University: University of Manchester
Degree: History and sociology
Year of qualification: 2019
Position: Associate solicitor
Department: Family law 
Pronouns: She/her

Why solicitor not barrister?

I chose to become a solicitor because it seemed to me then to be more stable, which isn’t the most exciting answer. Having studied history and sociology at the University of Manchester, I felt that the solicitor route was more accessible for those from a non-law background. The cost of being a barrister also felt a bit overwhelming. In hindsight, this was probably not true and there are so many options and routes for becoming a barrister, but I’m incredibly happy with where my career has taken me so far. 

How much work experience had you had? Why is it so important?

Due to my non-law background, I felt I hadn’t had as many of the legal work experience opportunities, or experiences like moots, that are afforded to law students, which was something I worried about when applying. However, what I now realise is that the experience that I did have was beneficial to my applications. I’ve been working since I was 16 years old in restaurants, coffee shops and at corporate events, and there are so many skills that I had developed from these experiences that are applicable to a career in law – such as time management, efficiency, organisation and problem solving. It was about then understanding how I could apply my skill set to a career in law.

In terms of legal experience, I completed a few days in a smaller law firm and volunteered with Support Through Court (previously known as the ‘Personal Support Unit’), which involved supporting litigants in person through the court process and provided me with some exposure to the industry. I also did some copy editing for my university newspaper, which again, gave me a slightly different useful skill to talk about in applications.

What do you think made your application successful?

I think it was because I was honest. I clearly remember being asked about a news story that had interested me at the time and, while I could have said something about the Paradise Papers, which was a big tax scandal going on then, I spoke about the possibility of a sugar tax instead because I was selling cakes at the time, so it was relevant to me. It’s important to reflect on the experiences you have and stop trying to shoehorn yourself into what you think the firm wants.

Please outline your area of expertise. What might you do in a typical day?

I’m a family lawyer specialising in high-net-worth, complex, financial cases and child arrangements. On a typical day, my work would depend on whether I have cases that are in ongoing court proceedings. If I did, then I’d need to do work preparing for any upcoming hearings (eg, creating bundles, briefing counsel, having a call about strategy with the client and counsel, and supporting and supervising more junior lawyers to get elements ready). This would be alongside the rest of my work so I may have to deal with a a client calling me because they’re having issues with picking up a child from school, which would involve providing urgent advice or speaking to the other solicitor. I might also be drafting something such as a pre-nuptial agreement. A client can call at any time, so your day can get busy with little warning.

What do you most/least enjoy about your career and why?

I most enjoy how varied my career is. You never know what’s coming, so although I might have an idea of my to-do list for the day, I could receive an application and my plans will have to change. I like having to think on my feet and the work is genuinely interesting. You have to know a little about a lot and be able to know enough to recognise issues relating to pensions or to businesses, for example – the work is much broader than people think. I also feel quite privileged to be involved in people’s lives when they’re vulnerable. These people rely on us as lawyers to guide them through a difficult time, which I see as a real privilege.

On the flip side, vulnerable clients show their vulnerability in different ways and might not always be that receptive to the advice you’re offering. Having to deal with the emotions that come with this can be quite draining and difficult, depending on what else is going on.

How involved are you with business development and promoting the firm?

In terms of business development, I get involved quite a bit. One of the misconceptions that junior lawyers can have is that they can’t get involved in business development. However, if you’re building relationships early, they can very feasibly have a long-standing impact on your future work. Business development itself is quite wide ranging and can include networking events with other lawyers, lunch with a barrister, writing articles on behalf of the firm or something as simple as sending an email. The more senior I get, the more I’ve realised how much of an impact those little actions have and people can do what plays to their own strengths. 

What skills/strengths do you need to be a successful solicitor?

I think you can be the most technically excellent lawyer but if you can’t explain what you’re trying to do to a layperson then that’s a real issue. Communication and your ability to break down complex issues for your clients are crucial – both are skills that you’ll develop over time but are key for aspiring lawyers to focus on and hone.

What advice do you have for budding solicitors who are contemplating a career in law?

The advice I’d give to aspiring lawyers is to just keep an open mind. I know that when I was doing my training contract, and I see it in trainees now, people come with firm ideas of the area of law they want to work in but the black letter law is very different to life in practice. I have the same job title as someone who specialises in tax law, for example, and our jobs could not be further apart.

What’s the wider culture like?

I’d say that one of the best things about Burges Salmon is its culture. It says it’s a collaborative firm and, while I suspect lots of firms say this, it really is. We have lots of sports teams – I used to run the firm’s hockey team. There’s also football, running, Pilates and more. There are lots of firm-wide events too – for example, we used to host our own Strictly Come Dancing and The Masked Singer events, with all the partners getting involved for charity.

Our ‘BGroups’ are also an important element of our culture. These champion diversity and inclusion within the firm and are made up of BEnabled, BProud, BCultured and BBalanced. Each group puts on events to educate and support these minority groups, while also getting those who aren’t directly linked to these groups interested. The firm is great at promoting these groups and following up on its promises.

Does your department largely work independently, in support of another dept or is it routinely supported by other depts?

Burges Salmon is a full-service law firm, so lots of the departments work quite closely. For example, during one of my trainee seats in the corporate team, we had input from the pensions, employment, banking and tax team on large transactions. It’s easy to think that only that kind of work has that interaction. However, it’s the same for my area of law too – for example, say we have a business owner splitting up from his wife but the wife is a director and shareholder in the business then we might need some advice from the employment team about how to deal with her employment situation. We might also seek advice from the tax team regarding how to get her out of the business or the corporate team on restructuring the business. It’s useful to have these links around the firm.  

How often as a trainee were you communicating directly with clients (calls, attending meetings)?

Client-facing opportunities for trainees vary and can be dependent on the area of the firm you’re in, your supervisor and the work that’s going on (e.g., some of the work might be very technical). When I was a trainee in the family department, I had lots of client exposure – I went to meetings, attended court hearings and took calls on my own. As a trainee supervisor, this involvement is something I feel strongly about, so I’d try to get trainees communicating with clients as much as possible.

I’d also say that there’s probably a link between how enthusiastic you are as a trainee to how much client exposure you experience.

Is there anything you wish you’d known about being a trainee before you started?

Before I was a trainee, I wish I’d known that it’s fine not to know everything. You’re on the training contract to learn – it’s in the name, you’re ‘training’. It’s fine to make mistakes and it’s fine to ask questions. If you know everything then what’s the point in the training contract. I’m still learning, partners are still learning.

What’s your desert island disc?

My desert island disc would probably be something cheesy like ‘Bad Day’ by Daniel Powter or ‘One Love’ by Blue, which is my karaoke song of choice.