ABOUT US
We’re not just legal people. We’re people people.
Two things make us tick: delivering results and being easy to deal with.
Welcome to Burness Paull.
Burness Paull is a leading independent law firm in Scotland advising clients in Scotland, across the UK and internationally – and we’re growing.
We’re doing this by attracting the best talent, investing in our people, expanding in key industry sectors, strengthening relationships with clients – and continuing to make Burness Paull a great place to work.
The firm is adding capabilities to support our clients’ ambitions – this includes strengthening legal practice areas and strengthening our Business Services functions, which are integral to delivering a fantastic service to clients.
Human & High-Performing.
“Our ethos sounds like a simple recipe, but striking this balance with more than 550 outstanding individuals working across jurisdictions is very demanding. That’s why we invest heavily in talent, training and people development.
“I believe it’s a culture that celebrates individuality, sustainability and openness, where genuine advice and relationships are championed, an environment in which everyone is able to do their best work.
“This is how we maximise the potential of everyone, by using our individuality and diversity as strengths – values which are at the very heart of shaping how we do business.
“That’s why summing up our ethos is so valuable – it is a key ingredient binding us together and keeping us all on the same page and generating values worth shouting about. We should all feel proud that now and for the future the firm sees them at its core.”
Tamar Tammes – Managing Partner
INDEPENDENT
Our independence means we have complete license to shape the culture of the firm. It gives us the ability to support our clients, our people, our communities and the environment in ways that deliver genuine value.
PERSONABLE
A distinct people quality. We are talented and high-performing, but always down-to-earth, unpretentious and a pleasure to work with.
ADAPTABLE
Always open to new ways of working that best serve our clients and people, we are a firm that always seeks to go above and beyond – not just offer the same old answers.
CONNECTED
We’re not just connected internationally, we use technology and the partnerships we have formed across industry sectors and communities to ensure we have our fingers on the pulse at all levels.
Respect and Inclusion
We’re not perfect. But we believe in always trying to be better.
To us, respect and inclusion are about recognising that everyone is different and creating a business that values those differences.
We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and the promotion of a workplace culture where all our people can succeed.
We are proud that ‘inclusivity’ was the top-rated factor in our 2021 internal engagement survey, but it’s important to us that we don’t stop there and that we continue to make Burness Paull a welcoming and inclusive place for all.
“I believe the firm has a culture that celebrates individuality and openness, where genuine advice and relationships are championed, an environment in which everyone is able to do their best work.”
– Tamar Tammes
The work of our BeProud network in bringing together LGBT+ colleagues and allies to help shape a more inclusive environment for all, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, is fundamental to our commitment to make sure everyone can be their true selves at work, and be valued for it.
Our policies and practices are designed to be inclusive of all family situations and gender identities. As a Glass Network ally firm, we are proud to champion the work they do to support LGBT+ professionals in the Scottish legal community.
In recognition of the efforts of the BeProud network, we were pleased to have won the Best Small Business Category at the 2019 Proud Scotland awards and Most Improved Employer at the Stonewall Scotland 2020 Awards. Immigration partner Jamie Kerr won the Professional Services Award at the Proud Scotland Awards 2021, in recognition of his commitment to outstanding service to LGBT migrants.
We work hard to make sure we recruit the best teams from the widest pool of talent. We know there are challenges and barriers facing some candidates and we want to make sure bright, ambitious individuals get the same chance to shine.
As part of our commitment to widening access to the legal profession, we are involved in a number of initiatives to widen access to the profession and ensure a supportive workplace culture for those from minority ethnic groups.
In October 2020 we signed up to Rare’s Race Fairness Commitment to implement data-driven measures to help identify potential barriers that hold back people of colour in the legal sector.
Part of our commitment to being a responsible and inclusive employer is closing the gender pay gap and promoting gender equality throughout the firm.
When it comes to gender equality, being a member of the 30% Club and hitting our 30% female partnership target last year was a step in the right direction but there’s more to be done. We’re building a culture that encourages women to reach their full potential through supportive family policies and the promotion of shared parental leave and flexible working. We’ve rolled out training, resources and a policy framework to ensure those impacted by menopause feel supported at work and our employee networks encourage open discussion on difficult topics such as baby loss, fertility and caring responsibilities.
We are the first law firm in the UK and first organisation in Scotland to have been awarded independent ‘Menopause Friendly Accreditation’ and we have a policy framework and a range of training, support and resources in place, including trained Menopause Champions, to ensure ongoing support to colleagues impacted by the menopause.
We are winners of the ENEI ‘Enhancing Wellbeing and Belonging at Work’ award 2021 and the UK Diversity Legal Awards 2021 ‘Best Law Firm Diversity & Inclusion Initiative’ for our work in this area.
“Burness Paull’s campaign has broken new ground in best practice, brought to life with inspiration and passion. It’s a fully inclusive campaign, rightly involving everyone – menopause isn’t an issue for women, its knowledge and understanding is a lifeskill. In addition, they’ve shared their experience with other employers which will help drive societal mindset change around the menopause. We’re truly grateful for all they’ve done – outstanding.” Deborah Garlick, Director, Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace
It’s important to us to create a healthy, safe and positive working environment, offering colleagues the support and resources they need to maintain their mental, physical and financial wellbeing.
We were awarded See Me in Work partnership status in recognition of the work we have done to reduce mental health stigma and discrimination and embed a mentally healthy culture.
We have over 40 trained Mental Health First Aiders across the firm, offering support to colleagues experiencing mental health issues or those who need someone to listen. They are able to provide initial support and signpost appropriate professional support where needed.
We also hold regular workshops on topics around mental wellbeing and everyone in the firm has 24hr access to support and resources if they need assistance.
We are proud to have been the first Scottish law firm to have signed up to the Mindful Business Charter and we are driving forward changes to remove avoidable sources of stress in the workplace. We have a MBC Champions in each division/department who drive forward these principles in practice.
Life at Burness Paull
We believe in hard work. We also believe a little fun never hurt anybody.
Burness Paull’s clients have high expectations, and we constantly push ourselves to exceed them.
While high performance is essential, we also think you should enjoy your work. That’s why we place such a high emphasis on culture within the firm.
We believe everyone should be able to be themselves, and attitude is more important than any qualification.
The best way to sum it up is that we take our work very seriously, but definitely don’t take ourselves too seriously. After all, there’s no rule that says the law has to be boring.
All vacancies filled.
Are you driven by digital, with a sound knowledge of online marketing channels?
We are looking for a Digital Marketing Manager to join our Business Development & Marketing team in either Edinburgh or Glasgow. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a leading team in a successful, growing firm.
The successful candidate will develop and deliver a digital marketing strategy that combines website, social, CRM, and SEO into a cohesive platform that supports the firm’s business objectives. You will also be responsible for and proactively manage the firm’s website, SEO and content strategy ensuring they link cohesively with our webinars, social and email marketing and off-line activity. You will work to build online audiences for our services and brand that support the firm’s growth objectives and provide these audiences with optimal digital and branded user experience.
The successful candidate must have experience in managing digital marketing technology-based initiatives and developing strategies for supporting BD, Marketing, and communications priorities. You should also have experience in a similar role in a professional services firm, including website development, content management, website metrics, best practices, SEO, lead generation and social media marketing. High attention to detail with excellent data analysis, and ability to leverage marketing data to inform business strategy is a must. You should be authoritative and personable with experience in leading and developing teams and management of external suppliers.
At the heart of Burness Paull is our independence.
It’s this that gives us the licence to shape our business and culture in the sustainable way we want to, supporting the needs of our people, our clients, our wider community and the environment. It means freedom to pursue a philosophy of always being human in attitude and high-performing in approach.
For our people that means recognising everyone is different and valuing those differences. A culture that celebrates openness and where genuine advice and relationships are championed. An environment that encourages everyone to aim for success by being the best version of themselves.
And because we value the contribution that every one of our team makes, we make sure everyone is rewarded over and above the usual benefits you’d expect from a leading law firm. That means bonus schemes for all employees, family-friendly policies that stand out in the market, and a range of health & wellbeing initiatives that take a holistic approach to supporting colleagues.
We set the bar high. Our clients and people love that.
Apply here
If you’d like more information about these opportunities with Burness Paull, please get in touch with Denholm Associates today.
We find the talent
you can't find yourself
BrandBox, sits at the heart of our successful hiring strategy. To find out more about our creative approach to attracting talent please contact us on 03303 359 818 today.