We do interesting, cutting-edge work and are always on the lookout for bright people who share our ethos of using the law to make a difference to the well-being of the natural and human environment.
We regularly employ a paralegal for six months to a year - usually someone who has just graduated, any discipline will do, but with an interest in working in the law. For some this has proved a good stepping stone for careers in top London practices. We hope that after a few years such people may wish to return to the truly satisfying work we do. A job description is set out below.
If you are interested in a position, send a CV with a full covering letter to Richard Buxton at 19B Victoria Street, Cambridge CB1 1JP or as an email attachment to job@richardbuxton.co.uk. In either case, please provide an email address that you are happy to be used for correspondence. We will of course treat applications in strict confidence.
These positions are currently filled.
We are not presently actively seeking another lawyer, but are always on the look out for suitable people. There is an ever increasing tide of unlawful decision making and nuisance from public authorities and bad neighbours.
We work for a wide variety of clients, including private individuals, residents' groups, companies, local authorities, NGOs, and even developers. Much of the work involves planning judicial reviews, noise (including particularly aircraft noise), nature conservation and EIA. We have done several leading environmental and public law cases.
Ideal qualifications are solid experience of High Court litigation, including judicial review; a first class academic record; the ability to write lucidly, think creatively and argue articulately; being prepared to deal with the rigours of legal aid; to have a mindset that favours the environment; and content to explore new legal territory fearlessly and without giving up. Knowledge of ordinary planning law would be helpful and experience of work relating to waste and contaminated land would be attractive. (Note: we are flexible and will consider people who we believe will make a success of working with us. We will consider people much better qualified than indicated, or, exceptionally, prospective trainees.)
You will need to fit into a busy, informal office, be self-motivated and, to a large extent, self-sufficient. Overall you will be prepared to take a risk on a career shift that is potentially truly satisfying, but is unlike any other solicitor's practice.
We will pay a proper salary for Cambridge depending on qualifications and experience, and seek someone who we would see as becoming a partner in due course.
We are presently looking for a paralegal for six months from March 2010. We are a small law firm based in central Cambridge, specialising in environmental and public law. The firm handles a range of interesting cases - covering environmental impact assessment, related planning work, communication masts, nuisance including aircraft-related and other noise work, nature conservation, human rights and other public law. The common denominators are fairness of decision making and good neighbourliness.
The firm has a short term (six months to a year) vacancy for an office assistant. The job is basic law clerking.The tasks will be varied, sometimes mundane, usually interesting and often fun. There will be phone answering, secretarial work, note taking at client meetings, conference calls, court hearings, court visits, photocopying, archiving, letter drafting, some research and costs work. The job needs someone willing to work in a small team, who is flexible and able to pick things up quickly and probably with an interest - general rather than specifically legal - in environmental and public interest law.
We are happy to consider applications from non lawyers. It could be of particular interest to geographers (environment) or physicists (noise!). Ideal for someone interested in becoming a solicitor.
