Exclusive: BLP posts woeful job advert

There was mild consternation across the less exciting parts of the City this week, as Berwin Leighton Paisner posted an advert for banking lawyers riddled with unfortunate errors.

The vacancy, posted on the firm's website, is for 2PQE banking and capital markets associates. It opens with a boast that BLP partners "have been names as leading individuals in Chamber, our Banking and Finance Team". Babelfish has been unable to translate the claim.

The advert, in the style of a Nigerian scam email, promises that successful candidates will be "surprised and delighted" by their level of supervison. And that everyone in the team will "offer mentoring and career development. And that just not about being a lawyer".

The highlight is BLP's requirements for its candidates: "You work well in an environment where it's all hands of deck", reads the ad. "You are not someone who wants to be pigeon hold."

Pigeon hold: don't even bother applying

A BLP spokesman said the ad was posted in error for just a few hours (although when RollOnFriday pointed out that it had been up for at least a week, he said he had misread his internal email). More to the point, as one potential applicant told RollOnFriday, "They wonder why they can't attract us? Spelling mistakes, bad grammar, nonsense".

Here's the ad full, basic syntax fans.

Interested candidates should send just £1000 and their bank account details to BLP, a genuine law firm my fine friend.

Tip Off ROF

Comments

Oh dear what is going on in that place?

"And then there is BLP. We do both" So why have they had an associate turnover in that department of almost 200% in the last 18 months?

"The Banking and Capital Markets Team has gone through a transition" (Translated as “everyone has left").

"Everyone is the team is committed to their careers" (translates as "Everyone has their CV out looking for somewhere decent to work")

"You enjoy extensive interactions at all levels of our team" (True, some of the partners seems to have extensively interacted with each other in and out of the office, some say they have even interacted with trainees).

“In addition, there is the opportunity to work in bigger teams in larger transactions” (Translates as “when Tax or Real Estate needs us for a proper deal, you’ll be bending over and picking up the soap my friend).

"Strong in Banking and leveraged finance" ha ha ha ha, one leveraged finance partner with no work....classic.

"Secondments in banks" (Translates as "Stinky Due diligence project")

Oh dear BLP, what is become of you?

Classic Severs!

It must be very HARD to work in a department which is run so badly

I remember my employment contract with BLP...they couldn't even get the year correct. Bless

The running of this department has been BUNGLED

This department was just part of a redundancy process, right? And now they are hiring again. WTF? Who is in charge over there and why are they still in a job?

I think that we have had enough of the BLP-bashing. A recent employee engagement exercise was very well received and lawyers of all levels volunteered with enthusiasm for the opportunity offered. In fact the opportunity was nearly 100% oversubscribed as those cap markets people like to say.

It's a shame that the partners concerned have had less success in finding new firms to go to than the associates they are beasting.

At least there respected by clients

What this department needs is some more strategy presentations to make the associates feel part of the journey. And to be told that if they don't like it they can f*** off!

Kellett (aka Bungle) must possibly be one of the greatest departmental heads of all time.

Oh dear. Sounds like the marketing contact is going to be getting called for a difficult chat soon...

"Oh dear. Sounds like the marketing contact is going to be getting called for a difficult chat soon..."

Yes, because obviously no-one senior is in any way accountable

It's very sad. A couple of years ago this was one of the best firms in the City, and it's now gone down the plug hole. Costly and unwise lateral hires, mass redundancies, and completely giving up on everything that made the firm a special place at which to work. I guess this is the result. Shame.

OMFG. How does something like this go out without being proofed! Or maybe it was...!

KM

Actually a little bird says they're just about to make the proofreaders redundant too. Obviously don't feel they need them!

A little bird says they're actually making all their proofreaders redundant. They obviously feel they don't require their services.......

The ad reads "there are law firms who do great work but are not so great at developing young lawyers. And then there's BLP. WE DO BOTH"
Does this therefore mean that BLP are accepting that they "do great work" and "are not so great at developing young lawyers"?????.......hmmmmm......bizarre......???