With its focus on career development and cultivating future lawyers, offshore law firm Collas Crill has taken on a trainee from City law firm Bircham Dyson Bell (BDB) for a three month secondment ahead of her qualification as a solicitor in England and Wales.
Rebecca Longshaw is in her second and final year as a trainee solicitor, due to qualify in September 2018 following her experience gained in both London and offshore.
Currently based in Collas Crill's Trusts and Fiduciary Department, Rebecca plans to specialise in private wealth once qualified. Rebecca has also gained experience in the Charities and Litigation Departments at BDB, assisting in contentious trusts work.
While at Collas Crill, Rebecca will be assisting the team across its specialist areas, including advising trustees in relation to key regulatory changes, trustee duties, non-contentious applications to Court for blessings and drafting trust and foundation instruments – particularly end of service gratuity schemes for the firm's MENA client base.
Collas Crill is accredited by the UK Solicitors' Regulation Authority to provide training contracts for those wishing to qualify as English solicitors and has been training its own future lawyers for more than 10 years.
The firm recently saw the qualification of three new lawyers into its Guernsey office who had passed through the two year training programme and has a further six future solicitors currently training across its Guernsey, Jersey and Cayman offices.
Angela Calnan, who heads up Collas Crill's Trust and Fiduciary Department in Guernsey, said: "Almost a decade ago, I came to Collas Crill as a secondee from the UK just like Rebecca and it was a standout period in my career.
"I am so pleased to be able to offer Rebecca the same opportunity. We have a great relationship with BDB and saw this as a perfect opportunity to help Rebecca, who is a very talented trainee, extend her private wealth knowledge and expertise.
"Guernsey is a key jurisdiction for those involved in the private wealth space in London so this will be a valuable experience for Rebecca as she embarks on her career as a London lawyer."
Rebecca said: "I'm really pleased to be here in Guernsey at Collas Crill. As one of the top offshore firms, this experience will give me a new understanding of the trusts and fiduciary arena on top of the broad range of private client work I've already undertaken at BDB."
