This year, Tods Murray’s Charity of the Year is Alzheimer Scotland and to raise funds, 30 reckless souls are taking part in the Rob Roy Challenge on 22 June. The Challenge involves a 16 mile hike from Drymen to Callander, where we switch onto bikes for a 39 mile cycle to Kenmore. We (well, some … Continue reading »
Since my last blog, I’m glad to say the world of real estate has been de-mystified somewhat! This is largely due to a sustained busy period in the department since the start of my seat. I have been lucky enough to see a large–scale property portfolio sale from the due diligence stage right through to … Continue reading »
Although I enjoy getting out for the occasional lunchtime run, I think it’s fair to say that I’m not exactly a natural born runner. However, last year I committed myself to run the London Marathon for a local charity – SCOREscotland (Strengthening Communities for Race Equality Scotland). The marathon was a great excuse to get … Continue reading »
Malcolm Combe is a lecturer at the University of Aberdeen. Before being a lecturer, he was a law student, a summer student, a trainee “looking after” summer students and finally a knowing NQ solicitor silently acknowledging yet another batch of fresh-faced students eager to impress. The views in this blog are his own. The summer … Continue reading »
Recent weeks have been particularly busy for me in my role as the Trusts, Executries and Tax (TET) and Residential Property trainee, with a multitude and variety of work to deal with on a daily basis. Since my last blog post, I have continued to deal with several executries at various different stages as part … Continue reading »
As a trainee in the Rural Property and Business team you are exposed to a real variety of interesting types of work. The nature of our clients and the type of work mean that often you need to collaborate with colleagues in different departments across the Firm -whether it is our Private Client team for … Continue reading »
I am now 2 months into my second seat and the level of work I have been involved in has increased even in the last week! I am starting to find my feet in this department. At the same time I am still coming across new areas of property law that are new to me. … Continue reading »
What a difference a bit of sun makes – it might still be blowing a gale outside but walking into and home from work in the light has certainly improved my mood. When I leave work I feel as if I still have the rest of my day left to enjoy. Whether that is going … Continue reading »
I write this blog in the midst of an exceptionally busy period in the Real Estate department. We have been working on a large transaction which has come to completion this week. The atmosphere in the Real Estate department is reminiscent of deadline weeks at university, causing me to appreciate the practice afforded by years … Continue reading »
A month into my new seat in the Real Estate department and I feel like I have an entirely new job! Different legal work, different faces, different procedures and a different (but much improved!) view. Firstly, the work… at my previous department in Projects you work on one large transaction for months (even years!) at … Continue reading »
Astonishingly, I am now at the end of my first month in my new department, having recently moved from the Commercial Property department of our Glasgow office to the completely different Trusts, Executries and Tax (TET) department in our Edinburgh office. Here, I am also the Residential Property trainee, whilst continuing my role as part … Continue reading »
Welcome to my latest blog post! As we have all said, it has been all change recently for the Tods Trainees with our latest department moves. I am now in the Rural Property and Business Team, where I was a Summer Law School student. It is nice to be back where it all began, although … Continue reading »
I am now into the second week of my new seat in the Real Estate department in Edinburgh. Therefore a LOT has changed in a short space of time! My first day in the new department was at a time when the whole team was in the middle of a large ongoing transaction. Everyone was … Continue reading »
If I was to use one word to describe my last two weeks in Real Estate it would be WHIRLWIND! As Micheila has already alluded to, the Real Estate department have been very busy recently. This is obviously great news for the Firm and too be honest has been a great way to wrap up … Continue reading »
It is now the last week of my first seat, and I can’t believe how fast half-a-year has gone by! Over the first six months of my traineeship, I have been kept extremely busy and been involved in a large volume of work – this last week has certainly been no exception! Quite aside from … Continue reading »
At the end of last week I attended the firms’ annual drinks reception at the Corinthian Club in Glasgow’s Merchant City. This is an opportunity to bring our west-coast based clients together in the same room and to foster and celebrate the relationships we have with them. Not only that, but it provides our clients … Continue reading »
This marks my last blog as Projects trainee, the next time you hear from me I will be writing from the other side of the office – from the Real Estate department. I am sad to be leaving my current department as I have really enjoyed my time here but I am looking forward to … Continue reading »
The past 6 weeks of my traineeship have been the busiest to date; having been engaged in a variety of transactions for which I have been primarily responsible. Most notably, I have been involved in the drafting of 5 Certificates of Title as part of a multi-million pound refinancing deal. This has taken up a … Continue reading »
As trainees on the Hospitality and Leisure Team, Thomas and I were delighted to attend the latest Hospitality & Leisure Forum event yesterday, entitled “Financing the Hospitality Sector”. The prickly topic under discussion was finding funding for the sector and we were happy to welcome Barclays, Blas and Christie + Co to offer an insight … Continue reading »
My time in the Banking department is drawing to a close. While I have only been here a short time (see my last blog post) I have learnt a huge amount in this period. When I started I had a fairly basic understanding of what the department did, apart from the fact it all seemed … Continue reading »
A lot of time has lapsed since my last post and therefore a lot has changed. I am now in my last month in the Corporate department and as this has been my first seat it is probably the period in which I will change the most. In December we started work on the biggest … Continue reading »
I started at Tods Murray as a student on placement in their Summer Law School which was a very beneficial way to start my legal career. I had heard of Tods Murray whilst at University but, to be honest, did not know very much about the ‘real’ legal world outside the lecture theatre before starting … Continue reading »
The snow may cause disruption but it certainly does improve what is already a great view of Edinburgh castle. I promise I don’t stare out of the window all day! In fact since returning to work I have been desperately trying to shed the excess Christmas weight and get back to the level of fitness … Continue reading »
Happy 2013 everyone! As always, it feels an age has passed since my last blog, and as always, this period of time has been jam-packed with fascinating work and experiences. We have been back now from our winter break for several weeks, and though the pre-Christmas rush has somewhat died down, it’s business as usual … Continue reading »
A belated happy New Year to our readers! I am disappointed to report that last Friday’s bun run saw the early demise of the healthy eating resolutions for myself and a few others in the team. I did, however, get my first ever request for a banana on the bun run from a particularly strong-willed … Continue reading »
It is good to be back after an extended Christmas break and I am looking forward to the last few months in my current seat before I start a new seat in March. As is a recurring theme in all of these blog posts, time just flies by and in this sense I have yet … Continue reading »
Since my last blog post a lot has changed – not least my department! I have moved round the corner from Real Estate to the Banking department. Alex, a second year trainee, has gone out on secondment to a client for 3 months so I was asked if I would cover her absence. It all … Continue reading »
My name is Michael Phillips and I am currently studying my Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at the University of Aberdeen. Last summer I participated in the Tods Murray Summer Law School and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone seeking to pursue a career in law. I spent 8 weeks working with the firm’s … Continue reading »
Today is the last day to get your application forms in for Tods Murray’s Summer Law School 2013. The Summer Law School is a unique opportunity to sample life as a solicitor, whilst studying for your law degree. One-to-two week work placements often involve work shadowing, whereas our eight week programme enables you to obtain … Continue reading »
The last 6 weeks since my last blog have been very interesting indeed. In my last entry I talked about being given more and more responsibility – this has continued! The kind of responsibility has developed and evolved in many ways since mid-November. Not only have I been the primary contact for a client, but … Continue reading »
The Summer Law School is not all legal and business work and a key component of the placement involves the well-known “Charity Challenge.” For 2012, the twelve-strong Summer Students raised money for Maggie’s Cancer Care Centres and it was a great way to show off our teamwork skills and creativity in the various events that … Continue reading »
Having now returned back to university to complete the final year of my LLB, it seems a good time to reflect on my experiences as a Summer Student at Tods Murray. While most of my peers at university did not share my enthusiasm for working in a law firm for eight weeks of my summer … Continue reading »
It can’t be December already can it? As the fast paced Christmas countdown continues I am trying desperately hard to figure out where 2012 has gone; and more importantly where the first 3 months of my traineeship have gone! As each year draws to an end it is hard not to ask yourself whether you … Continue reading »
Your application form or CV is your opportunity to tell us about yourself. It gives you the chance to ‘sell’ your skills and experiences and emphasise what makes you stand out from your peers. We have put together some tips for you to consider whilst completing your form. Completing your application form Allow enough time … Continue reading »
I was pretty excited when I got an email a few months ago with the heading ‘Topshop event’. My first reaction was, “this can’t mean what I think it means – an event in Topshop?!“ It seemed too good to be true but I read on and confirmed that the Tods Murray Women in Business … Continue reading »
Since we donned our costumes and crazily raced through Edinburgh during the legendary Tods Treasure Hunt, it’s been a very busy month in the real estate department! I doubt that this is due to making up for the one recovery day, which saw many of the participants struggling valiantly through the longest Friday we ever … Continue reading »
I was lucky enough to get one of the tickets to the sell-out Edinburgh Young Professionals (EYP) Winter Ball last weekend. I was delighted to attend with contacts and friends from a variety of companies and professions. The 600-strong ball was held in the main ballroom at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Saturday night. … Continue reading »
Since our last blog, the long-awaited treasure hunt has taken place. I think a few of us are still feeling the after effects – mainly us trainees who made a sterling school-night effort and stayed out late before dragging ourselves back into work at 9am the next day. It’s no surprise a few of us … Continue reading »
As a trainee for the Hospitality and Leisure team, I was delighted to attend the second H&L Forum event last week titled “A spotlight on tourism: the experience of promoting Northern Ireland as a Tourist Destination.” I enjoyed meeting, greeting and mingling with key figures from the industry who were invited to listen to a … Continue reading »
Our Summer Law School Application process is now live. The Tods Murray Summer Law school is a unique opportunity to sample life as a solicitor whilst studying for your law degree. Our eight week programme enables you to obtain valuable exposure to various transactions well beyond what can be achieved during shorter placements. Application forms … Continue reading »
With my PEAT 2 quarterly performance review (PQPR) scheduled for Monday morning, this is very much a time for reflection. This provides me with the opportunity to consider what I have achieved to date during my traineeship and more importantly, how I can improve over the next 3 months. The PQPR involves meeting with your … Continue reading »
We would like to thank all of you who entered into our prize draw at the recent Law Fairs to win an interview at our Summer Law School 2013. The draw was made this week by Lynn Beaumont our Knowledge and Training Partner who attended the Edinburgh Law Fair and the lucky winner is: Rachel Stott … Continue reading »
We would like to thank everyone who visited our stand at the recent run of Law Fairs throughout Scotland. It was a pleasure to meet and chat with so many of you and very encouraging to hear about your dedication and the hard work involved as you strive towards your goal of becoming a Solicitor. … Continue reading »
Since my last blog entry things have really picked up. After nearly 2 and a half months in my department I feel very settled and much more confident in what I’m doing. When you first start in a seat you are taking over from the previous trainee and it can be hard to pick up … Continue reading »
I’m still at the very beginning of my time with Tods but I feel the things I am doing now I could never have done 2 months ago…. The last time I posted on the blog I was only 2 weeks into my Tods Traineeship. Now I am 2 months in, and a lot has … Continue reading »
I cannot believe that I have already been in my Real Estate seat for 2 months. Time really does fly and after 8 weeks you certainly start getting into a routine. My routine I fear will never change: I will continue to hit the snooze button in the morning for that extra 5,10,15 minutes; I … Continue reading »
Whilst composing this blog, I realised that we first year trainees are hitting the two month milestone today. The last time I spent two months in Tods Murray, it was as a summer placement student, about to go into fourth year of university and hoping for the traineeship offer (which would come at the end … Continue reading »
As a full service firm, Tods Murray draws expertise from all our service areas to offer a niche service to particular sectors. All of the trainees at Tods are assigned to a team for the duration of our traineeships. This means that we are involved not only in the work of our departments but also … Continue reading »
An integral part of life as a Tods Murray trainee is to attend the many events organised by the firm. Already, I have attended several busy events, ranging from the Festival Fireworks gathering, to legal content specific seminars such as one delivered on Title Conditions. As a trainee, you are there to ensure all guests … Continue reading »
As you will have noticed from recent blog entries, the Tods Trainees have been all over the country seeking out fresh legal minds at the University Law Fairs. This got me reminiscing about that day 3 years ago when I wandered up the Tods Murray stall at the Edinburgh University Law Fair. After a chat … Continue reading »
