Reeds is a Legal 500 Tier 1 criminal defence practice with more than twenty offices across England and Wales, and our Private Crime Team is growing faster than any other part of the firm. We need experienced and capable criminal solicitors to grow with it.
Our private clients come to us when their reputation, career, family or liberty is on the line. Much of the work is defending allegations of sexual offences, where the quality of preparation and the way a client is looked after matter more than anywhere else in criminal practice. Alongside that sits a busy motoring law team acting for people whose livelihoods depend on keeping their licence, as well as Regulatory and Crown Court litigation.
We welcome applications from anywhere in England and Wales and are particularly keen to hear from solicitors based in Sussex, Surrey, Kent, South London, Leeds and York.
The work
You will run your own caseload of privately funded criminal defence work from first police contact through to Crown Court trials, supported by our in-house advocates and trusted specialist Chambers, dedicated billing and administrative teams, and case management software and IT support that we believe are the best in the sector. Membership of a duty rota is not required.
Who we are looking for
You do not necessarily need to have undertaken private work before, albeit some experience would be preferred. Most of our Private Crime Team came from legal aid practice, and we can help you make the transition – the client care, the funding conversations, the different pace of the work. What you do need is:
- at least three years’ post-qualification experience in criminal defence;
- solid experience representing clients at the police station, conducting trials in the magistrates’ court and litigating Crown Court cases;
- either experience of defending sexual offence allegations, or the wish to join our motoring law team;
- A willingness to undertake regulatory and niche areas of law such as University Disciplinary matters and Taxi Licence Appeals;
- A willingness to travel to represent clients at court and in the police station;
- real enthusiasm for criminal law and the wish to practise it at the highest level for both legal defence and client care;
- empathy for clients who are often at the worst moment of their lives, and client care skills to match;
- close attention to detail in the law, in your files and in your billing;
- an understanding that clear communication, with clients and with colleagues, is at the heart of doing this job well;
- Be responsive to client communication and offer an exceptional level of client care;
- Self motivated individuals with the ability to manage a varied caseload in order to meet billing targets.
We welcome applications from anywhere in England and Wales and are particularly keen to hear from solicitors based in Sussex, Surrey, Kent, south London, Leeds and York.
Where it can take you
Commercially, as a member of the private team, the main success metric will be your billing and your ability to fee earn. However, if you are entrepreneurial and want to build the private practice in your area or open a new office or a new area of work for Reeds, we will back you – several of our offices started exactly that way. If you want to develop into management, we will train you for it. If you simply want to get your head down and be an excellent private criminal lawyer, that is valued just as highly. Progression is real and it runs all the way to partnership.
Salary – £50,000.00 – £100,000.00 depending on experience.
Working hours – 9:00am to 5:00pm, with one hour for lunch Monday – Friday, flexible working available
Job type – Permanent
Why work for Reeds?
At Reeds we do things The Reeds Way – a set of foundational principles that not only tell us how we run our business, but why.
Externally, it governs how we look after our clients. For example, we have developed our Service Pledge, and our whole firm works as a team to make sure we deliver on this every time.
The Reeds Way also governs and guides how we try to add value to the communities in which we operate.
Internally, the Reeds Way governs our culture, the Reeds working environment, and the working life and career that we offer to all Reeds people.
So, what does all this look like when put into practice? Here is what you can expect from us if you join our team:
- We safeguard a non-negotiable culture of respect for and between colleagues;
- We offer a transparent and fair career development structure with opportunities for all lawyers and fee-earners to progress through the stages and become an Associate, Senior Associate and hopefully Partner;
- All our people – and that means all our people – constantly undergo training and development via The ‘Reeds Academy’ which helps everyone achieve their career goals and get to where they want to be professionally, and to enhance their skills and knowledge;
- We encourage all our staff to think about business development and look for growth opportunities. We are always willing to listen to, and potentially invest in, new ideas;
- We offer competitive salary and benefit packages and have a transparent annual review process which considers your whole contribution to your team and the Firm, not just billing figures;
- We offer to all staff a discretionary bonus scheme for exceptional performance;
- We offer flexible working schemes which include compressed 4 day weeks, 9 day fortnights and TOIL (time off in lieu), as well as other hybrid working schemes;
- You will enjoy the ability to earn up to 30 days of holiday with years of service (standard holiday packages start at 21 days plus all bank holidays);
- There is an additional paid celebration day for you to use as you would like (such as a birthday, anniversary or other key event);
- You will have the ability to buy a further 5 days of holiday, and sell surplus holiday, each year;
- Discretionary additional holiday days are given at Christmas (up to a maximum of 2 days);
- We give you private medical health care with the option to upgrade and add optical and dental care;
- Access to Perkbox – Giving you access to discounts, health and wellbeing resources, and a range of perks;
- Discounted gym membership is available, through private medical insurance;
- We offer an employee assistance programme with access to physical, mental and emotional health advice & webinars, wellbeing videos and programmes, online counselling & mini health checks;
- The Cycle To Work scheme is available, including e-bikes;
- Fresh fruit baskets are placed in each office on a weekly basis.
If you are interested in this position, or would like further information, please email [email protected] with the job title clearly stated in the subject line.