I hadn’t thought about a career in law until starting my A-Levels. My aim throughout school was to go into some form of sport-based career and had planned to study physical education and biology at A-Level. However, both my sister and dad had studied A-Level law and encouraged me to do the same due to how much they enjoyed it. In the end, I didn't receive the relevant GCSE grade that I needed to study biology, so I decided to try out A-Level law instead. With originally being from Lincolnshire, the concept of big city law didn't really exist and so I was never exposed to the possibility of working in that arena one day, or in the legal arena in general.
I fell in love with the subject from the very first lesson at the beginning of term, and that love drove me to study it at university level, take the LPC and then apply for a training contract in 2022. One of the reasons that I enjoyed studying law is the pure problem-solving nature of the subject which very much still exists in my career. While some aspects of the job are more administrative, there's still plenty of opportunity to solve 'puzzles' on a daily basis whether that be a niche bit of research, a query received from a client or taking part in pilot programmes to test out new firm technology.
It's not always easy when you're training to focus on striking a healthy work/life balance, some days and weeks will be a lot busier than others depending on the team that you're in for that seat rotation. However, I always find that it helps to keep a working tracker of matters that I'm working on that includes any upcoming deadlines or meetings – it's a really important aspect of keeping your mind clear when you've left work for the day and knowing that everything is accounted for as best as it can be.
Another important aspect of maintaining a healthy work/life balance is understanding that you can't solve everything in one day – obviously if an urgent task comes in then it will need to be dealt with almost straight away in most cases. However, it's important to remember that it will not always be the case that you can clear your inbox by the end of the day, some things will need to be done tomorrow and that's okay – keeping an open line of communication with your supervisor at all times will allow the both of you to understand your capacity and manage the workload if it's needed.
It's very easy to slip into the same kind of routine of sleep, eat, work, repeat throughout the week but this isn't sustainable long-term. I always make sure to make time for any hobbies, whether that be at the weekend or in the evening after work. It's okay to have a busy week and to be proactive but when the opportunity arises for some downtime, it's also important to make the most of it!
1. Be open-minded
A common theme across the advice that I received before starting my training contract was to keep an open-mind at all times and I've found that to be very true throughout my training so far. This applies to both the work that you're given and the seats that you will undertake across the training period. While you're often given the opportunity to submit your seat preferences for the next rotation, sometimes you will be given a seat that you hadn't picked which can be quite a daunting prospect. However, the area of law that you hadn't even thought about might end up being the area that you really enjoy working in and maybe qualify into. Be open to trying new things and leave any assumptions behind at the door. It's always worth just giving it a go and seeing what happens.
2. Be willing to try
You may get some tasks as a trainee that are really challenging but that's where you will learn the most (especially if it's something that you've never tried before). It's very important to try and be as proactive as you can with a piece of work. Always ask any questions that you need to in order to help your understanding of the task and try your best – it doesn't matter if you end up getting the wrong answer.
3. Be open to constructive feedback
As a trainee solicitor, it's incredibly important to understand that you will make mistakes (if you didn't then you wouldn’t be training). I worked as a paralegal with the firm for a year before starting my training contract and I found it quite easy to get frustrated whenever I made a simple mistake but at the end of the day, we're all human and it happens. Whenever you receive feedback from someone, take as much from it as you can get and always be open to receiving both positive and negative feedback.
I am currently working in our Core Real Estate department in our Finance & Investment team and the work that I do on a typical day really does vary. A lot of the work that I do is based around supporting other members of the team, including drafting and submitting Land Registry applications and requisitions, drafting amendments to documents or correspondence to clients, and I've also been involved in some residential conveyancing and completions. There have also been some great opportunities to draft leases and licences from scratch and negotiating these with the other side (with excellent supervision throughout) which has really boosted my confidence with drafting and communication.
It can be quite easy sometimes to fall into doing the same kind of tasks that are comfortable each day with different matters and clients. However, I have found it useful to approach a fee earner that is working on something that you might be interested in and simply asking if you can help out. This provides a fantastic opportunity to work on matters that you probably wouldn't be involved in if you didn't ask.
