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Career options > We offer and demand
We offer our lawyers:
We ask our lawyers:
We offer..... Their own cases As an intern, of course it’s fine to work and participate in another’s cases. But Ten Holter Advocaten has always found it important that you handle your own cases with your own clients, right from the first possible moment. Under supervision and with feedback and consultation, naturally. Our practice is characterised by direct contact with the client; you learn how to handle that, together with the excitement and responsibility that goes with it. Training and prospects The basic education is the Order of Advocates’ professional training, which is paid for by the practice. Internal training is given during internship, not just by the mentor but also because we encourage participation in outside activities, such as the Junior Bar etc. We aim at specialisation, but in the training context it is also important that a number of cases are handled that fall outside the specialist area. Staff wishing to specialise further in a given area are offered the opportunity to do so. After their fifth year this also applies to intensive extension courses, like the Grotius. In fact, this is mandatory for partnership. The practice is open to all those who fulfil the admission requirements. If after 8 years you opt for a staff placement, then a specific placement is negotiable.
Good working environment We aspire to clarity and openness, both in terms of policy and opportunities for growth. Our strategy is set down on paper annually for discussion in a plenary meeting. All staff are informed of the relevant decisions by the partnership. We are open to all comments. The daily office luncheon allows you to throw questions open for group discussion, whether legal or not. Don’t hesitate to do so. That’s the way new approaches can come up, at no extra cost to the client. The luncheons also serve for discussions about the profession and its practitioners, of course – gossip or stories are always welcome. The Friday afternoon cocktail session for attorneys and secretaries and the annual outings contribute equally to the excellent working atmosphere.
Space for living All the attorneys at Ten Holter need space to live. That’s why the number of declarable hours has been fixed at 1,300 per annum. Efficiency in handling cases means no work on Saturdays and Sundays, except to keep up with the literature, prepare courses etc. The first year of internship, of course, demands extra hours for study. See our Internship and Training Profile. Of course it can happen that incidental pressure, a summary suit or similar means that you have to come into the office outside regular hours. If this becomes a permanent fixture, the attorney is expected to complain. Besides the 1,300 declarable hours at a good rate, we expect a further 400 hours per annum to be devoted to office business. This can vary from finance to office parties, from acquisition to the library. So there’s room for involvement in extralegal activities. Other options could include ITC, personnel, accommodation, marketing and PR, etc. Everyone is welcome to contribute in any and all areas, right from day one.
We ask..... Responsibility In essence our profession is a simple one. If you have enough clients, supplying sufficient work at a decent tariff, then any practice will accept you. Choosing Ten Holter Advocaten means that you will ultimately have to build up your practice yourself. The sources in your first few years – legal aid insurers, clients from others in the practice – will inevitably dry up after the third or fourth year. Every attorney must then maintain his/her own practice thereafter. Clients move away, engage new management, merger etc.
Acquisition planning So besides the 1,300 declarable hours, you also have to invest time in acquisition. Experience teaches that, besides personal recommendation, the most efficient way is to move towards the chosen target groups in our region. In addition, lectures, articles and mailshots are also obvious ways to support the message that Ten Holter Advocaten offers specialist services. Everyone must discover for him/herself the method that suits them best. The monthly statement of hours (which interns discuss with their mentors) shows whether the monthly target has been (or will be) achieved, at what rate, and how many hours have been devoted to office organisation, lectures, training and acquisition. We expect accurate time records. Only then can one assess whether the efforts invested achieve the benefit envisioned.
Solutions, not problems It should be obvious that quality must be delivered. But that by itself doesn’t make you stand out. Clients value aspects they can appreciate, such as:
Contribution to the group practice Of course you are free to make your non-declarable hours declarable. We would prefer, though, to see these hours devoted to office organisation and acquisition. That way you can discover if a practice like ours is the one for you, or show that it is. Finally: Just as we hold you to account for what we demand (in the annual performance review, as well as on other occasions), we should – indeed must – be held accountable for what we offer. As far as possible, try to speak to the person responsible for the area you wish to address. Don’t be shy! |
