  Bank of Scotland having to make cut-backs and also become more centred on London.

Despite these knocks some law firms, such as Eversheds, have made a positive move to open financially-focused offices.

Legal 500 firms in Edinburgh

The ‘Big Four’, who have feet in both of Scotland’s major cities are made up of:

• Dundas & Wilson CS LLP – working primarily for clients in financial services, energy, utilities, real estate, and infrastructure. Also involved with national and local governments.
• Maclay Murray & Spens LLP – main areas are banking and finance, capital projects, commercial dispute resolution, construction and engineering, corporate, employment, pensions and benefits, EU, competition and regulatory, IP and technology, planning and environmental, private client, property and tax.
• McGrigors LLP – they specialise in a range of sectors including energy, infrastructure, house-building and regeneration.
• Shepherd and Wedderburn – they offer a full range of legal services, including property, construction, planning and environment, corporate finance, funds and financial services and many more.

The past couple of years have seen several mergers, including Anderson Strathern LLP’s ‘double’, with Glasgow firm Kerr & Co and private client firm McVies, plus Morton Fraser acquiring the Edinburgh private client firm Skene Edwards.

Living in Edinburgh

In contrast to the rich history of the city, there are now also a number of contemporary and highly fashionable modern developments, so accommodation is available for all tastes.

There is a population of around 450,000, who live in and around the various districts of the city. These are: New Town, Central Edinburgh; Portobello, East Edinburgh; Stockbridge, North Edinburgh; Marchmont, South Edinburgh; Corstophine, West Edinburgh; and South West Edinburgh.

The waterfront areas of Granton and Leith are receiving special attention from architects, who are creating some exceptional developments just a short commute from the main city centre.

Entertainment, Shopping & Sights in Edinburgh

Probably one of the things most associated with Edinburgh is its world-famous festival, which takes place every August.

A mass of ‘live’ entertainment abounds and is available nightly across the city in the form of music, comedy, dance and more.

Film fans can enjoy two art-house cinemas – the Film House and the Cameo – plus several multiplex cinemas.

Culture lovers can take in the museums and galleries, including the Museum of Scotland and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

It’s a great city for shopping, with mainstream shops along Princess Street and more individual, quirky ones hidden around the city. There are also some larger malls, so if you like to shop you are truly spoilt for choice.

The sights of Edinburgh are a pleasure to explore, including the impressive castle, Scott’s Monument, Dungeons and open gardens and parks.

Socialising & Eating in Edinburgh
It’s a bit of a clichéd phrase, but Edinburgh has developed a real “café culture”. There is also a wide range of excellent bars and restaurants, plus plenty of nightclubs for late night dancing and entertainment.

The restaurants in the city are excellent, with a huge variety of food from across the globe on offer, plus those focusing on Scottish produce and cuisine.

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City Guide to life in London

Overview of London

London, alongside New York and Tokyo, is one of the centres of the global financial market. The capital of England, London is famous for its mix of old and modern buildings, rich history and fantastic culture.

The London Legal Scene

It’s prominence in the global financial market means that many of the worlds top law firms have a presence in London. 75% of Fortune 500 companies have offices in London, more than 50% of FTSE 100 companies and over 20% of Europe’s 500 largest companies.

Many of the London law firms generate most of their revenue from international finance and banking. London has more overseas banks than any other city in the world including some of the biggest such as HSBC, Citi and Lloyds TSB, all of which require legal representation. The city is also home to the Bank of England and the London Stock Exchange.

The global financial crisis of 2008-9 has led to many London law firms changing their practices with a lot of business coming from restructurings and insolvencies.

Notable London Law Firms

As said previously, some of the largest legal law firms in the world have a significant footprint in London.

Allen & Overy LLP – One of the premier international law firms with over 5000 employees and 490 partners. They have offices in 31 cities, across 22 countries. Their main areas of operation are in international finance, specifically banking litigation, structured finance, corporate insolvency and restructuring, acquisitions, takeovers and mergers and financial services.

Clifford Chance LLP – The firm focuses on the core areas of commercial activity: capital markets; corporate and M&A; finance and banking; real estate; tax, pensions and employment; and litigation and dispute resolution. The company has offices in all the major cities around the world and there are 223 partners in the UK.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP - Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP has top-level experience across key practice areas, these are antitrust, competition and trade; corporate; dispute resolution, including environment, planning and regulatory; employment, pensions and benefits; finance; IP/IT; real estate; and tax. The company was formed in 2000 with the merger of three of the major law firms from the UK and Germany to form a major international law practice.

Slaughter and May LLP – Slaughter and May is a leading international law firm with a worldwide corporate, commercial and financing practice comprising approximately 590 partners and associates. The main areas are corporate and financing, financial regulation, technology, media and telecoms and corporate tax. Slaughter and May LLP have offices in Paris, Brussels, Hong Kong and Beijing.

Herbert Smith LLP – Herbert Smith LLP have significant experience in Transport, Energy (renewable, electrical and oil & Gas), insurance litigation, corporate and regulatory insurance and commercial litigation. Herbert Smith LLP is rated as a first tier firm in all of these sectors.

Living in London

London is a fantastic mix of old and new building. Modern apartments on the Thames and the Docklands sit alongside Victorian and Georgian architecture. Property prices in central London are among the highest in the country.

London has a population of roughly 7.5 million people and is one of the most cosmopolitan and multicultural cities in the world. The varied nature of London means that there is something for everyone and extensive bus and underground network mean that everywhere is readily accessible.

Things to do in London

London is full of things to do and it would be very hard to get bored in the city. There are literally thousands of pubs, bars and clubs including some of the best in the world such as The Ministry of Sound and Fabric. London is home to some of the best restaurants in the world, owned by some of the best chefs in the world.

Oxford Street is the most famous shopping street in London but there are lots of other places to shop. Camden market is famous for its stalls and independent shops, and music scene whilst London is also one of the fashion capitals of world alongside New York, Paris and Milan.

For those that are interested the arts and culture, The West End is famous for its theatres and shows and is held in the same regard as Broadway in New York. London has some of the best art galleries in the world housing some of the most famous artworks. The Tate Britain is home to the Turner prize and some exceptional exhibitions. The Tate Modern, located near the London Eye is famous for modern artworks and has featured pieces by famous names such as Damien Hirst.

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Bristol Overview

Bristol is the largest city in the South West of England, with a population of roughly 420,000 people, making it the eighth largest city in the United Kingdom.

The city is the largest centre for culture, employment and education in the region, famed for its long history as an important port, rapidly expanding in the nineteenth century.  Today, the city has benefited from many regeneration projects that have put Bristol at the forefront of 21st century living.

 The Bristol Legal Scene

Bristol has an extremely competitive legal industry, with a large number of high quality, full-service firms having a base in the city.

As a result of the impact of the credit crunch, many legal firms have shifted their mandates in recent years to focus on insolvency, corporate recovery and professional negligence claims. 

In terms of the rest of the South West of England, the city of Exeter is another important legal hub, with leading firms here including Stephens Scown, Ashfords LLP and Michelmores LLP.

Legal 500 firms in Bristol

The city is dominated by a ‘big three’, although several busy firms have a base in Bristol and across the South West. The major legal players in Bristol are:

• Burges Salmon LLP – This firm primarily focuses on corporate, commercial and financial interests.  Burges Salmon has offices in both Bristol and London, but prides itself on its regional identity in the heart of Bristol. The company has roughly 650 employees in total and works with both major multinational companies and emerging enterprises. 
• Osborne Clark – The majority of this firm’s work is linked to areas such as dispute resolution, finance, energy and human resources.  The company is currently in the top 60 of all European law firms.  The firm also has bases in London and Reading.
• TLT PPP – Interests are primarily based in providing integrated solutions for the financial and leisure services. The firm has been praised for the innovative approach it takes towards legal dealings. Major clients the company liaise with include Punch Taverns, Merlin Entertainments, Orange and Barclays Bank.
• Other leading firms in the city include Ashfords LLP, Bevan Brittain LLP, Clarke Wilmott LLP, Bond Pearce LLP and Beachcroft LLP.

Living in Bristol

When it comes to property, Bristol has a strong blend of the old and the new – as touched on above, extensive regeneration plans have seen some major property developments transform certain areas of the city.

The city’s main residential districts can be split broadly into three main sections.

To the south of the city, many people choose to live in areas such as Bedminster, Knowle, Totterdown, Amos Vale and Southville.

Heading north, popular districts include Bishopston, Kingsdown, Montpellier and the large suburb of Clifton.

To the east of the city, major districts include Easton, Kingswood, Eastville and Fishponds.

Entertainment, Shopping & Sites in Bristol

For those who enjoy nothing more than a spot of retail therapy, Bristol should have plenty of appeal – the city has three major shopping centres, and is the major retail hub in the surrounding region.

The city’s newest shopping development is Cabot Circus with over 120 new shops and a major cinema. Adjacent to the development is Bristol’s original major shopping area, Broadmead with over 300 famous high-street stores. The Mall is another major retail centre with a pleasing mix of big names and independent shops.

If joining the masses shopping is your idea of hell, you can always enjoy the passion of league football by heading to a match at one of the city’s two major football clubs. Bristol City plays home games to the south-west of the city, while rivals Bristol Rovers are based towards the eastern side of Bristol.

Anybody walking around Bristol needs to keep an eye out for a Banksy artwork – the mysterious graffiti artist originates from the city and has certainly left his mark in many of the city’s districts.

Socialising & Eating in Bristol

Bristol has plenty of restaurants and cafes catering to every palate, so whether you like sushi or steak and chips, you should find something to whet your appetite. 

The city has two restaurants that have won critical acclaim from Michelin – Casarnia in Westbury-on-Trym and Green’s Dining Room in the heart of the city centre.

Aside from dining, the city has a highly-regarded and lively underground music scene, especially the genre of ‘Trip hop’, or the ‘Bristol Sound’ as it has become known.

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Cardiff Overview

Cardiff is the Capital City of Wales and rightly so as it is the commercial hub of the country. It is the base for Welsh national media, the seat of the National Assembly for Wales and probably most importantly to the Welsh, the base for most national sporting institutions. The population of Cardiff is about 324,800 and with 11.7 million visitors per year it is clearly a massive centre for Welsh tourism.

Cardiff is steeped in history, the first signs of inhabitation go back 1,500 years before Stonehenge. Before the Roman occupation Cardiff was occupied by Celts and then eventually the Normans. The fusion of old and new in Cardiff works incredibly well with the old Norman castle at Cardiff’s centre and the redevelopments of the bay.

The Cardiff Legal Scene

There are many thriving sectors in Wales including the media industry, biotech companies and high profile energy projects. It is inevitable that all of these industries need legal expertise within the country. Legal firms in Wales have been cushioned in the economic downturn by there being an abundance of work from the public sector.

Most clients of large legal firms have reported fantastic technical and expert advice. Companies that might have crossed the boarder to use the legal firms of Bristol are now tending to stay a little closer to home and making use of the fantastic legal expertise Cardiff has to offer. At present there is also an influx of business coming in from other areas of the UK.

There are usually Welsh speakers in every firm in Wales. The regional firms often have a greater number of lawyers whose first language is Welsh; especially the more agricultural areas of South West, Mid and North Wales.

Legal 500 Firms in Cardiff

• Eversheds LLP stands out in Wales for attracting international work in particular. Eversheds has brilliant energy and corporate finance practices and is highly valued for efficiency and a strong business focus.

• Geldards LLP has an extremely popular commercial property practice; this has been affected by the economic situation but the company has been supported by their fantastic media department.

• Hugh James has in the past few years changed their focus. As a more commercial firm they have some excellent people at the top in key areas, particularly commercial and corporate finance.

• Morgan Cole has been the best insulated by the economic downturn with a massive centre on strong public sector practice and in particular the healthcare team. The Morgan Cole healthcare team rivals any in the UK.

In Cardiff there are some mid-tier firms that are following close behind the heavyweights. Recent firms to emerge as possible contenders are Darwin Gray, M & A Solicitors LLP and Capital Law LLP. Darwin Gray has recently made significant hires in insolvency and dispute resolution. M & A Solicitors LLP has managed to bag the expertise of the commercial litigation specialist John Morris and the energy and construction specialist Jeremy Williams. Capital Law LLP have built up a very strong international HR practice.

Living in Cardiff

Cardiff is a great place to live and work; it is a thriving city that has all the facilities and attractions you could ever wish for. Cardiff is compact but contains theatres, museums, a castle and the world class Millennium Stadium. Cardiff is a brilliant area to live if you like shopping as there are all of your high street brands and dozens of smaller and more specialist shops to browse around.

Cardiff Bay is the largest waterfront development in Europe and home to the internationally renowned arts venue, the Millennium Centre and lots of cafés and restaurants. Cardiff also has lots of green spaces giving the city an open and natural feel and is within easy reach of the stunning Brecon Beacons.

Cardiff is very well connected by public transport and there are lots of different types of housing. If you are looking for properties in Cardiff you will have to choose between waterside apartments, Georgian town houses and cottages. Cardiff is a city that is developing all the time and is a very exciting place to live. It is close to the M4 corridor and has good rail links, an airport, and is ideally situated for trips be it for pleasure or business.

Socialising and Nights Out

Cardiff has lots of cafés and restaurants for socialising during the day; you will never be short of a new place to visit. Cardiff has over one hundred pubs and clubs that you can try out. St Mary’s Street is the prefect place if you are a bar hopper looking for exciting new things. A few that come highly recommended are Aqua Bar, Salt, Barfly and Tiger Tiger.

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Information kindly provided by Clarion Solicitors LLP

Overview

Leeds is a vibrant city with a rapidly expanding economy. Leeds was recently voted the UKs best city for business and also the safest City in England for women. Leeds has a growing reputation as as cultural centre to rival that of Manchester. It is the second largest metropolitan district in the UK. Leeds rail station is the largest outside of London and c110,000 people commute to Leeds every day. This city has the largest Legal sector outside of London employing over 8,000 people in a wide variety of Legal Jobs.

The Legal Scene

On the legal front Leeds is home to a number of Legal 500 firms and the top of the Leeds legal market is referred to as the ‘big 6′, namely; Addleshaw Goddard, Eversheds, Hammonds, DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons and Walker Morris. 5 of which are major national players {who incidently employ over 1000 Lawyers betwee them}, the remaining law firm Walker Morris is a Leeds purebred.

Other firms to mention are Clarion Solicitors and Irwin Mitchell. From salary research it is reported that Leeds lawyers remain amongst the best-paid lawyers outside of London and Solicitors who can generate their own work can pretty much write their own wage cheque! ‘Leeds Legal’ website states “The Leeds legal market is harnessing an array of qualities that is inspiring more national and international clients to use the city’s legal services”. They also talk about the ‘Yorkshire Approach’ whereby firms are knows for their value for money, no nonsense advice and strong personal client relationships. perhaps this is why so many businesses choose to sourch legal advice from Leeds lawyers.

“I love working in Leeds. It’s a hugely competitive legal market attracting very challenging work but at the same time I can live a 20 minutes bike ride from the office on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.” mo Bhaskaran, Partner @ Pinsent Masons.

Entertainment, Shopping & sights

The city has excellent shopping, with the centre boasting over two miles of traffic free shopping: everything from designer to high street and unique boutiques. It is famous for being the first cist outside of London to play host to Harvey Nichols, Main shopping areas of the city include Victoria Quarter – the designer haven, the Corn Exchange, a plethora of boutiques, and Briggate, the main shopping High Street. There is also the famous Leeds Kirkgate markets, which holds bi-weekly farmers markets.

As well as being a shop-a-holics heaven, Leeds is a cultured city with art galleries, museums and grand country houses – The Royal Armouries, Harewood House, Tropical World, Roundhay Park, Kirkstall Abbey, Temple Newsam and Thackray Medical Museum are a few of the sights. Fore more extreme entertainment you must find out more about Xscape for adventure activities. for the theatre goers among you, the West Yorkshire Playhouse stages more productions each year than any other theatre outisde of London.

Socialising & Eating

Wherever you are in Leeds you will not be short of a fine place to eat, with every type of restaurant imaginable. Leeds Watefront has been transformed into a trendy place to eat. As for socialising – live music, late-night bars and a vibrant club scene means if you want to be up all night, you can be!

Living in Leeds

Leeds is one of the least expensive cities in the United Kingdom. In May 2008, according to research the average house price was £169,440. A number of areas within the city stand out:

City Centre: there has been a huge expansion of housing in recent years particularly on the popular waterfront wher there are a number of very competitively priced flats as well as some very exclusive apartments and penthouses.

Headingley: is the student and young professional capital of Leeds. Housing is a range of residential family houses to older terraces and social housing estates. Headingley has excellent amenities.

Horsforth: is a very popular area of Leeds and is reflected in house prices being above average.

Chapel Allerton, the mature headingley: is fast becoming one of the most sought after areas in Leeds. It has a diverse population with a vibrant centre of designer shops and some very popular restaurants and bars.

A word from our sponsors of our City Guide to life in Leeds:

“Leeds is a major commercial centre and one of the great cities in the United Kingdom. We at Clarion Solicitors LLP are very proud of our home city and the phenomenal growth it has enjoyed over recent years, it is now the major financial and legal centre in England outside London. We feel that over the years we have in business we have helped to contribute in our own way to that progress.

Leeds is a modern and hugely diverse city offering a rich and varied cultural life ranging from top quality classical music to legendary bars and nightclubs and from cutting edge contemporary theatre to world class sporting events. An additional attraction of the city is the accessibility of some of Britain’s most beautiful countryside. The Yorkshire Dales, the Peak District and the Lake District are all in easy hitting distance and those who work in Leeds have the ability to live either within the city itself in a range of modern apartments or to live in the many towns and rural villages that have transport links into the city.!

You can visit the ‘Life in Leeds’ blog here http://www.clarionsolicitors.com/blogs.php? blog_type=life

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Overview

Birmingham is proud of its status as the UK’s second city after London. With a population of over 1,000,000 the city has undergone a massive transformation over the last 10 years and is now one of the most exciting and diverse cities in Europe in which to live and work. The excellent transport links provide easy reach to all the country, making Birmingham an excellent base from which to travel. The areas traditional manufacturing base, although still important, has been replaced by a shift towards a knowledge base economy of which the legal industry is a major player.

The Legal Scene

The legal job market in Birmingham reflects the buoyant nature of the legal industry in the city and the West Midlands legal industry as a whole is very active. Traditionally England’s second city there is an argument to suggest that Manchester has taken over that mantle in recent years, fuelled by massive regeneration across the North West and an influx of venture capital. That aside, Birmingham continues to thrive as a commercial centre. Birmingham’s legal sector has always been strong, home to the country’s largest local law society and largest set of barristers’ chambers in the country.

There are a host of Legal 500 firms in Birmingham:

Wragg & CO LLP has a focus on major corporate and public sector bodies.

DLA Piper’s Birmingham office has a slant towards international clients.

Eversheds LLP has captured some major corporate clients including Canon UK and Calor Gas.

Pinsent Mason’s strengths are in the areas of PFI, banking and finance.

Other notable firms with offices in Birmingham include Hammonds, Shoosmiths, Clarke Willmotts and Cobbetts. Martineau Johnson has recently moved to larger premises in the capital and is indicative of its ambitious plans for growth beyond the region.

The Birmingham Law Society hosts Legal Awards {now in its 7th year, in 2008} and this year Ian Forrest, Managing Partner of Birmingham law firm Hammonds, was crowned ‘Managing Partner of the Year’. Under Ian’s leadership, Hammonds’ Birmingham office continues to thrive and be recognised as one of the top providers of legal services in the Midlands.

Living in Birmingham

Birmingham includes some popular residential areas, with properties of all sizes, to suit all budgets. The centre of the city provides the latest in apartment living for those wishing to live within walking distance of shops, entertainment, café bars and the busy nightlife.

On the South of the City there are some extremely popular residential areas such as Edgbaston and Harborne with their large traditional properties, good schools and local shopping facilities. Other popular areas include, Selly Park, Kings Heath and Moseley, all within a very close proximity to the city centre. On the North side of the City is Sutton Coldfield, a pleasant town in a rural environment with full mix of housing styles, good shopping centre, popular schools and excellent for commuting by train.

Entertainment, Shopping & Sights

With several museums, including Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the Ikon Gallery, and Millennium Point, as well as the Jewellery Quarter {home to both unique shops and fascinating museums}, Sea Life Centre and Birmingham Cathedral, there is plenty to see and do in the city centre. All aspects of Asian culture can be experienced in the Balti Triangle. Further afield there is Cadbury World in Bournville, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Drayton Manor Family Theme Park and Dudley Zoo among many other places of interest to visit.

Birmingham is also a great place for nights out. There are plenty of pubs, bars and restaurants in the city centre, including several by the canal at Brindley Place. The Bullring shopping centre is the new European shopping capital, and is part of Birmingham’s £9 million regeneration scheme, which is seeing accommodation, shops and offices being built around the city.

Socialising & Eating

Whether you’re looking for a Michelin Star restaurant or a great value Balti, Birmingham conjures up a world of enticing flavours to suit all tastes and budgets. Birmingham is Europe’s youngest city and with more students than any other UK city outside London, it’s not surprising that Birmingham’s club scene is one of the liveliest in the country. Whether you are after the bustle of the bars and clubs in Broad Street, some of the city’s hippest nightspots in the Mailbox or the newest restaurants by the canal – all are within easy reach of the city centre. If you’re a cool clubber, the Arcadian is reportedly the only place to be. This area of the city offers a wide range of bars and clubs.

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Overview

Manchester is the North West’s regional capital and for many in the UK Manchester is the second city behind London. It is the third most visited city in the UK and has a population of 2.6 million. The city boasts a number of leading businesses, retailers and entertainment venues. Manchester has a vibrant sporting culture and a rich artistic & music heritage.

The Legal Scene

On the legal scene Manchester is a district registry of the High Court, and also boasts a County Court and two Crown Courts at Minshull Street and Crown Square.

The Legal 500 is well represented within Manchester with firms such as;

Cobbetts; a top 50 full service law firm known for its technical expertise, real life advice and adding real value.

DLA Piper; an international law firm and the 5th largest legal services organisation in the UK {by turnover}. They employ over 2800 people across 8 offices in the major UK cities.

Addleshaw Goddard; ranked in The Sunday Times ‘100 Best Companies To Work For’ survey in 2006 and 2007.

Eversheds; they advise 45 FTSE 100 companies and offer exciting opportunities for legal professionals seeking work in the city of Manchester

Pannone LLP; is a full service law firm with clients split almost equally between businesses and private individuals.

Beachcroft; have more than 1400 lawyers and staff in eight offices across the UK.

Hammonds; leading commercial law firm who have developed, over the last 15 years, to become one of the largest law firms in the UK.

In the last ten years Manchester has developed into one of the key centres for commercial law outside of London. Within Manchester there are branches of Top 100 law firms and they offer some of the most competitive financial rewards outside of London.

Living in Manchester

Manchester has an excellent infrastructure, including a major international airport, the expanding Metrolink light rail network and a wide choice of city-centre accommodation. The derelict old factories and mills that characterised the city in the 80’s have given way for luxury conversion flats, and new build pads have been built on every piece of wasteland over the past 10 years. The hustle and bustle of city centre living is desirable for many young professionals. Should you wish to avoid living in the city then perhaps one fo the excellent suburbs such as Chrolton, Didsbury, Withington, Fallowfield and Prestwich are more for you.

Sport plays a huge part of Manchester’s identity, so you may wish to cheer on Champions League (2008) winners, Manchester United, at the Old Trafford stadium or watch a game at the Old Trafford cricket ground. Entertainment, Shopping & Sights Manchester is a city renowned for its night life and cultural heritage.

If it’s theatre you’re after then venues like The Royal Exchange, Palace Theatre and The Lowry are a few to mention. There are a plethora of galleries on offer and the Millennium Quarter is one of the most historic areas of the city.

Manchester’s main shopping district is along Deansgate, a mecca for spending your hardearned cash. The Arndale Centre is a magnet for compulsive buyers and you can even get a totally free express shopping session with their very own Retail Therapy Team. Located to the west of the City we cannot leave out the Trafford Centre which has nearly 300 stores, a multiplex cinema, live music and street theatre performances.

Urbis is an exhibition centre about city life, so if you want to learn more about the city in your lunch break then visit there and you can take numerous tours too. They cover tours to suit all tastes; from cultural history to shopping.

There are 3 national parks in a short distance from Manchester should you wish to escape manic city life; Snowdonia, the Lake District and the Peak District.

Music, Socialising & Eating Although Manchester didn’t produce the Beatles it can be argued and often is that Manchester’s music scene has been more vibrant and influential over the years. From the vanguard of punk via the Buzzcocks, to Joy Divison, New Order, Happy Mondays and host of others from factory records, Manchester has been at the cutting edge of the UK music scene for the last 30 years. The list of bands from Manchester out strips even those from London. They include, The Smiths, Stone
Roses and Oasis. More recently The Doves and The Ting Tings have kept the flag flying for the Manchester Music Scene.

There are some excellent live music venues, a large number of bars and clubs, and a vast array of places to eat and socialise {there are over 500 licensed venues on the city centre}. From traditional pubs to trendy wine bars and well over 200 restaurants in Manchester city centre to choose from, you are sure to have an excellent night out.

We asked our MD ‘In your opinion, where’s the best place to eat in Manchester & what would do you order when you do there?’ and he responded: “It would have to be Room on King Street. They serve nouvelle cuisine with a twist and the service is the best I have ever had. I would start with Buffalo Mozzarella followed by breast of chicken and ending with a selection of cheeses and coffee, it will leave you full enough to be happy but not uncomfortable.”

The bar scene tends to go between the Northern Quarter, Deansgate Locks and Canal Street. Two of the venues you may bump into a fellow legal professional are the Slug and Lettuce, and HA HA Bar and Grill. The Manchester’s Young Solicitors Group arrange monthly events including socials, networking meetings and CPD seminars. There is the famous annual ‘Beaujolais Bash’ organised in conjunction with the Manchester Law Society {which has over 1800 members} and local young professional groups.

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