Edge Hill University Law students fast tracked to success with leading law firm

2 Edge Hill University law students have secured highly sought after training contracts with 1 of the UK's leading law firms while still in their 2nd year of study.

Lucy Baines, 21, from Blackburn, a LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology student, and Millie Prescott, 20, from Ormskirk, a LLB (Hons) Law student, are thought to be the 1st Edge Hill students to secure a place in Brabners' rigorous 2 year training programme at such an early stage in their legal education.

The prestigious programme includes:- 4 6 month rotations through various departments, offering comprehensive experience across different legal practice areas.

Brabners also provides ongoing mentorship through training supervisors and 2nd year trainee mentors to support their development.

Lucy credits Edge Hill University's support for her success. She said:- "I am delighted to have secured a place at Brabners during my second year. The guidance from the University's commercial awareness programme and the Careers team was invaluable. Without their support, I wouldn't be in the position I am today."

Millie added:- "I was consistently impressed by Brabners' inclusive and welcoming culture. The support I received at Edge Hill was crucial in helping me navigate the application process and secure this opportunity."

Dr Jennifer Giblin, Associate Head of the School of Law, Criminology and Policing, said:- "Lucy and Millie's accomplishment is a testament to their talent and determination, as well as the comprehensive support provided by Edge Hill's law programme and the University's Careers team. Securing training contracts at such a prestigious and competitive firm as Brabners this early on in their careers is a remarkable milestone and we are incredibly proud of their success. We look forward to seeing them thrive in their legal careers."

Brabners was recently named the UK's Best Law Firm to Work For (2023) and listed in The Times Best Law Firms 2024.

The firm's selection process includes:- an online application, situational judgement test and assessment days held across their offices in:- Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire and Leeds.

This good news for Millie and Lucy follows another significant success for the Law department; earlier this year Megan Gough, a final year law student, was awarded the Jules Thorn Scholarship from Middle Temple.

The scholarship removes financial barriers to pursuing a career at the Bar and provides a:- 'seal of approval' from:- 1 of the 4 Inns of Court.

Find out more about studying law at Edge Hill University website.

Over 1.7 million overdue invoices in the North West this summer, new R3 research shows

NORTH West firms had over 1.7 million overdue invoices on their books this summer, according to new research from R3, the UK's insolvency and restructuring trade body.

R3's analysis of data provided by Creditsafe shows North West businesses had 1,745,091 overdue invoices on their books over the summer months; with 566,558 in June, 583,133 in July and 595,400 in August.

Overdue invoice numbers in the North West increased by 5.2% in summer 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023, when 1,658,792 overdue invoices were recorded. This was the fifth largest yearly rise by percentage of all the UK's Regions and nations, surpassed only by the West Midlands (45.8% rise), Scotland (29%), Greater London (9%), and the South West (8.6%).

Fran Henshaw, Chair of R3 in the North West, says:- "While the rise in overdue invoices in the North West has been more modest compared to other Regions, it remains a warning sign of the financial strain many businesses in the Region are still facing. Costs are continuing to rise, albeit at a slower pace, and it's becoming increasingly more difficult to pass on these extra costs to customers or to cut back in other ways. As a result, businesses are experiencing tighter margins and cash flow challenges, making it harder to keep up to date with the payments they owe."

More than 169,300 North West businesses reported that they had invoices which had gone past their payment date on their books this summer; with 55,946 in June, 56,418 in July and 56,985 in August. This is 4.7% higher than the same period in 2023 (161,723) and was the third largest yearly increase of all the UK's Regions and nations.

Fran, who is Head of Corporate Recovery and Insolvency at Beever and Struthers, continues:- "The number of companies failing to pay bills on time has steadily increased since the beginning of the year and this is creating a growing financial pressure for businesses across the North West. Without a consistent improvement in payment practices or cash flow, many companies may find it increasingly difficult to manage their debt and maintain operations, and we could see more and more businesses turning to a formal insolvency solution as a result. I would urge business owners and directors that are struggling to manage their cash flow to seek advice as soon as they can. Taking that 1st step can be hard, but by having the conversation early, you will have more time and more options available to you than if you'd waited for the problem to get worse."

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