Life as a trainee

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As a student, it’s so easy to get caught up in the application process for a training contract. As the deadlines for training contracts all come crashing in on you, and the emails flood in about whether you’re moving on to the next stage or not, it’s hard to focus on what life might be like as a trainee solicitor, so here’s a glimpse into my life as a trainee.

Training contract in London

I moved to London for my training contract and had big expectations. Not only was it a new job, but it was also a completely new lifestyle. When I was applying, I knew that I needed to choose a law firm where I felt comfortable and supported. I was going to be alone in London, so I needed a workplace that would take my wellbeing seriously. I’m lucky to be at a law firm that does this really well – there are so many opportunities to get involved in social activities, such as netball, rounders, choir, book club or run club. So, to start with, I want to highlight that being a trainee isn’t all work and no play – if you pick the right firm!

The work of a trainee

In terms of the work, we rotate around seats every four months at my firm. In our final seat, we return to the seat that we want to qualify into. This means that you get to try five different departments and find out what they do. I’ve found this to be a huge advantage, particularly if you’re unsure what area of law you want to qualify into because the various seats allow you to experience work in teams that you might never have considered.

During my training contract interview, a conversation with a construction partner really made me want to try construction. Having graduated from Newcastle University with an English literature degree, I had no practical knowledge of what being a construction lawyer meant – this conversation made me realise how open minded you should be as a trainee about your seat choices. I was lucky that I was assigned construction for my first seat, despite it being an area I hadn’t envisioned myself choosing to start with.

Of course, moving around every four months can be challenging in some ways too. I think it’s important to stress that the hard work doesn’t stop when you get your training contract. It’s a fantastic achievement and you should be so proud of yourself when you do secure one, but from that point, you’re on a huge journey. Every four months you go back to knowing very little about your job – for example, you might never have experienced property law before having previously been in a tax, trusts and estate seat. But, if you approach each seat with an eagerness to embrace the challenge, you’re more likely to come out the other side as a well-rounded lawyer. In fact, you may find that you need to know elements from your tax seat if you want to qualify as a family lawyer, or you may need to know how building contracts are drafted if you want to be a commercial real estate lawyer.

On a day-to-day basis, life is very varied. There’s so much that comes across a trainee’s desk – for example, one day I could have a big research task on mental capacity issues, be asked to attend a client meeting to take notes and then draft a trustee’s resolution. The next day, in a different seat, I could be drafting instructions to counsel, preparing a court bundle and researching how to gain possession back for a residential property. As a trainee, you get comfortable with having to ask questions (every day!). I’ve always been told to remain inquisitive – you’re never a finished product, but you should be taking on board feedback, taking small steps to increase your technical legal knowledge and giving everything your best shot.

A huge part of life as a trainee is also getting involved with business development. Networking is scary at first but you’ll find ways that you can contribute. If you love socialising, you may want to go to a drinks event with other property professionals; if you prefer writing articles then you may publish a piece on the law firm’s website about a new legal update. There are a multitude of ways to grow your network. As a junior, it’s about making contacts and maintaining those relationships.

I often find myself comparing law school to trainee life, and wonder what the similarities and differences are. I still do legal research and I’m always learning about new pieces of statute or various case law. I love writing articles, which feel a little like writing university essays at times. The main difference is that you’re dealing with real people who have real problems. Your work matters – you’re working for a client, with a deadline. While this can add some pressure, it’s also exciting. You’ve trained so hard to get where you are, and now you can assist a fee earner in making use of that knowledge. I find this the key motivator in my day-to-day work.  

My training contract application top tip

My one top tip, having gone through the application process and having completed four of my training contract seats, would be to choose a law firm that does the type of work you’re interested in. If you have a desire to practise family or private client law, make sure the firms you’re applying to do that type of work. Plus, being a trainee is a constant learning process. As such, it’s important for you to feel supported and comfortable in order to flourish in the role – otherwise, how are you going to ask those 1,001 questions that come into your head each day?

Sophie Wilson is a non-law graduate and trainee solicitor.