FAQs

General questions

What does Stones employment benefits package consist of?

A competitive salary
25 days holiday in addition to Public Holidays
Paid company sick pay
Stones Group Personal Pension scheme
Death in Service scheme
BUPA and PHI for Fee Earners

How do I apply for a job?

Our website holds a list of our current vacancies with all the information you need about each post. Please visit the "current vacancies" page.

If you have the relevant experience and wish to apply for the vacancy advertised, you can do so by applying online via the page on which the vacancy appears, or by sending your CV to Karen Bonser at Linacre House, Southernhay Gardens, Exeter, EX1 1UG or emailing her at karenbonser@stones-solicitors.co.uk

If you have any queries regarding the position, the Human Resources Department can be contacted on 01392 666777 and will be happy to answer your queries.

What happens at interview?

Usually there are 2 or 3 people on the interview panel, one of whom will be from the department that has the vacancy, normally the Team Head; one may be an Executive Committee member, and the other a member of the Human Resources Team.

Our interviews have been designed to enable both you and Stones to get the best out of the process and for you to present your application as comprehensively as possible. It is important that during the interview we get to know you as person as well as a candidate and to find out what you can contribute to Stones.

What are the office hours and can I work part time?

Stones core office hours are 9am to 5.15pm with an hour for lunch. Part time posts also occur, and Stones will consider all requests for flexible working in its desire to support a work life balance.

When are salaries reviewed?

Our annual review process normally takes place in July.

Do you have any childcare arrangements?

Stones provide Childcare Vouchers from a reputable national provider. These are on a salary sacrifice basis and are a more tax efficient way to pay for childcare for parents. More details are available from the Human Resources Department upon joining Stones.

Do Stones have any staff social events?

Stones currently have an annual Christmas party for all employees which is eagerly anticipated from about September onwards. Everyone is invited and the cost is borne by the Firm. Time off during the day is given for this event.

We also have a bi-monthly get together in each office, usually on the first or last Friday, where we all enjoy a glass of something and some nibbles, and take time to chat to each other.

Does Stones have a pension scheme?

Stones operate a defined contribution Group Personal Pension scheme details of which are supplied after 10 months. For support staff, providing you contribute a minimum of 4% of your salary, Stones will contribute 6% of your gross monthly salary. If you are a Fee Earner, Stones will contribute 2% to your 3% of salary contributions.

How do Stones staff know they are valued?

We value our employees highly and are proud to be an Investor in People. Above all, we listen to our employees and actively encourage everyone to contribute ideas and suggestions toward the success of their team and the firm as a whole. We regularly find ways of saying thank you to everyone for their contribution, and have for some years now given Christmas Eve as an extra paid day off.

Does Stones get involved with any community activities?

CSR is important to us. Stones are a strong supporter of the Corporate Games which is an annual event organised to raise funds for the Lord Mayors Charity. We also support Wooden Spoon in a number of events, and we canvass employees to select a different charity for specific support each year.

top of page

FAQs Solicitors

How is the firm structured?

Information on Stones' management structure can be found in the "about us" section.

How does the billing target work?

Stones set challenging but realistic targets for its solicitors, taking into account the area in which they work and their time in post.

What are my chargeable hours likely to be?

Stones tend to work to a chargeable target of 1250 hours per annum.

What training support can I expect?

Stones provide support for CPD training activities and also with identifying other training that will contribute to the growth of your skills and also your career development. We are keen to ensure that we identify the Associates and Partners of the future and provide them with the necessary support to achieve their goal.

What career opportunities are there?

There are always career opportunities at Stones, and whilst we don’t approach this in a predetermined way, we are always open minded about the career aspirations voiced by our employees and endeavor to support and assist these. We are always seeking to identify individual potential and plan for their development by structuring their training and experience to develop their skills and knowledge.

We have many individuals that have joined Stones at a junior level and progressed through their career to a senior level. It has also been known for a solicitor to change from one specialism to another, or for a solicitor to identify a niche market and have the support of Stones to develop it. We watch for the different strengths that our employees demonstrate, and actively seek to harness and develop those strengths.

How can you in the south west provide quality work and clients?

The South West has a thriving business and legal community with many clients with long standing business interests and also those that have relocated their business to the South West. We have a broad base of work with a highly successful private client portfolio and many key commercial clients with a long history of loyalty to and business with Stones.

top of page

FAQs Support staff

What sort of support roles are there in a firm of solicitors?

Stones, in common with most law firms, have a team of highly dedicated support staff, who provide a vital service either to the firm or to the clients. These areas include:

Legal secretarial
ICT
Human Resources
Marketing
Finance and Cash Office
Facilities
General Office and Reception
Administration

What skills do I need to become a legal secretary?

Stones generally recruit legal secretaries that have a minimum speed of 60 words per minute, audio dictation and where possible some previous experience in a legal or professional services environment. We do however provide a comprehensive induction programme including all the necessary training in our IT and dictation system for new joiners.

Do you employ legal fee earning staff who are not solicitors?

Yes, we do we have several groups of employees that are not solicitors but undertake an element of legal work. Often they will have targets of their own but this is not always the case. This would include the posts of:

Legal Executive
Paralegal
Conveyancer

Can support staff have a career with Stones?

Absolutely. We actively encourage personal development and career progression. Indeed, we have Legal Executives and Paralegals that joined us as a Legal Secretary and have gone on to study for the relevant examinations in order to progress to a Legal Executive or Paralegal within Stones.

top of page

Stones is an Equal Opportunities Employer and an Investor in People