James Pitts is a trainee solicitor in our Northampton office. Here he explains what Northampton as a town has to offer to potential trainees and the work involved at the office.
The firm was originally found in Northamptonshire in 1790 by Richard Howes and upon his marriage to Mary Percival, the Percival name was included. As such, despite the expansion of the firm throughout the East Midlands and East Anglia, the Northampton office has maintained its status as the flagship office.
The firm moved into its current location in 2005 after being located in Northampton centre. The office is located next to the Brackmills Industrial Estate just off the A45. It is about a 10 minute drive from the centre of Northampton. The office currently provides a full service offering and has been growing year on year.
The office is located just outside the town centre which makes it well located to support and advise clients and it is also easy to access for commuting employees, with the introduction of the electric scooters available all over town making it easy to get to without a car!
Northampton itself is an industrial town and a large part of the work we do is for small to medium size businesses who are seeking to grow. The work involved ranges from commercial property, corporate, commercial, banking and employment. The firm is constantly taking on new clients and as well as helping current clients to expand and improve their businesses.
My current seat is in the employment team and I have been able to work on contentious matters concerning claims made to the Employment Tribunal as well as non-contentious matter such as drafting settlement agreements. I have also been fortunate to be part of the preparation for a number of employment law updates which the team have provided to HR Professionals and clients. This involved researching relevant employment law updates and preparing a draft presentation for the whole team. Due to the ever changing nature of employment law, I have been able to improve my researching skills and also improved my skill in applying different legal principles to the specific matter.
Although during my first seat, I was unable to participate in any office wide activities (apart from those held over zoom!) we have recently been able to socialise and I am enjoying getting to know my office colleagues. We have recently been able to go to the pub across the road for lunch and we recently held our office party which was sports day themed! There are plenty of events upcoming and I plan on getting involved with as much as possible in the future.
There are a number of great restaurants catering to various tastes and cuisines. My favourites include La Pienza and La Terraza Tapas Bar which are in the centre of town.
The Royal and Derngate Theatre provides a variety of different shows and performances. It regularly hosts top comedians and if you’re lucky enough you could get invited to one of the networking events the firm is active with!
Of course, the main attraction of Northampton is their rugby team, Northampton Saints. The cinch stadium at Franklin Gardens is the place to come to get your rugby fill. The stadium can seat up to 15,249 people and is located about one mile from the town centre. Tickets start from £16 for adults so it is a great way to spend your weekends if you are a rugby fan like me!
Key landmarks and cultural sights in the area include Northampton castle, the Northampton Guild hall and the Welland Viaduct. I have not yet been able to visit these but they are definitely on my to-do list.
Northampton is a diverse and growing town and I am looking forward to enjoying all that is has to offer as I progress through my seat and training contract.
To contact us, please fill out this form and we will get back in touch as soon as possible. Your personal data will be processed in accordance with our privacy policy which can be found here.
Thank you for your enquiry. We will respond as soon as possible.
