Hammonds' barrister the first to qualify at law firm

Advocacy: former paralegal will be next in-house pupil

Hammonds Suddards Edge has become the first law firm to have a barrister qualify in-house, after Kathryn Hayes completed her pupillage with the firm's advocacy team.The Leeds, Birmingham and London firm received approval for its 12-month pupillages at the end of 2000 and, following the success of Ms Hayes, has taken on former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer paralegal Kirsty McKinlay as its next pupil barrister.Patrick Walker, director of the firm's in-house advocacy department - called Hammonds @dvocacy - said: 'Ms Hayes has three types of work coming her way now she has received her practising certificate.

We make it clear that external firms which do not have advocacy capability may refer work to us, internal work is passed on to the advocacy department, and she will also be handling her own case load.'Mr Walker said the demand for law firms doing advocacy work had become far higher than he ever imagined.

'Two years ago, when we set up, we perceived that there was a market, but no-one imagined quite how client-driven it would be,' he said.

'We can now offer clients the choice of in-house or external counsel - but they often prefer the seamless route of staying with the firm.'He added that all pupillages are offered with 'a view to permanent employment'.

Andrew Towler