Sebastian A.
About me
| Sebastian A. | |
| Law | |
| Law | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Goodricke | |
| 2011 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Trainee Solicitor | |
| Mills & Reeve LLP | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Legal services | |
| 2013 | |
| 2015 |
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A day in the life of a Trainee Solicitor in the United Kingdom
Courses taken since graduation
LPC
My advice to students considering work
Use your time at York to gain as much experience as possible - be it in sports teams, sitting on committees, work experience, part-time job, pro bono, StreetLaw, anything. The people that receive job offers will have done something at University to make them stand out from other candidates. Just being bright doesn't cut it any more!
The strongest advice I can give is to apply for vacation schemes. They are golden tickets to the Training Contract.
Don't be put off by rejection. Training Contracts are like hen's teeth at the moment, so don't be discouraged if you struggle to get anything. The LPC is massively over-subscribed, and there are thousands of students with 2:1 law degrees. The best way to stand out is to gain experience in any way you can and impress on any interview you can. Remember to keep up to date with the legal press and legal reform (sites like lawyer2b, The Lawyer, Roll On Friday etc) and research the firms you are interested in.
My advice about working in my industry
Don't be put off by rejection. Training Contracts are like hen's teeth at the moment, so don't be discouraged if you struggle to get anything. The LPC is massively over-subscribed, and there are thousands of students with 2:1 law degrees. The best way to stand out is to gain experience in any way you can and impress on any interview you can. Remember to keep up to date with the legal press and legal reform (sites like lawyer2b, The Lawyer, Roll On Friday etc) and research the firms you are interested in.
What I do
Proof reading, drafting letters of advice, bundle preparation, attending court, note taking, research, client meetings, photocopying, the list goes on. Because the trainee is the cheapest way to get a job done (by virtue of a lower hourly rate), if it can be done by a trainee, then the trainee does it! Be prepared to work long, unsociable hours.
What I like most
There are a lot of good jobs that a trainee does that others don't. I rotate seats every 4 months, so I can get a flavour of what the firm offers before making a decision. I get to go to a lot of networking events, and I'm asked to help out in the events our firm puts on for other businesses. These are great places to develop your interpersonal skills and the 'art of small-talk' - essential for the world of work. My current seat in Family has meant that I have a lot of client contact, which is one of the best parts of the job. I have also enjoyed working as part of a team and being part of a large firm.
Next steps...
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