Having recently relocated back to Merseyside (Wirral to be specific) I can honestly say that I haven’t looked back. Living by the sea again and being a stones’ throw from Liverpool, we are never short of things to do with our young family and with friends. From days on the beach near our home to getting the ferry across the Mersey, Liverpool is always offering something different and fun for every age group.
Last year the Liverpool Giants (huge, spectacular marionettes made by international street theatre company Royal de Luxe) wowed the city for one final time and the turnout was incredible. There is even a giant Cluedo game happening in the streets of Liverpool next month. Whether you are interested in music, sports, the arts, culture, history, food/drink or nightlife, Liverpool can offer it all in abundance and with a warm welcome. I could list so many things to do in and around the city, but at the risk of sounding like the tourist board, I’ll stop now!
I appreciate that I am painting a picture of strawberry fields with happy Scousers everywhere you look, but of course there are issues of poverty and deprivation like any other city. However, if you are considering a move to Liverpool, I invite you to spend a day or two exploring the city, visiting the iconic Cathedrals and soaking in the live music in and around Matthew Street and I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Liverpool Economy
So what about the economy? Liverpool is the UK’s second largest regional economy, home to a highly cost-competitive and business friendly environment which is no doubt why the likes of Taylor Wessing, Freeths and CMS have recently entered the legal market here. I read that the city has £20 billion of investment opportunities and has an average of 90,000 students with 30,000 of them graduating each year.
Tourism is a major factor in the economy: Liverpool is packed with landmarks dedicated to The Beatles, and is one of the few cities in the world where cruise liners can berth in the city centre. There is even a new £50million cruise terminal currently in construction. And of course football - our home teams, Liverpool and Everton, both have an international fan base.
The Legal Market
With the new additions, there is an air of confidence in the Liverpool legal sector. As I mentioned Freeths, Taylor Wessing and CMS have all entered the market in the last year. Firms such as DLA, DWF, Brabners and Weightmans have remained strong in the market and continue to grow. There are also some excellent quality smaller firms such as O’Connors, MSB, Hillyer McKeown, Jackson Lees and Morecrofts.
I should also mention the recent acquisition of Riverview Law by EY. Based on the Wirral, the firm now supports the expansion of EY Law and its global legal managed services offering. This firm can be a great option for those who have had a career break or want to retrain into commercial law.
Brabners appointed Nik White from the Liverpool office as their new Managing Partner in April last year. This North West firm recorded double-digit revenue growth in the year to April 2018, with the firm generating fee income of £33.1m.
Since opening their Liverpool office in April 2018, I have personally enjoyed assisting Freeths with their recruitment needs. When I asked Luke Hopkins (Partner at Freeths) what he likes about Liverpool he summed it up perfectly:
“Liverpool is the best city in the world! The waterfront is a world heritage site, it has more museums, galleries and listed buildings than anywhere in the UK outside London, it is the “Capital of Pop” (check the Guinness Book of Records), and the most successful footballing city in England. The city centre is beautiful and vibrant and there are parks and beaches within a stone’s throw. On an economic front, the Liverpool economy grew more between 1998 and 2016 than any other major British city except London, Edinburgh and Cardiff. And a National law firm opened offices in the city in April, so there hasn’t been a better time to come and live and work in Liverpool!”
Lastly but definitely not least, I recently met with Sarah Poblete, the CEO of the Liverpool Law Society and was interested to hear that they have more than 2,000 individual members, and organise over 80 legal training courses every year with delegates coming from all over the UK including Scotland, London, and the Midlands etc. She said:
“We see our role to promote the practice of law in the region, to encourage the best lawyers to come to the area and to retain them. It is an interesting time in the legal sector right now, with many developments in the way legal services are provided. Locally we are seeing new national and international entrants who have chosen to open offices in the Liverpool City Region and already established law firms in the area boosting their staff numbers.”
Junior Solicitors and Trainees
For those junior lawyers considering a move to Liverpool, you will not only receive excellent quality work and training, but you will also be invited to become part of the legal community. The last two events we sponsored with the Merseyside Junior Lawyers Division were very successful and this is all down to the members: their enthusiasm, abundance of personality and sense of collaboration. Both events had a real buzz and those who came on their own from smaller law firms were greeted with open arms.
NQ salary will range from £36,000 - £41,000 at the larger commercial firms and circa £28,000 - £38,000 at the smaller and mid-tier practices.
We also have a specialist team of consultants who deal with the insurance sector and they have a range of active roles in the region, and will be delighted to discuss this market in more detail.
If we can assist you and you might appreciate a no obligations discussion, please get in touch with one of your dedicated consultants,
https://www.chadwicknott.co.uk/contact/our-offices
The Liverpool Giants by theatre company Royal de Luxe.
