“I joined DACB as a Trainee in 2005 and one of the great things I have observed during my time is the Firm’s open culture.

People are generally approachable and, irrespective of their role, you will always find someone who is willing to give you the time if you need to ask a question.  

I lead our BAME network group called ‘ACCESS’. Diversity & inclusion is important to the Firm (and to me personally) and that we encourage a diverse culture. Since launching ACCESS I’m most proud that we are giving junior colleagues the confidence to come up with ideas on how to promote diversity internally, and in the knowledge that they have the support of the Firm. It was great to learn that in our most recent engagement survey 83% of colleagues believe the Firm actively encourages equality, diversity and inclusion. The aim is for ACCESS to continue to play a key role in delivering on this essential part of the Firm’s objective.”

“I did a politics degree at university and this sparked an interest in the state, the individual and how the law was the glue that was an important part of how our society functions. 

The interest in politics and the state continued when I was attracted to regulatory work – helping providers deliver safe, effective, accountable health and social care services.

 Joining DACB’s regulatory team was a great move for me.  Although it can be perceived as academic, the really important skills in law are listening, judgment, persuasion and working in teams – be that internally or with clients and other stakeholders.  DACB attracts fantastic people and interesting clients and it is working with them that makes my career – and life – interesting.  

All businesses talk about the opportunities they offer people – and we certainly do. What I have been more impressed with though is that when I and many others have had ideas and plans we have been given enough rope – with enough support – to get on with them.”

“I qualified with DAC Beachcroft LLP in September 2019 having completed my training contract in the Manchester office.

During my training, I gained practical experience in a number of different areas of law including Corporate and Commercial, Real Estate and Employment. The opportunity to move around the business helped me to gain a greater understanding of the firm as a whole. In my new role, I continue to be supported to take on a varied and challenging workload and I also have the opportunity to work with a wide range of high profile clients. I particularly like the culture of the firm; people are approachable at all levels and there are many different initiatives to get involved in outside of my day-to-day role which I find incredibly rewarding.”

“I’d been doing Legal Indemnity work on a small scale for our existing clients on an ad hoc basis, seeking expertise from our Real Estate team as and when.

There was one person who was particularly helpful, Tessa, so when she was looking for a new opportunity, I thought she could retrain as an insurance lawyer.

After Tessa had moved over to our Insurance team, we both realised that there was a gap in the market for Title Indemnity work that required insurance-style handling, but with Real Estate knowledge and capability. So we drew on our different skills to create a new Title Indemnity claims product. We marketed this unique service to our clients and as a result, we’ve won Title Indemnity work from a number of insurers, creating a new revenue stream for the firm.”

“When the Director of HR approached me about returning to work, it coincided with me being very much ready to restart my career.

I was pleasantly surprised by how flexible she was about me working part-time and with some of those days being from home. I was offered the opportunity to join the Financial Institutions Group and I will admit to a degree of scepticism about becoming an advisory lawyer, having been a litigator.  However, I felt it would be good experience and I was told the team was particularly supportive of working mothers. As it happens, I very much enjoy being a non-contentious lawyer so any scepticism I had has ebbed away. 

People here want you to achieve your full potential as that makes the firm succeed as a whole. They are genuine people who are not out to run you down in order to progress their careers. That mentality creates a pretty unique culture and one which I really enjoy being part of.”

“When our Commercial Dispute Resolution team received a claim relating to the conduct of an insolvency practitioner, it was anything but straightforward. The claim had multiple strands relating to criminal, investment, regulatory and civil law.

Over four years, the various threads involved significant work to set out a clear position that would allow the client to make commercial decisions relating to the claim. The case was very challenging technically, with a highly strategic focus for the client and multiple overlapping legal arguments.

The claim was eventually settled; an excellent outcome for the client who said: ‘That claim was the most difficult matter I have ever come across, with a very convoluted and complicated background. The handling of the matter wouldn’t have been possible without DACB’s work and attention to detail.”

“I returned to legal practice after a five-year break.

I had advice from recruiters that this would be difficult, if not impossible so I was thrilled to join DAC Beachcroft through a returners programme. I have received so much support from my team and from the firm as a whole. I have been put in touch with other returners and mentors. Here I am valued on my competencies and abilities, rather than my time away being a barrier to progression. The fact that the firm chose to work with Women Returners on a UK returner programme supporting people to come back into law through supported hires is testament to how committed and supportive the culture truly is.”

“When an opportunity arose for me to take up a six month secondment working for one of the leading insurance companies in the Lloyd’s market, as part of their international casualty team I was delighted.

I had been working in DAC Beachcroft Chile and really valued the chance to work in London for this client. The strong support from the DACB team enabled me to maximise the experience. I now have a better understanding of how things works in the London Market, and especially what clients expect from their legal service provider.

From a personal perspective, the secondment experience gave me the necessary tools to reach the next level in my career within the firm, in regards of the know-how of the work that is expected from us both from a legal and business perspective and also provided me with the necessary networking skills, all of which I was able to bring back home to Chile.”

“I was referred to DACB by the Social Mobility Foundation (“SMF”).

I decided to apply for a training contract because of their partnership with the SMF and because of the broad range of sectors DACB specialises in. This was important as I knew I was interested in commercial law but I am, still to this day, unsure of what area of law I will qualify into – I wanted a firm which would allow me to experience many areas during my training. Moreover, I felt like diversity was fast becoming a buzzword rather than a reality in some firms. Throughout the application process it was impressive to see that DACB genuinely had a commitment to social mobility.

The culture at the firm is extremely welcoming, supportive and embraces people from all backgrounds. Diversity is key to getting different perspectives and ideas and DACB’s work with organisations such as the SMF and Aspiring Solicitors demonstrates the firm's determination to appeal to and welcome into the business people with a broad range of backgrounds as the firm grows in the UK and internationally.’’

“I work from home twice a week and it works for me in a number of ways.

The time I save by not having to travel those days mean I can see my children off to school, making sure they’re packed and ready, and helping them with any last minute preparations they need for their day. To me this is invaluable and one of the best advantages of working from home.

Then, when everyone’s left the house and I log on, I have the ideal working environment. Peace and quiet, with no interruptions or distractions. I’m fully connected to the network with tools like Skype messenger that allow me to stay connected to the team. I have access to the helpdesk too – but I rarely have any issues. It’s brilliant to have this level of flexibility.”

"I didn’t know if I wanted to go to university, but I still wanted to carry on my education and get more qualifications. An apprenticeship seemed the best option as it combined working and learning at the same time.

The people I work with are really nice and everyone is really helpful. I feel like I learn so much at work, as well as during my university hours. It is a really good balance. DAC Beachcroft allows me to have one day off a week to do my studying, which is great and it is really easy to keep on top of everything. Also, as I work with lots of people who already have degrees, they are able to advise me if I ever have any questions about anything I have learnt. The culture at DACB is very warm and welcoming. My team were very helpful and patient with me when I first started. Even though I am confident in the type of work I do now, my team are still really supportive and are happy to answer any questions I may have."