Programme overview
People take extended career breaks for many different reasons, from raising a family to caring for relatives, with the intent to return to work in the future.
We understand that returning to work after an extended break can be daunting. Our “Return . . . the Muckle Way” programme encourages skilled and experienced legal professionals who have taken a career break of more than 12 months to explore opportunities to return to work in a supportive and caring environment.
Through our partnership with Women Returners, "Return. . . The Muckle Way" provides you with the essential coaching and training you need to develop your career with us.
It is a four-stage coaching programme consisting of four 90-minute virtual coaching sessions beginning on or before your start date. It covers the transition period of between three and six months.
Why work with us?
Everything we do is guided by our core values. We call this “The Muckle Way”:
- Trust – we trust each other to do the right thing
- Teamwork – we are one team and work selflessly for each other
- Responsibility – we are self-starters and take responsibility for how we work together and communicate
- Care – we genuinely care about our people, clients and community
Sticking to our values really pays off – we’ve won awards for our fantastic culture, including Investors In People Platinum status. 99.2% of our people say Muckle is a great place to work and 100% share the firm’s values.
But don’t just take our word for it – hear what some of our people have to say!
Working parents at Muckle
Hear from some of our working parents, who give a candid overview of parenthood's highs and lows, and the supportive culture at Muckle that has helped (and continues to help) them along the way.
Watch VideoAll VideosForward thinking legal advice
What's it like to work for Muckle? Well, fun to start with. See what some of our solicitors have to say about life at one of the North East's top commercial law firms. Ready to join the team? Whether you're looking for Muckle graduate recruitment, solicitor apprenticeships, work experience or other vacancies, we're sure we'll have the role for you.
Watch VideoAll VideosWhat else do I need to know?
Whilst the content will be bespoke to you, the practical sessions will generally cover the following:
- Session 1 - Prepare
- Rebuilding professional identity
- Telling your return-to-work story
- Setting personal objectives and expectations
- Session 2 - Explore
- Developing sustainable life balance and proactivity
- Creating connections
- Building a professional brand
- Session 3 - Integrate
- Smoothing the transition back to work
- Improving career management skills
- Session 4 - Launch
- Reviewing objectives
- Structuring ongoing support network
- Planning for the medium and longer-term
Additional benefits include access to our working parents’ network and internal mentors. You can choose to connect with an internal parental leave mentor alongside the structured coaching programme.
The programme also includes a 1:1 coaching session for your line manager to ensure you’re getting the best possible support.
Where do I start?
View our current live vacancies.
Don’t worry if you can’t see a vacancy for you; we’re always on the lookout for passionate, talented and ambitious individuals who share our core values.
To speculatively apply for a vacancy, please email your CV and covering letter to [email protected].
We can’t wait to hear from you!