Graham McIntyre

Name and background

My name’s Graham McIntyre and I am a partner in the property litigation team based in the Bristol office and I am also the head of the retail sector. After attending Uni at Durham I spent a year at the College of Law in York. I joined Clarke Willmott about four years ago as a senior associate. When I started here I was put on the firms Senior Associate development programme which is colloquially known as Fame Academy. Basically it teaches you some of the skills you need to be a partner, from how the firm’s finances work through to how to pitch for work. After a couple of years of training on Fame academy I was promoted to partner in 2007.

Why I chose Clarke Willmott

I was looking for a firm with ambition and a national reputation. The firm has been quoted as being the most ambitious of the next generation of national law firms and I can honestly say that is true. Clarke Willmott has been making a splash in the market for the last few years attracting high quality work and high quality fee earners often relocating from London. Unlike many firms, it has retained a wide spread of practice areas. As a property litigator by trade, I was attracted by the excellent reputation it has for commercial property work.

The firm however was also Private Client and Family Team of the Year 2008 in the British Legal Awards 2008. I like the wide spread of practice area as it adds depth to the work we can undertake. From a training contract perspective it also offers a broader choice of options. It is often the case with trainees that they may start off with their heart set on one practice area but they will find a passion in something quite different by the time of qualification.

We aren’t a traditional law firm. We like to get behind the businesses of our clients and this is something that is really important to me. I want to be more than just a legal advisor. I am interested in my clients industries and find it impossible to provide high quality advice without really getting behind their commercial pressures and objectives.

The practice area I work in

Being a partner within the property litigation team means that the majority of work I undertake is with surveyors who are experts in their own field. The team as a whole works with a range of property owners, occupiers and funders nationally with the aim of solving disputes as quickly and cost efficiently as possible. What this means on a day-to-day basis is getting involved in the nitty gritty of the business and advising on the commerciality of deals and not just giving the legal answer.

Why Clarke Willmott values its trainees

Clarke Willmott invests a lot in trainees and they add a lot to the culture, to the firm. It is great to have people coming into the business every year with fresh ideas and energy for what they will be doing. It is important that we listen to those ideas. Speaking as a partner, I take a lot of satisfaction out of seeing people succeed and letting them fulfil their aspirations through giving them development opportunities. Within each team, there is a mix of trainees, solicitors and partners with a wide range of backgrounds but it is great to work with people you have personally helped train and develop.

Why I’d recommend Clarke Willmott

If you are looking for a firm that will give you the opportunity to do more than just learn about the law then Clarke Willmott is the perfect choice. As well as high quality legal training, you will be given the opportunity to learn about business sectors and what clients want commercially as well as legally. Our aim is that at the end of the two years you will find that you are more than just a solicitor, you are an in-house advisor to your clients. As well as this, entrepreneurial spirit is really encouraged and you will be confident in your ability to think for yourself.