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Why work at Downs

Downs Solicitors is not just any law firm. Founded in 1836, we are proud to be one of Surrey’s oldest.
Downs is a medium-sized law firm that is highly ranked in the Legal 500 and Lexcel accredited by the Law Society.

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Rewards and Benefits

Down's success is down to the people that work here.  Each person’s individual contribution plays their part in making Downs a great place to work so whatever your level, you’ll be rewarded.

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A day in a life at Downs

We need the best people in all areas of the firm, from the first person you meet in reception through all our support, administrative and secretarial teams. We are so much more than a firm of lawyers!  Don't take our word for it read what our staff have to say about working at Downs.

Trainee Solicitor Sept 2024 - Closing Date 31 March

We are looking to recruit a highly motivated and ambitious Trainee Solicitor to join our Surrey based Firm in September 2024.

As a Trainee Solicitor, you will undergo comprehensive training and gain hands-on experience in both contentious and non-contentious disciplines across our three offices in Dorking, Cobham and Godalming.

Our Training Programme comprises:

  • A minimum of four Seats across Private Client, Employment, Commercial and Residential Property, Corporate and Commercial, Family and Dispute Resolution.
  • Support to build your career and boost your skills in a stimulating and rewarding environment.
  • A friendly, collaborative culture balancing early responsibility with an open door policy.
  • You will be guided by our legal experts and will develop skills in business development and client management.
  • Throughout your training contract you will have genuine responsibility and gain experience of dealing with clients. You will have a dedicated supervisor in each Seat who will guide you on the core skills and experiences you need to acquire in order to be successful on qualification.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assist senior solicitors with legal research, document preparation, and case management.
  • Attend client meetings and court proceedings to observe and learn practical legal procedures.
  • Draft legal documents, contracts, and correspondence under the guidance of experienced professionals.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant laws and regulations.
  • Collaborate with colleagues to provide high-quality legal services to our clients.
  • Participate in training sessions and professional development programs to enhance your legal expertise.
  • Build and maintain positive relationships with clients and colleagues.

Requirements:

  • To have completed or currently pursuing the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or equivalent qualification.
  • Strong academic background, with a minimum 2:1 degree or equivalent.
  • Excellent research, communication, and organisational skills.
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
  • Eagerness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced legal environment.
  • Enthusiasm for a career in law, with a focus on professional growth and development.

This is an exciting opportunity for a dedicated individual to join a reputable Firm in Surrey. If you meet our requirements and are passionate about the legal profession, we encourage you to apply.

To apply please send a covering letter outlining your skills and experience along with your CV to p.smith@downslaw.co.uk by 31 March 2024.

Property Litigation Solicitor - 2 years + PQE

Purpose of the Role

We are looking for a motivated and skilled Property Litigation Solicitor with a minimum of 2 years’ post qualification experience to join our team. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in assisting our clients with a wide range of property disputes. This position offers an excellent opportunity for professional growth and the chance to work in a supportive, collaborative, and challenging environment.

This will include but will not be limited to the following: 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Manage a diverse caseload with a focus on property litigation matters, but with the ability also to deal with mainstream contract disputes, as required.
  • Manage commercial and landlord and tenant litigation cases, to include, in particular, lease renewals under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and dilapidations claims.
  • Manage residential possession proceedings with a full understanding of relevant housing law and statutory regulations.
  • Handle disputes between adjoining owners (trespass and nuisance claims, boundary disputes and the enforcement of restrictive covenants) whilst demonstrating a sensitivity to preserving good  relationships between neighbours.
  • Manage disputes between developers and those affected by development plans.
  • Advise on long residential leases (lease extensions, freehold enfranchisements, rights of first refusal and setting up right to manage companies).
  • Collaborate with clients, colleagues, and external parties to achieve favorable outcomes with a particular emphasis on providing in-house support to our commercial and residential property teams.
  • Stay abreast of changes in property and contract law, ensuring accurate and up-to-date legal advice.

Requirements:

  • Qualified Solicitor/Legal Executive with a background in property litigation law
  • Proven experience (2 years PQE+) in property litigation and commercial contract disputes
  • Experience in landlord and tenant disputes, both commercial and residential, is essential.
  • Experience in handling disputes between adjoining owners is essential.
  • Experience of residential long lease work is highly desirable, although full training and supervision can be provided in this area.
  • Excellent communication and negotiation skills
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a dynamic legal team.
  • Adherence to high ethical standards and commitment to client satisfaction.

Benefits

  • 25 days Holiday
  • 3 Days Christmas / New Year Leave
  • Private Medical Cover
  • Cash Plan
  • DIS & Pension

To apply for this role please send your CV and a covering letter outlining why you think you are suitable to our HR Manager, Pauline Smith.

Commercial Property Solicitor - 2 years + PQE

Purpose of the Role

We are looking for a motivated and skilled Commercial Property Solicitor with 2-3 years of relevant experience to join our team. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in assisting our clients with a wide range of commercial property matters. This position offers an excellent opportunity for professional growth and the chance to work in a collaborative and challenging environment.  Location of the role can be flexible.

This will include but will not be limited to the following:

Key Responsibilities:

  • Manage a diverse caseload of commercial property matters, including sales, purchases, leases and development.
  • Provide expert legal advice and guidance to clients on complex commercial property transactions, ensuring their interests are protected.
  • Conduct thorough due diligence and effectively negotiate contracts and agreements on behalf of clients.
  • Draft and review legal documents, including leases, licenses, and property-related contracts.
  • Collaborate with internal teams and external parties, such as property developers, investors, and lenders, to facilitate seamless transactions.

Requirements

  • Qualified Solicitor/Legal Executive with a background in commercial property law.
  • Proven experience (2 years PQE+) handling a wide range of commercial property transactions, from start to finish.
  • Sound knowledge of property law, including landlord and tenant matters, property finance, and real estate development.
  • Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.

Benefits

  • 25 days Holiday
  • 3 Days Christmas / New Year Leave
  • Private Medical Cover
  • Cash Plan
  • DIS & Pension

To apply for this role please send your CV and a covering letter outlining why you think you are suitable to our HR Manager, Pauline Smith.

 

What would you like to ask us?

Where is Downs based?

Downs currently has three offices in Surrey: Cobham, Dorking and Godalming. There are career opportunities at all three locations. Work experience participants will have the opportunity to work in each of the three offices. Please see our list of Current Vacancies for opportunities in each of the locations.

Our Dorking office is the original location of Downs and is where it was established in 1836. The Dorking office is the largest and most historic of our three office and is ideally located to serve the town, as well as the wider areas of Reigate, Redhill and Leatherhead. One of the three buildings that comprise the Dorking office complex is a historic Grade II listed building and has a beautiful garden area for staff to enjoy.

Our Cobham office was established through the merger with the law firm Lowrie & Co., and is our newest and currently smallest office. The staff here have close relationships with local businesses and individuals in the area and gives clients the option to use a local firm for their legal needs. The office offers the full range of legal services, but focuses primarily on residential conveyancing and wills work.

Our Godalming office is our most modern office. It is ideally placed to serve the town, as well as the wider areas of Guildford, Farnham and Haslemere. Located close to the UK’s longest-established law school, the University of Law, many students from the law school have participated in our work experience programme and joined our firm as staff.

Do I need to be a solicitor to work at Downs?

No, you don’t. There are many non-solicitor jobs at Downs, such as in IT, finance & accounting, administration and marketing. See our Current Vacancies list to see what opportunities are available at Downs.

However, if you are interested in becoming a solicitor, we are happy for you to apply to our training contract programme. There are many different routes to becoming a solicitor and you should think about which route best suits your needs. We currently have several assistants in our training contracts programme, training to become solicitors. This means they work during the week and take courses or modules on weekends. Although this may take longer than the traditional law school route, it means that you can work and get a qualification at the same time without taking on a major financial burden.

We are always looking for driven individuals to join our trainee contract. The trainee contract programme has a specific in take schedule.  We will not be opening our 2024 intake until early 2023.

Do I need a university degree to work at Downs?

The short answer is no. We do hire graduates, but there are plenty of roles within the firm that do not require a university degree. This could include positions in IT, finance & accounting, administration and marketing. However, you also do not need a university degree to become a solicitor. There are many routes to becoming a solicitor and we support staff that are interested in becoming a solicitor through our in-house training contract programme. 

Training Contracts for 2023 are now closed.  

Do you have work experience opportunities?

Yes. We provide week-long work experiences to students who have finished their further education and are over the age of 18.  Work experience week is held in the summer normally the last week in July and first week in August.

Students have the opportunity to ‘drop-in’ to all the various departments and offices at Downs and learn about the work being done there and interact with staff. Each day, students are given a task to complete and this is reviewed at the end of each day. To date, 50 students have completed our work experience week.

Applications for 2024 are open in the Spring.

What is your corporate and social responsibility (CSR)?

Downs takes its corporate and social responsibility (CSR) seriously. Integrity, responsibility and sustainability lie at the heart of our business strategy. We fully recognise our social responsibility to our staff and to the communities in which we operate. As part of our CSR, we have established four categories, where we demonstrate our commitment to fulfilling this responsibility: environmental, social, ethical and economic. 

Under environmental responsibility, we are engaged through our office recycling program and the installation of energy saving office equipment. As part of our social responsibility within the communities we operate, we participate in regular fundraising events and charitable contributions. Downs and its staff are active supporters of the local Trussell Trust Foodbank, which provides food to families in need. Ethical responsibility is achieved through our continued efforts to invest in our staff by providing continued training and education opportunities, fair and equitable treatment of staff through bi-annual staff appraisals and maintaining relevant professional accreditations. Downs does not operate simply to maximise our profits and as part of our economic responsibility, we give back to our staff and community in various ways. Such as offering pro bono legal services and provide legal clinics for individuals free of charge.

We are always open to any suggestions from staff as to how we can improve our CSR.

What benefits does Downs offer?

The success of our firm depends on our staff and each person’s contribution plays an integral part in the firm’s success. Down offers the following competitive and generous benefits to all of our staff:

  • 25 days holidays plus Bank Holidays.  The firm is also closed from Christmas Eve to New year which is gven to staff as additional holiday
  • Sick pay
  • Discretionary bonus 
  • Life assurance 
  • Private medical insurance
  • Medical cash plan that allows staff to claim back dental, optical and certain therapies
  • Private pension

There may be additional benefits, which are subject to education level, work experience and contract terms.

Can I work from home?

Yes.  We offer flexible working options to all our staff. This means a mix of remote and in-office work schedules. Downs has implemented and embraced flexible working and has helped set up home working solutions at no cost to staff. This set up not only keeps our staff and clients safe, but also allows staff to take care of their personal needs and responsibilities without fear of losing their job. Our staff have provided feedback during their appraisals that this shift to flexible working has allowed them to improve their work-life balance.

What out of work events happen at Downs?

Downs has always been a very personable and social place to work. Prior to the pandemic we had monthly office mingles, coffee mornings, department lunches, quizzes, summer BBQs and an office Christmas party. Although such get togethers are currently not possible, the pandemic has shown us that socialisation is still an important aspect of work-life balance.

We have begun organising regular social outdoor or virtual get togethers, such as a crazy golf outing and on-line cooking classes. Additionally, staff also organize regular circuit training and yoga classes as well.

How much annual leave do I get?

Downs offers all staff 25 days annual holiday in addition to bank holidays. The firm is closed at Christmas and staff are not expected to take their own leave during this period. The annual leave year runs from January to December. 

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