Sian Francis read Law at King’s College, London and, having undertaken a vacation placement with the firm, was subsequently offered and accepted a Training Contract. Sian commenced her Training Contract in September 2005 and qualified into our Employment department in September 2007.
Why Capsticks?
I chose Capsticks because I had a particular interest in medical law. However, I was keen to secure a Training Contract with a firm which provided a broad training as I thought it was important not to close any doors when making such early career decisions. Capsticks fitted the bill perfectly.
Training
The quality of the training is excellent and trainees are genuinely encouraged to take on responsibility from an early stage. This is supported by an effective system of supervision and a less formal open door policy, which reassures you that there is always someone there to ask. Trainees are given the opportunity to manage their own files, have lots of client contact, and liaise directly with witnesses, barristers and opponents. Overall the emphasis is on making you think about the work you do - not just as a discreet task for a particular fee earner, but as a contribution to the conduct of the case as a whole. Generally speaking, the responsibility you are given increases with each seat, as you gain more experience and confidence.
Property
I was in the Property department at year-end close, which is generally their busiest time. I assisted on a number of large multi-party deals which involved a lot of organisation as it was necessary to keep on top of all the documentation. This was very exciting and gave me my first insight into a large transaction although, at the other end of the spectrum, I was also given the opportunity to run my own file and take responsibility for the purchase of a residential house that was going to be used as a care home.
Clinical Law
I undertook two seats in the Clinical Law department. The majority of the work is high value clinical negligence claims, although the department also undertakes a lot of advisory work relating to various issues including withdrawal of treatment, data protection, freedom of information, mental health and service reconfiguration. The department also has a strong public law practice representing NHS and Mental Health Trusts in judicial review proceedings.
My first seat was spent predominantly assisting on clinical negligence claims and I was fortunate enough to spend some time on secondment at the NHSLA. This provided me with a valuable insight into how the organisation functions in practice and what that means for us as their solicitors, as well as enabling me to have a degree of client contact that I may not have otherwise experienced. In my second seat I was mainly involved in the service reconfiguration work and related judicial review proceedings. This has been interspersed with clinical negligence work, including a couple of opportunities to put those LPC advocacy skills into practice doing an infant approval hearing and an application before a district judge.
Dispute Resolution
The majority of the work I undertook was regulatory work for two of the department’s largest clients. I was involved in every step of the process, from initial investigations through to preparing for, and attending, hearings. In addition, I was involved in the more varied work undertaken by the department which included advising on health and safety prosecutions, contract and property disputes and fraud.
Employment
Employment law is constantly developing and this is reflected in the way the department works. Fee earners often rely on trainees to research some of the most recent developments and apply them to their cases so it is important to keep up to date. The work you undertake is really hands on and trainees often attend tribunals with Counsel as the instructing solicitor, run their own files (under supervision!) and get a lot of direct client contact. The work is also really varied and fast paced, ranging from discrimination and unfair dismissal tribunal claims, to advice on TUPE and work permits, as well as high profile doctors’ disciplinary proceedings. The department also hosts various seminars and training sessions to update clients on developments in the law and during my seat I took part in a workshop on the new age discrimination regulations.
Social
I think the firm enables its staff to achieve a good work/life balance without compromising on the quality of the work - a real find in London! The fact that Capsticks is a niche firm means that everyone here has a common interest and, whilst there are no Capsticks “clones”, people do tend to have similar outlooks and are all quite passionate about their work. The size of the firm means that over the course of the Training Contract you get to know almost everyone and, as there is no hierarchy, the social scene is also pretty good. There is a social committee who organise various events throughout the year, including the rather competitive annual firm-wide five-aside football contest, and everyone from across the firm socialises together in the local bars after work.
Click here for more about life as a Capsticks trainee.
