A NORTH-EAST law firm is bucking the difficult economic times by taking on two new trainees.

Jenny Atkin and Ian Osborn have started working at commercial firm Square One Law, which has grown rapidly since it was launched in the region last year and now has a team of 36, including nine partners.

Training partner Barney Frith said: “We have had an extremely busy first year and attracted some of the region’s top legal talent. Our future growth means we also need to develop our own rising stars and Jenny and Ian will join our second year trainee, Lucy Bailey.

“We held an open day earlier this year and were extremely encouraged to see the high level of ability that is emerging from the region’s universities. In Jenny and Ian we believe we have secured two emerging stars and look forward to helping them develop their careers with Square One Law.” Newcastle-born Jenny was educated at Walbottle Technology College and graduated from Northumbria University in July this year and is now working in the firm’s litigation department. Ian studied both the Solicitor’s Exempting Degree and the MSc Business with Legal Management Masters at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle. His first seat is with the corporate and commercial department.