NQ Roles
Are you a newly qualified lawyer ready to embark on the next step of your legal career?
We know choosing which firm to join is a big decision. That’s why we think it’s important to be upfront about who we are and what working here is like.
At Burness Paull we’re “human” in attitude and “high-performing” in approach. It is our single most important point of difference - a culture that permeates all that we do.
As a truly independent law firm operating in a fast moving and challenging global landscape, we have the freedom to shape our culture and determine our values in a way that sustainably supports the needs of our people, our clients, our wider community and the environment.
To achieve the firm's future ambitions, we need more individuals who share what we believe in and can help us continue to grow. Could this be you?
From day one of joining, our NQs become an integral part of our teams. Working closely with and learning from some of the leading legal experts in the country, you’ll start building relationships directly with our clients, making sure they get the very best advice.
From a Scottish base, the work we do spans across the UK and internationally. This gives you the opportunity to experience a variety of the highest quality work, while being part of a firm where you can get to know everyone and have your voice heard.
We place real value on the ongoing training of our lawyers, both for their personal development and career progression, and to ensure a consistently excellent service to clients. We have a programme not just delivering on legal knowledge but on commercial awareness, helping you to understand the environments our clients are operating in.
While working hard is essential, we also want you to have the chance to enjoy everything else that goes on. From taking part in Burness Paull Foundation charitable initiatives to joining one of our employee-led networks to help drive forward our commitment to inclusion, getting involved in our Street Soccer Scotland partnership or going along to some of the many events our social committees organise, there’s always lots to get involved in.
Keen to know more? Read on...
We believe a job spec is useful, but hearing from the people that work here already is even better.
I’m proud to be a part of Burness Paull. Everyone is genuine, social, and welcoming...
“Following a summer placement at the firm I knew it would be a great place to work, so returned to start my traineeship in 2021.
I always wanted to focus on an area of the law that was technical, regulatory, and disputes based, so it makes a lot of sense that I have now qualified into the Dispute Resolution team, specialising in Health, Safety, and Corporate Crime. I’m involved in detailed regulatory and criminal investigations, international work, and responding to a huge assortment of odd and interesting questions.
I’m proud to be a part of Burness Paull. Everyone is genuine, social, and welcoming.
There is a commitment to supporting personal development. I’ve really benefited from the access to in-depth and engaging training, from wider firm initiatives, to specific team activities, conferences, and opportunities for further qualification. My team cares that I’m interested in the work I’m doing and supports me developing areas which are important to me.
I’m excited to see the profession diversify further, and see how technology and innovation change our day-to day roles, while continuing to grow as a lawyer at Burness Paull.”
Eilidh McSherry
SOLICITOR - DISPUTE RESOLUTION
From the moment I started at Burness Paull, I was impressed by the amount of quality training we received...
"I studied History and Spanish at university but it wasn’t until after I graduated that my interest in law peaked and I went on to study the Grad LLB. Following a traineeship at another firm, I took an NQ position at Burness Paull in September 2022.
The Planning team at Burness Paull deal with both non-contentious and contentious planning matters, and I like the fact that I can be doing court work one day, and drafting planning agreements the next. The team is a fantastic group of experienced lawyers, and it’s great to be able to work with and learn from them.
From the moment I started at Burness Paull, I was impressed by the amount of quality training we received. It was really useful in terms of getting to know the firm, but also giving me the confidence to make the best start in my new role.
I choose to go into the office most days and it is a welcoming and supportive environment. The social committee organises regular events throughout the year, which are a good opportunity to get to know colleagues - when joining as an NQ from another firm, this sense of community helped make the transition a lot easier.
I think the balance at Burness Paull between expecting high performance while being easy to work with is important. We all want to be high-achieving, but it’s important to remember that we are human too.”
Hazel Noble
SOLICITOR - PLANNING
The quality of the work continues to get better and the opportunities to work with interesting clients in different jurisdictions continue to grow...
"My route to becoming a qualified solicitor was somewhat different in that I trained to become a musical theatre actor and worked as an actor/singer for a few years before studying law.
As part of the Banking & Funds team, the opportunity to work within two market leading teams and develop complimentary skills in each discipline before choosing to specialise further down the line means my options are still open as to the type of work I want to practice.
The team is truly international, acting as local counsel for international businesses, and also leading cross-border transactions.
The firm is focussed not just on developing legal skills but developing rounded lawyers with skills beyond the everyday document review. We have some great KDLs and partners who are passionate about their practice area resulting in a volume and level of training that makes you feel informed enough to engage confidently on transactions.
Burness Paull has the feel of a boutique firm, in that I can very quickly develop relationships across the legal and business services teams I work with, with the advantage of a firm big enough to invest and engage with technology and new ways of working.
For me, the firm feels actively inclusive. As a gay man from a social background typically underrepresented in the legal profession, I feel like my experiences and skills are treated as an asset. There is a collaborative approach to working and is reflected in the bustling nature of teams working hard and bouncing ideas off each other.
The quality of the work continues to get better and the opportunities to work with interesting clients in different jurisdictions continue to grow. I get to work with smart, bright, informed, friendly people everyday and look forward to not just building a career here, but building one with great people."
Greig Baxter
SOLICITOR - BANKING & FUNDS
We believe free fruit in the office is nice, but the freedom to be yourself is what's really important...
At the heart of Burness Paull is our independence.
It’s this that gives us the licence to shape our business and culture in the way we want to, supporting the needs of our people, our clients, our wider community and the environment. It means freedom to pursue a philosophy of always being human in attitude and high-performing in approach.
For our people that means recognising everyone is different and valuing those differences. A culture that celebrates openness and where genuine advice and relationships are championed. An environment that encourages everyone to aim for success by being the best version of themselves.
And because we value the contribution that every one of our team makes, we make sure everyone is rewarded over and above the usual benefits you'd expect from a leading law firm. That means bonus schemes for all employees, family-friendly policies that stand out in the market, and a range of health & wellbeing initiatives that take a holistic approach to supporting colleagues.
Take the next step...
We are not inviting applications from recruitment agencies for our NQ roles.
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