At Switalskis, we’re driven by a profound commitment to not only provide the highest quality of legal services but to create a harmonious and enriching workspace for our team. Our ethos is deeply rooted in fostering a culture that prioritises a healthy work-life balance, making Switalskis not just a place to work, but a community in which to grow, learn and thrive.
Our primary goal is to ensure that the work environment is supportive and rewarding. We champion a culture where our colleagues feel valued, supported and well-compensated for their efforts.
We celebrate diversity and are steadfast in our commitment to promoting equality and inclusion at every level within our firm. Our reputable stance on these values not only enriches our work culture but is reflected in the legal services we provide and the profound nature of the cases we choose to take.
Joining Switalskis is a step towards a career filled with endless learning and development opportunities. We’re keen to nurture your growth and make sure you enjoy what you do and evolve professionally during your time with us.
Explore career opportunities at Switalskis and take a step towards a rewarding and fulfilling career with us.
Join our Qualifying Solicitors Programme to embark on a rewarding legal career at one of the UK’s top firms.
Work experience at Switalskis will provide you with a glimpse into the legal world if you’re looking for a career in law.
Join our Graduate Apprenticeship Programme to embark on a rewarding legal career at one of the UK's top firms.
We’re an award-winning law firm who have been helping our clients get the specialist legal advice they deserve for over 30 years.
Established by Stephen Switalski in 1993, we began with a focus on Child Care Law and Criminal Law from a single office in Wakefield. Since then, we have expanded to 12 locations, employing 380+ employees who now provide a wide array of specialist Legal Services.
A career at Switalskis means being part of a firm that cares and is here for you. We’re a firm that’s going places. We’re dynamic and progressive, and we never stand still. Last year, we were crowned Large Firm of the Year at Yorkshire Legal Awards and named in the top 50 fastest-growing companies in Yorkshire in the Yorkshire Growth Index.
THE ROLE
In this role you will assist in all facets of IT Service Delivery, including support to other teams as needed, ranging from service desk operations to deploying and implementing desktop solutions.
You can expect to be working on the following:
Key responsibilities will be to oversee and manage updates on the helpdesk, where user incidents are recorded. You will be accountable for resolving tickets and upholding an exceptional level of customer service. This includes promptly and appropriately responding to emails, collaborating with team members, and supporting project deployments.
The key responsibilities of the role include but are not exclusive to:
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
The ideal candidate would have a very good level of customer service experience and ideally past experience working in a helpdesk environment. Training will be given where appropriate
ABOUT US
We’re an award-winning law firm who have been helping our clients get the specialist legal advice they deserve for over 30 years.
Established by Stephen Switalski in 1993, we began with a focus on Child Care Law and Criminal Law from a single office in Wakefield. Since then, we have expanded to 12 locations, employing 380+ employees who now provide a wide array of specialist Legal Services.
A career at Switalskis means being part
of a firm that cares and is here for you. We’re a firm that’s going places. We’re
dynamic and progressive, and we never stand still. Last year, we were crowned
Large Firm of the Year at Yorkshire Legal Awards and named in the top 50
fastest-growing companies in Yorkshire in the Yorkshire Growth Index.
THE ROLE
This will be a varied and busy role , you can expecting to be carrying out the following duties:
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
Previous IT Administration experience is
required to be successful in this role & some familiarity with case management
systems. You may have gained this in a previous professional service
organisation or law firm environment. In addition, we’ll want to see the following
skills & experience:
Essential skills for
the role include:
Desired skills:
Autumn 2024 Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship (GSA)
We’re excited to announce our Autumn 2024
Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship (GSA) intake.
This is an exciting opportunity for aspiring Solicitors
to kickstart their career within our award-winning law firm across various
specialities including Medical Negligence, Property, Family, Private client and
more.
Our GSA is the perfect blend of hands-on practical experience and on-the-job
learning. We have a proven track record of supporting our apprentices to become
qualified solicitors.
ABOUT US
We’re an award-winning law firm who have been helping our clients get the specialist legal advice they deserve for over 30 years.
Established by Stephen Switalski in 1993, we began with a focus on Child Care Law and Criminal law from a single office in Wakefield. Since then, we have expanded to 12 locations, employing 380+ employees who now provide a wide array of specialist Legal Services.
A career at Switalskis means being part of a firm that cares and is here for you. Last year, we were crowned Large Firm of the Year at Yorkshire Legal Awards and named in the top 50 fastest-growing companies in Yorkshire in the Yorkshire Growth Index.
Throughout the 32-month apprenticeship with us
you’ll get the opportunity to build and develop your theoretical and practical legal
knowledge and experience, needed to become a qualified solicitor. Our Graduate
Solicitor Apprenticeship will support you through to qualification by completion
of the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE1 and SQE2).
As a Graduate Solicitor Apprentice, you’ll undertake work for various
departments as required by the SRA, rotating across a minimum of two seats and learning all aspects of work
within the role of the departments you’re in. Your learning will include one day per week study leave to focus on your academic studies. You’ll carry out duties required
of you by senior members and support / manage a varied caseload of client
cases and have weekly study leave to complete your apprenticeship learning.
We're a national firm with offices across Yorkshire. You may be required to travel for this role.
We’re a firm that’s going places. We’re dynamic and progressive, and we never stand still. We’re looking for like minded aspiring legal professionals to join us and help provide our clients with the finest legal support for the world we live in.
Essential Criteria
- A law degree
or
-
A
non-law degree and Graduate Diploma in Law
When we consider your suitability, we’ll be looking for the following competencies
- Ambition
- Strong work ethic
- A positive attitude
- Reliability
- A strong academic record; and
- The ability to work well within a team
Application Deadline: Monday 15th April 2024
Autumn 2024 Qualifying Solicitor Programme (QSP) - Training Contract
We’re excited to announce our Autumn 2024 Training Contract via our Qualifying Solicitors Programme (QSP). This is an exciting opportunity for aspiring Solicitors to kickstart their career within our award-winning law firm across various specialities including Medical Negligence, Property, Family, Private client and more.
Our QSP is the perfect blend of hands-on practical experience and on-the-job learning. We have a proven track record of supporting our trainees to become qualified solicitors.
We’re an award-winning law firm who have been helping our clients get the specialist legal advice they deserve for over 30 years.
Established by Stephen Switalski in 1993, we began with a focus on Child Care Law and Criminal law from a single office in Wakefield. Since then, we have expanded to 12 locations, employing 380+ employees who now provide a wide array of specialist Legal Services.
A career at Switalskis means being part of a firm that cares and is here for you. Last year, we were crowned Large Firm of the Year at Yorkshire Legal Awards and named in the top 50 fastest-growing companies in Yorkshire in the Yorkshire Growth Index.
Throughout the two-year training contract with us you’ll get the opportunity to build and develop your theoretical and practical legal knowledge and experience, needed to become a qualified solicitor.
As a Trainee Solicitor, you’ll undertake work for various departments as required by the SRA, rotating across a minimum of two seats and learning all aspects of work within the role of the departments you’re in. You'll carry out duties required of you by senior members and support / manage a varied caseload of client cases.
We're a national firm with offices across Yorkshire. You may be required to travel for this role.
We’re a firm that’s going places. We’re dynamic and progressive, and we never stand still. We’re looking for like minded aspiring legal professionals to join us and help provide our clients with the finest legal support for the world we live in.
Essential Criteria
Whilst a Law degree isn’t essential, you must have completed either:
- The Legal Practice Course (“LPC) (or Master of Law and Practice – which incorporates
the LPC)
or
- Part 1 of the Solicitors Qualification Examination (“SQE”).
When we consider your suitability, we’ll be looking for the following competencies
- Ambition
- Strong work ethic
- A positive attitude
- Reliability
- A strong academic record; and
- The ability to work well within a team
Application Deadline: Monday 15th April 2024
Click the link below to submit your application and a member of the team will be in touch. For any questions please contact
A career at Switalskis means being part of a firm that cares and is here for you. One of our big goals is to be a great place to work, and we really strive to achieve that.
Switalskis is a firm that’s going places. We’re dynamic and progressive, and we never stand still. This year, we were crowned Large Firm of the Year at the Yorkshire Legal Awards and named in the top 50 fastest-growing companies in Yorkshire in the Yorkshire Growth Index.
Julie GuestHead of People
We believe in fairly rewarding our team. Our competitive salaries are complemented by a range of benefits including the below. We review the benefits we offer to employees regularly to make sure they remain competitive and align with our values.
Financial
Work-life balance
Holidays
Health and wellbeing
We believe that who we are makes us a great place to pursue a career. Email recruitment@switalskis.com to find out more.
With a strong legacy in the legal sector, Switalskis has built a reputation for excellence, integrity and impactful service. Being a part of our team means contributing to a prestigious and meaningful legacy.
Our firm is a tapestry of diverse talents, backgrounds and perspectives. We’re committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every person feels valued, respected and empowered to contribute their best.
Your growth is our priority. At Switalskis, we provide learning opportunities, mentorship and an environment to hone your skills, expand your knowledge and ascend in your legal career. To find out more about career development at Switalskis, take a look at our guide.
We understand the importance of your personal time. While we are dedicated to delivering exceptional legal services, we also promote a healthy work-life balance to make sure our team members have ample time for their personal pursuits and wellbeing.
Embracing the future of work, we offer a balanced hybrid-working model. This model encourages collaboration, flexibility and a harmonious blend of in-office and remote work, catering to the evolving needs of our workforce and the firm.
Our business is deeply rooted in community service. Being part of Switalskis means engaging in meaningful community outreach initiatives and embodying our belief in the positive impact of legal service in society.
I enjoy hybrid working. When I am in the office, I use this as time to speak with colleagues about their thoughts on cases and anything relevant within the news for example, a judgment. When I am at home, I use this time to complete detailed pieces of work without the distraction of the office. I’m also able to get out on a lunch time to walk my Sproodle!
I’ve always known I wanted to help people but ruled out several professions before deciding on law. The first seat of my training contract was in commercial property, working between the Leeds and Knaresborough offices. I found the work very interesting especially drafting documents. I recently moved to the clinical negligence team, for my second seat, which I am finding both stimulating and challenging. Since joining, my integration into Switalskis has been seamless as everyone has been very welcoming and inviting. I think it helped that I often brought in brownies and cakes that I’d baked!
In 2012 I joined the Costs Team and in 2014 started studying the ACL Costs Lawyer course. I qualified as a Costs Lawyer in August 2017 and in 2023 I was promoted to Associate Costs Lawyer. I've not worked anywhere prior to Atherton Godfrey who integrated with Switalskis in December 2022, my entire career since the 90s has been at the same firm.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I left school. I thought I wanted to be a hairdresser, and this is what I ended up doing, but if I’m honest I never really felt like it was for me. I worked hard and achieved my qualifications but never felt content. However, I always had an interest in the legal profession due to personal circumstances and I enrolled on an access course when I was 26 and here, I am!
I start my day by responding to any emails. I then check my task list and I complete any urgent tasks first. I complete records reviews, draft letters of instruction to experts and review expert reports. I also have cases that are in litigation where deadlines need to be adhered to and documents must be served. I also liaise with clients on a daily basis providing updates and taking instructions.
There’s not a typical day in the Court of Protection, and that’s what I love most about it. Each client is so different and so we need to be able to take each client as they come to try and work out what will be best for them and how best to achieve it. I love travelling and meeting the clients but there is also lot of time in the office - preparing advice, drafting documents, and attending court, as many of our hearings are still being heard remotely.
If you have any questions about starting a career at Switalskis, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Call us on 0800 138 0458 or send us a message and we’ll be happy to help.