Merry Christmas!

We've reached the end of 2016 and my goodness, how quickly did that fly?!

So much can happen in the space of a year, and it's safe to say there was A LOT going on for me, both professionally and personally.

The office is closed for  10 days over the Christmas period, I think everyone is ready for the break. It's also a great time to make excuses to eat and drink everything in sight!

I've been pretty ill over the past week which meant that I had time off and was unable to attend my work Christmas party, so I'm looking forward to staying at home and trying to nurse myself better.

I would like to say the Christmas period is going to be relaxing for me, but with the first child of the Rowland siblings due to be born between Boxing Day and New Years Eve (not mine, my brother's!) it's going to be eventful but also joyful.

I hope everyone enjoys their time off and looks positively into the new year.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Year 2!

It's official, I am now in my second year of training, where on earth has the time gone?

Am I supposed to know what I'm doing and come across as really experienced to our other Trainee? Who knows! But I'm rolling with it.

On Monday I will be starting my third seat in the Clinical Negligence department. Different to family law but still a lot of emotion. I'm ready to try something new and see how this area works.

The count down to qualification begins, it is going to go super quick which is rather exciting and terrifying at the same time. But for now, lets enjoy the countdown to Christmas. We have lots of festivities planned at our firm, we like to keep our spirits high!

The Christmas tree is already on display and no doubt the big day will come in a flash.

Enjoy your weekend!

Another week, another careers fair!

This week I attended Woodbridge School to represent my firm at their careers fair. The fair was held on a Saturday and it allowed students not just from Woodbridge School, but those also in the local area to speak to people from all kinds of different professions.

To the stand on our left was a Barrister who works in London and to our right was the RAF. The Barrister had a mannequin with a wig and gown displayed and the RAF of course had plenty of interesting things to look at on their stand. So we had good competition and needed to make ourselves appealing to the students.

We were approached by a lot of students which was pleasing, but interestingly, there were a number of students who weren't looking to attend University. We therefore advised them of the Legal Executive route or the new Apprenticeship schemes which are being introduced. Perhaps this is a telling sign that the increase in University fees really is putting people off  higher education.

Attending the fair was also a good way for us to show our presence as the firm has recently opened an office in Woodbridge. We could speak about the types of services we offer to the parents that were with their children.

The day was cold but glorious and the grounds around the school looked beautiful in the beaming sun, particularly with all the golden leaves falling off the trees.

I hope the students found us informative and helpful, there were some keen listeners which seemed promising! Hopefully we will be back next year to do the same again.

University of Essex Law Fair

Last week I attended the University of Essex Law Fair. This event gave the law students or other students that wish to pursue a career in law the chance to speak to those that work in the legal profession. A number of local law firms attended as well as those that work for the government legal services, providers of the LPC and BPTC courses and so on.

It was great to see so many students interested in a career in law, particularly those that aren't even studying law.

There were a variety of students. Some who had no idea what they were going to do when they leave University, some who had various options to explore and those who were set on what they wanted to do and were determined to achieve their dreams.

Being a Trainee I was able to give an explanation of the change from studying to working in practice. I gave the students tips on what to focus on in their interviews and also advised them to get as much experience in as possible!

Of course we brought chocolates to please the students...I obviously dipped my hand in several times. Needs must!

I hope the students found the evening informative. I'm sure I'll be back this time next year to do it all over again!

Back to Work, Back to Networking

After a great week off, which went way too quickly might I add, it's time to get back into the swing of things.

As I got back into the office and opened my email inbox, I found that I had been signed up to a number of networking events. The majority of them involve attending Universities, I assume it's at this time of year that the careers talks and events are put on. I can't actually remember as my education seems so long ago (She says at the ripe old age of 24)

Last week I attended the University of Suffolk Law Programme Launch and this week I will be attending the University of Essex Law Fair.

The University of Suffolk (formerly University Campus Suffolk) has just started offering the LLB Law degree from this year. We were invited as lawyers from the local community to help mark and celebrate the occasion. There was food (always a bonus!) and a couple of speeches from local judges, and also those working at the University. The students of the new law programme also attended which gave them the opportunity to ask us any questions that they had.

It's great to see that the local University is now offering a law programme. Not only does it give the University the opportunity to offer a wider range of courses, but it also gives those local to Suffolk a chance to consider a career in law when perhaps they did not have the opportunity to do so.

Here's to a good future for the University of Suffolk.

Let's Talk Law

So my first ever post on this blog was about the Suffolk Skills Show, a careers event for school pupils ranging from year 7 to Sixth Form students.  This week I attended the show again which means that this blog has been going for a WHOLE YEAR!

The blog has received really good feedback within that time and I'm pleased that I have been able to help others by giving an insight to the working life of a Trainee Solicitor. So far the blog has had over 6,000 views!

The Suffolk Skills Show was rather hectic with children running around everywhere. It was quite hard for us to sell a career in law when there were other companies to do with electronics and gaming. How on earth can we compete with that?

I was impressed as there were a few school pupils who told me they were set on becoming lawyers. But when I say a few I literally mean about three children. However, not all hope is lost and there is still an interest in law for some.

Throughout the day, I explained the different routes to becoming a lawyer which included the route of an apprenticeship, which is quite new to the legal industry. I hope that I was able to sell a career in law and make it sound appealing, but as soon as I mentioned that there is a lot of reading involved I noticed the eyes slowly becoming glazed.

I did my best, but the words "hard work", "dedication" and "determination" did seem like a big ask for most.

Spread the Word!

The Almost a Solicitor blog now has it's own facebook page! I thought that I would set this up for easier access to the page for young people and students that are interested in a career in law. And maybe those that are generally just interested in the dribble that I have to say.

You can find the link here:

https://www.facebook.com/Almost-a-Solicitor-1708334866157211/?skip_nax_wizard=true

Please like and share the page with those that you think would benefit from reading the blog.

I have one more week left of work until I go on holiday. Typically I feel that this week will go extremely slow in the lead up to my break, but I cannot wait to get on that plane!

Enjoy your week!

Dance Offs, Sweets & Alcohol!

This weekend I attended the Suffolk and North Essex Junior Lawyers Division's Autumn Ball. The Ball was held at Ipswich Town Football Club and the evening gave all NQs, Trainees, Paralegals, Support Staff and guests a night to come together and dress up for some entertainment and a laugh. It was also an evening to celebrate a very successful year of the current SNE-JLD committee.

The evening consisted of a three course meal, speeches, a raffle and a disco. I had the best intentions to take photos of the food to try and make this blog post quite attractive, however those who know me know that I eat A LOT and as soon as it was presented in front of me the food was gone. So, apologies for that.

Also at the Ball was a photo booth and a pick 'n' mix selection. Of course after the meal I spent the remainder of the evening by the pick 'n' mix because I have a major sweet tooth!

It was great to see everyone again and also some new faces up on the dance floor, and there was even a dance off which included someone genuinely doing the splits. It was A-MA-ZING. Who said Lawyers can't have fun?

The elections for the new SNE-JLD committee are coming around soon, this year the committee have set a very high standard so it will be tough for the new committee to compete.

If anyone is interested in joining the committee or simply looking to attend the SNE-JLD events to mingle with other junior lawyers, you can contact the committee at sne-jld@googlemail.com or you can take a look at the website at www.sne-jld.co.uk.

Mid-Seat Appraisal

This week I had my mid-seat appraisal for my second seat. For those that don't know I'm currently sitting in the family department and have just completed three months.

I was quite nervous about this appraisal because if I'm honest, I don't feel like I've taken to this area too well. I feel that a lot of the time I don't produce top quality work when I could do a lot better.

I have also recently found myself stuck in the "trainee rut". I didn't really know what I was doing and I found my mind playing tricks on me, worrying about minor things and the terror of wondering where I will actually end up qualifying came over me. I needed to be pointed in the right direction, constructively and productively.

My appraisal actually went a lot better than I thought and it was extremely helpful. I raised minor concerns that I had about my development and I was put at ease, we spoke about what we need to do for me to progress in the second half of my seat. I think that having a mid-seat appraisal is something that all trainees should have as it gives you an idea of how well you are doing in the seat and you don't have to find out until the end when you are about to move on.

The appraisal certainly gave me the "kick" that I needed and I was thankful for the constructive advice. I feel that I can progress through to the end of my seat positively. It is now only two months until my second year, that has absolutely flown by!

Things to Consider before Studying a Law Degree

Picking the degree you want to study can be difficult for any person. There are so many options and career choices you can make that it's hard to know where to start. Having studied a law degree myself, here are my top six things I believe you need to consider:


1) Reading
When you first start your law degree, one of the first things you will receive is a long long list of all the books you will need to read for the year. Also, due to the masses of coursework you will need to do, you will find yourself scanning your eyes through many books of your own and in the library, just to obtain one small but very important quote. So if you don't like reading, I wouldn't suggest taking up a law degree.


2) Speaking in front of an audience
This may not apply to you during your degree, but if not, it certainly will during your LPC. At some point during your education, you will be obliged to stand up and speak in front of an audience. This may be by way of either a presentation, or perhaps mooting. Needless to say, speaking in front of people makes the majority of us nervous, but we all get through it in the end. It's purpose is to help build your confidence, there's no need to hide from it.


3) Voicing your opinion (respectfully)
Studying the law gives you the opportunity to discuss issues, flaws and positives in the law. Of course everyone will have a different view on this but law seminars give you the opportunity to discuss your point of view with others. It can sometimes become a bit heated but it is also very fun at the same time! I would encourage you take part in these as it builds confidence and allows you to look at issues from different perspectives.

4)Achy hands
Lets face it, these exams aren't easy. Some will last 3-3.5 hours, and you will be writing the whole time, so your hands will ache, A LOT.


5) Sleepless nights
For some reason (and in my own experience), universities like to cluster all of the coursework deadlines and exam dates all in the same week/month. So you will be having a few sleepless nights to try and get everything done in time! But don't let this put you off, once the craziness of deadline month is over, you can have a bit of a break.

6) Factortame
If you study EU Law you will be studying this case. It is very possible you will go through the whole year of not understanding one bit of it. Don't worry, none of us did either!

Court & Catastrophes

Another week in the family department meant another few trips to Court. Although family law isn't my favourite area, I do enjoy attending Court to observe how an issue is considered and resolved.

The Court that I attended actually had air conditioning, oh my, it was like a dream! Especially in the heat we had last week, I'm not sure if I could have spent the day in my local Court. The Court I usually attend is only air conditioned in the hearing rooms, which means that most of the time I am left sweaty, muggy and dehydrated.

Also this week, I had one of those days where nothing seems to go right. I was writing a document that took me a rather long time (hours worth) to which by the time I was reading it through to make sure it made sense, it corrupted and didn't save. I had to do it all again the next day! And then it took me an hour and a half to get home in the scorching heat. I really was not in a good mood that day!

Similar events of this kind happened during the same week so I was not feeling my best.

It was one of those weeks where I had to accept that nothing was going to go right and look forward to the weekend, which I did. I made it a very relaxing weekend of doing absolutely nothing.

I hope you all enjoy another week!

Peace, Parties & Paris

In my last post I mentioned how I had a week off, a time to relax and forget about everything.

During the middle of the week I took a trip to Dedham where I went for a walk along the river with my other half and watched/laughed at everyone who was trying to row a boat. For those that don't know, Dedham is an extremely beautiful village in Essex where you can hire rowing boats. What a lovely day it was and the weather was so warm. I fell asleep next to the river!

The end of my week turned into a somewhat erratic and restless but yet amazing time. On the Friday I attended my firm's summer party. The firm hosted an evening of golf, hog roast and drinks which was very nice. It gave us a chance to socialise outside of the office and put a good end to the week.

I had to leave the party early. As I had mentioned in my previous post, I had been told by my other half that I was going somewhere for the night but I had no idea what I was doing. It wasn't until 11pm on Friday night that I was told that I needed to wake up at 5am on Saturday because I was being taken to Paris for the weekend!

Well of course by this point there was no chance of me being able to sleep. I must have managed about 2-3 hours maximum. I was too excited, I didn't think I would be taken abroad!

So Saturday came and we were rushing around to get to London to get the Eurostar. The weekend was absolutely amazing. As we weren't there for long, our main activities involved visiting the Eiffel Tower and taking a cruise along the river. I even felt brave and tried some snails, much more enjoyable than you would think!

What a blast I had, it all went so quickly. I arrived back home at 11pm Sunday night so my first day back at work felt extremely long. But I've caught the holiday bug now, and the next trip is in the process of being booked.

Time for a Week Off

I thought that I would treat myself to a week off so that I don't have to feel down about the end of a long weekend. And so that I can take a break from the military routine that I have going on.

The run up to having time off is always the worst, it appears to go extremely slow, and then the time you do have off always goes really quick! On my last day at work before my time off I spent four hours in court, most of which was spent in the waiting area and interview rooms. These areas do not have air conditioning and given the exotic temperatures recently, I worked up quite a big sweat.

It's quite embarrassing when I'm asked what I'm going to do with my time off. I'm quite a lazy person, so mainly I do nothing! I like to take the time off so I don't have to worry about anything and just focus on relaxing, because why not.

I'm going to make the most of being able to wake up when most people have started work and spending most of my days working out and eating. I have plans to see friends and I believe I am being taken away somewhere for the night, but I have absolutely no idea where I'm going! It's a surprise so I'm super excited, I shall have to blog about that next week.

I hope everyone enjoyed their bank holiday and made the most of a long weekend. Enjoy the short working week!

Taking Care of Yourself

As a Trainee, I find myself occasionally getting too stressed. I can find myself getting frustrated with myself over the smallest of tasks and by the end of the day I end up feeling exhausted.

It's always important for anyone, whether it be a Trainee or someone that's been qualified for years to take care of themselves. Nothing is more important than your mental and physical health.

When I feel stressed, my first point of call is to go to the gym. I know this isn't everyone's most favourite place but for me, I only need to walk on a treadmill for a few minutes and I can already start to feel my mood being lifted. Even better, hitting the weights really releases the tension in my body so by the time I've left I feel like a new person.

When you're feeling stressed out, it's good to just take a 'time out' moment to analyse what is actually going on and how you can work around things, prioritise the most important pieces of work and go from there.

Remember that there is more to life than your job, cancel all your plans for the evening and relax to recharge yourself for the next day. Go even further, cancel all your weekend plans and do absolutely nothing!

If things are really getting too bad you know what the best thing to do is? Book a holiday, and just never return!

Remember, happy mind happy life!

Where has the time gone?

I had one of those Trainee 'panicky' moments this week. I actually can't believe how quick the time has gone. We are shortly going to be coming into the Autumn/Winter months and then it will have been a whole year since I started my training contract.

WHAT IS GOING ON?!

How and why does this happen? I have no idea where the days are going!

I feel like I have only just started in the Family department, but it's actually been around 6 weeks, that's something I just cannot get my head around.

I remember being told that the training contract will go quick but you never truly believe it. I'm being asked by colleagues where would I like to qualify already and I feel like currently I have no idea. It's a scary thought that this time next year I will need to start seriously considering this.

For now I'm keeping an open mind on everything, embracing the madness, and then I'm sure soon enough I will be writing another panicky entry about qualifying!

Instructions, Petitions & Free Advice

It's been another week of family work. Divorce petitions, instructions to Counsel, bundles and so forth.

I've found that so far there is a wide variety of things to do an consider with family law. I'm enjoying the fact that all work is different, whether it be matrimonial or children issues. Each matter is completely different too as there are always different circumstances with every family.

I've seen that on some pieces of work I'm starting to get less 'red pen' marks so this is looking good. Hopefully by the end of this month I will have no corrections! As a Trainee you have to learn to not be so disheartened when your work gets scribbles all over it. It's part of the learning process to make mistakes and be shown the correct way of approaching certain tasks.

This week I also had to attend the Law Advice Centre. For those that don't know this is an advice clinic which provides free 30 minute advice sessions for vulnerable people in the Ipswich and Suffolk area.

This was the first time that I attended the advice centre to advise all clients without having a qualified person with me, so I was rather nervous. The sessions were quite intense this week and I found myself having to concentrate extremely hard to get to the crux of the issue. But I feel that I gave sound advice and pointed the clients in the right direction.

I hope all had a good week and enjoyed their weekend. Here's to another successful week for all!

First Court Appearance

I've only ever been to court once before, it was on a school trip during Sixth Form when I was studying Law at A Level. I was allowed to sit in the public area and watch a live case. God knows what happened, it was too long ago.

This week I had the opportunity to go to court to take notes for a client as a colleague was on holiday. All sorts of questions were running through my mind. What do I say when I get there? Where do I need to go? What does the client even look like? (luckily I am writing part of this post in advance of the court hearing, so I have just checked the client's ID) Will people acknowledge me or is my job to be ignored? Who knows!

Thankfully the staff at the court were very helpful and I was told where to go, phew! panic over.

Court is an interesting experience, there is a lot of waiting around before you go in, but in this time I was able to witness negotiations continue between the barristers acting for both parties. I didn't realise that the barristers would be trying to reach an agreement right up until the point of entering the court, but I guess that this is a good idea. The more the parties agree, the better.

What is my note taking technique? Just write everything. I don't know shorthand or any decent tip behind note taking so I just scribble down everything. I think I covered it all.

Family law is beginning to become very interesting and going to court is a nice break from the office, so I'm happy in that sense. I've already been in the family department for a month, I can't believe how quick the time has gone! It actually scares me how quick this training contract is going, but let's embrace the madness.

Summer Has Arrived

It's been two weeks since I started my new seat and I'm slowly settling in the department. The initial terror of not knowing anything is beginning to wear off, just slightly!

The weather this week is already phenomenal, I'm not sure if that's in a good way though! These soaring temperatures make me want to quit the week ahead and go on a permanent holiday, drinking Pimms in a bar alongside a picturesque backdrop.

I always feel sorry for the men in offices, I have no idea how they can sit in a shirt and trousers all day, and comfortably too. Us women are rather lucky in that we can still look professional in a dress and sandals.

Summer is finally here, but it will probably only last a few days. Soon the thunderstorm will come along and we will be wondering where it went again.

How do you make yourself comfortable in such hot conditions? I'd love to know, I seem to struggle to concentrate when it's so hot.

Enjoy the rest of your week, hopefully it goes smoothly for you and this weather continues into the weekend. I am going to see friends down south this weekend, so that is something that I'm excited for! It will have been three years since we graduated with our law degrees, certainly a cause for celebration, and an excuse for drinks!

Welcome to Family Law!

Last week I entered into the second seat of my training contract which is Family Law. I have just spent 7 months in the Corporate and Commercial department so I was apprehensive about working in an area that is completely different.

The thought of dealing with people's feelings (feelings? What are those!) and trying to be sensitive can prove to be somewhat difficult for me but I need to suck it up and get on with it.

In my first week I was asked to prepare trial bundles, instructions to Counsel, divorce petitions, all sorts. Needless to say this is extremely different to Corporate and Commercial law and I have already been told to write a bit more kindly! But I'm enjoying having the opportunity to tackle something unfamiliar.

The partial downside to being a Trainee Solicitor is that as soon as you're comfortable in a department and feel like you're doing ok, you automatically have to move on to your next seat. I'm not too fond of going back to knowing very little about the procedures etc. But I am sure that as soon as I get into the swing of things again it should be ok.

So here's to a good six months in Family Law. I shall let you know if this area becomes of interest to me in good time!

Hills, Sweat & Gossip

The day came when a group of ladies from my firm took part in the Ipswich Legal Walk. A 10km walk around Ipswich in aid of the Eastern Legal Support Trust and the Suffolk Law Advice Centre.

I had a moment of panic in the morning as it was absolutely tipping it down with rain. But in true British style, the forever changing weather corrected itself from torrential downpour to bright and sunny, thank heavens for that.

At 5.30pm the team met a number of others at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich. It was a good turn out as approximately 70 people had registered to walk. Teams ranged from lawyers to recruitment consultants.

At the start we were raring to go, a nice walk in the park on a summers day I thought, until I realised that there were SO.MANY.HILLS. I don't really run, or walk for that matter, unless it's to go and get food so I knew that it would be a struggle!

Luckily I had a good team with me, the ability to multitask by gossiping and walking made the walk go a lot quicker, until we hit the 8km mark.

We were tired, worn out, sticky and being the heavy footed baby elephant that I am, my feet really hurt! But we pushed on and finally made it to the end, where we enjoyed a drink at the pub. Perfect way to end the day.

So far  all teams have raised approximately £1,400 which is amazing. Hopefully we can raise some more in the coming weeks. Well done to everyone that took part. Here's to next time in 2017!

Dealing With Rejection

During my second year of University I started to apply for both work experience placements and training contracts.

It's commonly known that training contracts are essentially 'gold dust' when kick starting a legal career. The problem these days is that law students graduate in the masses however there are exceedingly less training contracts available.

From my own personal experience, I made 100+ applications for training contracts and in return only received 2 interviews. Many times I received the typical response letter, along the lines of 'sorry your application has been unsuccessful'. It's a long, hard road and you will receive a lot of rejection, but you will always get there in the end if you put your mind to it.

Being turned down can feel like a knife to the heart time and time again, so here are my main tips on dealing with rejection:

Don't take it to heart - I hate to sound like the bearer of bad news, but if you take it to heart you will forever be down in the dumps. For a lot of people they will receive many rejection letters and sometimes no response at all. Law firms have a lot of applications to sift through and it was just this time round that you weren't successful.

Learn from your application - Some firms do offer feedback on your application. If you're given this option, take it! You may find yourself in a position where your application is continuously not being considered so this could be a really big help. If you don't have this option, read over your application yourself. Check to see whether there are any accidental spelling or grammar mistakes. Another typical problem is that the application isn't tailored to that specific firm properly, this may be something that you need to improve.

It's not just you - The reality of the application process is that there are hundreds of other applicants that are in the same boat as you. They too have also made an excruciating amount of applications and have been rejected a number of times. We all go through it.

Keep your eye on your goal - Facing rejection can put you off applying for further training contracts and positions, but you need to keep focused on what you want in order to become successful. Perhaps set a target of one application a week instead of loading yourself with 20 in one night, right before the deadline.

Take a Break - If you're not near a particular deadline for any application, take a break for a week or so. Some applications can take absolutely ages and can make your head hurt for a while! Taking a break from it will stop the stress and allow you to come back to it with a fresh mind and new perspective.

There is a light - It may seem like you'll never get the training contract but trust me, you will get there!

I know the deadline for most training contracts is coming up soon, so I thought that this would be helpful if ever you have an unsuccessful application. Good luck!

Anglia Business Exhibition 2016

This week I went to the Anglia Business Exhibition, a day for all local businesses to represent their companies and have the opportunity to network with others in the area.

I was surprised at the size of the exhibition, I'm not sure what I was expecting but it was a pretty big venue! There were stands everywhere of all different kinds of companies that ranged from event planners to financial advisers.

I was able to walk around and speak to local businesses, it was nice to introduce myself and put my name out there with other people, particularly as the exhibition focuses on the local area.

Most stands had either sweets or chocolate on them, which meant that the day was a very fat day, not that I was complaining!

In order to make our stand more appealing, as we all know law firms aren't exactly exciting, we had a game for everyone to play. This was a great hit and everybody wanted to have a go. You had to react to the lights and hit the light wherever it flashed. Whoever hit the most lights in 30 seconds would win a prize. Needless to say I was pretty rubbish at it, but you can see a hilarious photo of me in action below.

                                         

To add more excitement to the day, I received a bunch of roses from a gentleman on a neighbouring stand (admittedly I did ask for them!) but see an even more hilarious photo of my happiness below.

                                        

I'm easily pleased.

So overall I had a very fun day and hopefully I will get the opportunity to help out again next year.

Is there room for Newly Qualified Solicitors?

So I haven't posted in a while (apologies!) but I have this week off work so I have no excuse now. A week or so ago I was invited to attend a talk held by Clara Rose Consultancy. Clara Rose provides legal recruitment services to those that are qualified in the legal industry. Clara's talk was focused on areas of the legal industry that are currently growing and those which are either stable or shrinking in terms of  demand. It was interesting to see the direction in which the legal industry is turning and what possible positions would be available for when we qualify.

The event was held by the Suffolk and North Essex Junior Lawyers Division, whereby many trainee solicitors in the area attended. Clara Rose works with the East Anglia area and also specialises in finding Trainees who are about to qualify the perfect NQ position.

Clara gave tips for writing a good qualified Solicitor's CV. As many of us are still used to writing a CV from a student's perspective, the tips really helped for when we come to write our own. Also included in the talk were interview tips and advice on finding the right area for you to qualify into when the time comes to make that big decision.

It was great to catch up with the SNEJLD trainees, more importantly, there was pizza!So I left a very happy lady. If anyone would like to seek advice or find a job in the legal industry, you can contact Clara at clara@clararoseconsultancy.co.uk.

Let's Get Donating!

Some of you may have seen me post a link recently to a donation page for the Ipswich Legal Walk. I thought that today I would go into more detail.

On 27 June this year a number of legal advice centres and law firms/chambers will be taking part in a 10km walk around Ipswich, Suffolk.

The aim of this walk is to raise money for the Eastern Legal Support Trust and free legal advice centres in the Ipswich area. As we assist the Suffolk Legal Advice Centre with their law clinics, we thought that this would be the right centre for us to raise funds for.

The need for free legal advice has increased dramatically since the changes to legal aid. It is now, more than ever that people are in need of free legal advice. The Suffolk Law Advice Centre helps those that are vulnerable in the Ipswich area with this. The centre offers 30 minutes of free legal advice in areas such as family, employment, immigration, housing, small claims, wills and probate, community care, personal injury and dispute resolution, from legally qualified professional volunteers.

Helping these people can range from giving them various options for their legal issues, or it could simply be helping them to fill in forms/applications or writing letters.

We would be grateful if you could support us, we have a target of £500 and any contribution, no matter how small will be greatly appreciated.

Please find the link below for the fundraising page:

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/goteleesolicitors

Here's hoping it won't be too warm on the day, I've been told that last year was unbearably hot!!

Army Soldiers, Drafting & Networking

This week has been relatively normal, albeit only four days long, but that was rather nice! The normal tasks of drafting terms and conditions, asset purchase agreements, incorporating charities etc were all carried out and it was a good, productive week at the office.

On Wednesday I was able to spend the day at Wattisham army base to attend the Health & Wellbeing fair. I represented my firm with my Training Principal and we were able to advertise our services to the soldiers, their families and their friends. Other services that visited included child care, PTSD treatment and hypnotherapy.

It was really interesting to speak to the soldiers and be told about their experiences. I was very surprised at how many women were there. Many of them had children, and I thought that it must be so hard to have such a demanding job whilst also having to look after such young children. I don't know how they do it!

I'd never visited the army base before so it was interesting to have a look around. As my firm is local to Wattisham, it's a great idea to form a relationship with the soldiers so that they feel that they can trust us to provide legal advice to them.

Thursday night I was invited to a bar situated on the docks, and what a fine day it was to go there. This was the Young Professional Network meeting that I have been to before. It was good to see some familiar faces and also catch up with some old faces that I used to work with!

This week I also received the news that I'd passed my PSC Finance and Business Skills exam, what a relief! No more exams (I think). I'm one step closer to qualification.

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend, the weather was phenomenal! Let's make the most of the little weekend that we have left.

Cocktails!

The Suffolk and North Essex Junior Lawyer Division were due a catch up, so what better way to do so than by doing some cocktail making?

We all met in a local bar on Friday, so it was a great way to end the week. It was good to see everyone again outside of a professional environment, although most of the talk was about the fears of qualification and the stages that we are currently at in our training.

Some new faces also attended the event, so it's great to see that more people are becoming aware of SNEJLD and know that we are all here to support each other and have some fun.

During the evening, I had a go at making a "Pornstar Martini", a rather dangerous cocktail I would say, as I couldn't taste any form of alcohol which meant that it was gone very, very quickly!

We also had a go at the limbo, where you were given a shot for every time you successfully got through. It was at this point that quite a few people had gone home, which meant that there were more shots for the rest of us!

After what was a very enjoyable evening, it's  now time to get through the week and make it to the first bank holiday weekend in May.

If any of you are Paralegals, Trainee Solicitors or are up to 5 years qualified in the Suffolk and North Essex area and would like to attend our events, take a look at the SNEJLD page on this website for more information.

Tips for Gaining Legal Experience

Finding work experience can be so tough in this industry and I remember making so many applications and getting nowhere. It almost feels like you need experience to gain experience in the first place.

The legal industry is competitive and you need to be determined to make sure you secure these placements. Here are my tips on gaining experience to help towards securing a job in the legal sector:

Tailor your applications to each individual firm. This may sound like you've heard this a million times, but this is genuinely one of the most important things you need to consider. If you send a generic application to a law firm they will 100% throw it in the bin. Look at the firm's website, note what accreditations they have, notable cases they have worked on and what charities/community groups they are involved with and mention these in your applications. This shows that you have taken the time to research the firm.

Small and local firms. Sometimes it pays to aim for smaller firms in your local area. For a lot of aspiring lawyers, London is the end goal, but if you are finding it difficult to secure experience in a large London firm look elsewhere. It is sometimes more beneficial to gain experience in small and local firms as they may have more time to teach you about the job.

Ask your friends. Perhaps you have no lawyers in your family or friendship circle, but a friend of yours may know someone that is. Ask your friends and family if they know a lawyer and if so, ask for a contact number or email address to ask about gaining some experience. It's worth a shot, and if you don't ask you don't get.

Local advice centres. If you're really struggling to obtain legal experience, perhaps start looking at local advice centres such as the Citizen's Advice Bureau or a Legal Advice Centre. Having experience in these places is of equal value to a law firm. Both involve giving legal advice and therefore this would definitely boost your CV.

Shadowing.  If you can't get a placement, see if you can shadow a lawyer for the day. Perhaps they are going to court for the day and you can tag along? It's worth asking and the worst that can happen is that they'll say no.

It's a long battle trying to get your first bit of work experience, but keep going. I made a number of applications and was rejected many times. Don't let it put you off, keep applying and if you are given feedback on any applications that weren't successful, pay attention to it.

Celebrations!

So over the weekend I turned the age of 24, I still look about 16 (I'm really short and covered in freckles) but I'll be thankful in ten years time. Is it at this point where I'm supposed to act like a grown up? I may find this hard.

At my firm, it's common for someone to bring in goodies for their colleagues on their birthday, so I brought in treats to mark the occasion, plus I brought them in on a Friday, what a good way to end the week! I don't know about you, but my colleagues (as most people do) have a weakness for anything sugary, so this is always a way to win points with them.

My birthday was on the Sunday, so on the Saturday I celebrated. I did go to the gym with my new toy (boyfriend) who just happens to be a body builder, so this is our idea of fun, I know, we're really sad! Nothing beats a heavy leg workout! We also went out for dinner to Pea Porridge in Bury St Edmunds (see link: http://www.peaporridge.co.uk/) and the food was absolutely delicious. The restaurant is set in two cottages and it has an extremely homely and comfortable atmosphere, I definitely recommend it to you all.

It's strange to think that I started my legal career six years ago when I turned up at University wondering what on earth I let myself in for, and now I'm only a year and 8 months away from qualification!

Here's to another good year, and next year I'll be able to say I'm going to be a Solicitor, the thought is terrifying!

Mentor Meetings

During my time as a Trainee Solicitor, I have been assigned a mentor. At my firm, the general rule is that the mentor must be at Partner level.

The aim of having a mentor is to have someone to go to when you have any worries and stresses, or if you just fancy a chat with someone that has experience and has been through the same process as you. The meetings are extremely informal and it's just a casual chit chat with someone in the workplace.

Being a Trainee is a very daunting experience and sometimes it can become overwhelming, so it's good to have someone to talk to. For others, it may be that they feel that they can't speak to those that they currently work with, so it's a good opportunity to separate this part of the training process and have someone to confide in.

I always enjoy having the occasional meeting with my mentor, one of which we held recently. We always talk about how I'm getting on and if I've had any problems. Luckily for me, I haven't had any problems so far so I don't really need to talk about much in that respect.

At this meeting we were able to talk about my Supervisor's comments at my mid-seat appraisal and how I found the Professional Skills Course.

I also talked about my worries of not knowing much again when I move on to my second seat, it's strange to think that this is just around the corner, time goes so fast when you're training.

For me, having a mentor keeps me reassured that although the training process can be hard at times, everything will be ok in the end.

Our next meeting will be held when I am at the end of my first seat to see how well I got on in the Corporate and Commercial department. I look forward to reflecting on my experience in this area of law.

Back to School

If any of you reading this post commute to London every day from a long distance, I salute you!

Over the past week I've been attending a course called the Professional Skills Course. For those that don't know this is a course that all Trainee Solicitors must attend and pass before qualification.

The course consists of both core and elective modules.  The core modules include Advocacy and Communication Skills, Client Care and Professional Standards and Finance and Business Skills.

The core modules that I took during the past week were Advocacy and Communication Skills and Finance and Business Skills.

My first three days were the Advocacy and Communication classes, my worst nightmare! How I hate to stand up and speak in front of people.  To my surprise however, the course was actually rather enjoyable and fun. Over the three day period it was our task to practice the skills of interim applications, cross examinations and examinations in chief.  On the last day, the class had to run a full trial where we were also able to play witnesses.  

I really enjoyed this module, it was very interactive and the teacher was enthusiastic.  It was definitely my favourite of the two topics.

The Finance and Business Skills classes were on Thursday, Friday and the next Monday.  This is because on the Monday I had to sit an exam, albeit only an hour and a half, but all exams make me nervous.

On the Thursday and Friday you are given a study manual and various practice questions with the answers included. Once you have finished these classes it is the intention to revise over the weekend for the exam on Monday.

This class focused on topics such as regulated activities, investments and accounts. Unfortunately, as I suspected, I found this topic less enjoyable than advocacy. The days definitely seemed a lot longer! But I am glad that I have got it out of the way now. 

It was great to mix with other Trainee Solicitors, particularly as we all work for a wide selection of law firms, it was interesting to share our experiences with one another

It was also nice to get out of the office and travel somewhere. However I don't think I could ever commute to London. The days are so long and draining, I honestly don't understand how people do it, they deserve a medal. For now, I'll stick to my regional firm!

How am I doing?

The time has come already, my mid-seat appraisal! The last three months have completely flown by, I can't believe we're in March too, where does the time go?

The appraisals are something that Trainee Solicitors are always worried about. We may feel that our work is fine and we're doing ok, but an area of concern could be brought up, which can sometimes feel like a knife to the heart!

As part of the appraisal process, I am required to fill in a form to highlight the skills I have used during my seat and how I've managed to handle things such as client care and case management. My Supervisor also completes an appraisal form to note my good and bad points. It's at this meeting that I also have the opportunity to raise any issues and discuss what I would like to gain more experience of, for example, client contact.

So I was expecting to receive quite a few comments on areas where I could improve, but overall the feedback was really good! My Supervisor said that I was doing well and that he was really pleased with my work. The relief!

There were only two areas of concern, the first being my confidence, which is expected of a new Trainee and second, that I write too many words when writing letters (woops!).  Confidence in my work has always been a problem of mine and hopefully that will come with time, but I'm sure correcting my writing shouldn't be too hard, I just need to stop babbling.

So I'm extremely pleased at the moment, all I need to do now is continue doing what I'm doing, with less words and more belief in myself. But now that's over, it's time to transform into a London commuter for next week and attend the Professional Skills Course.

Back to Law School

So I've been out of education for a few months now, and I was getting used to just working office hours and not studying in the evening.  Having my evenings and weekends free has been an absolute dream and I've definitely made the most of having my free time back (mainly by napping).

I've been so occupied with work and life in general that I'd completely forgotten how close I was to attending the Professional Skills Course, which commences at the beginning of March.

I was unaware that preparation was required (how silly of me!) so last week, and to my horror, I turned up to work with some materials waiting for me on my desk. It was preparatory work for my Advocacy and Communication Skills workshop.

The panic ran through me, do I need to prepare to stand up and speak in front of people? Will I be judged? assessed? I haven't done it in so long! I've always been worried about speaking in front of people. However I thought to myself, I've managed to get through it in my seven years of education, so I think one last shot won't hurt.

I've been told that the PSC is nothing to worry about, but it's always going to be something that sits at the back of your mind. I shall let you know how I get on once I've sat my first set of classes. It can't be that bad...can it?

Things to Know when Dating a Lawyer

With valentines day coming up, people are either out celebrating with their loved one or (possibly) crying into their wine glass whilst watching Bridget Jones. But if you're thinking of, or are dating a lawyer, here are some things you should know...

1. We're Independent

Lawyers are extremely ambitious individuals. We know what we want and we're prepared to do it all on our own.  We don't need anyone to look after us and we're not prepared to let anyone distract us from our goals. 

2. We Can Argue......Extremely Well

We didn't go to law school for all of those years for nothing. Lawyers are trained to put forward a strong argument when faced with an opposing opinion. Not only that, but a lawyer will never argue unless they have the evidence and authority to back them up. So basically, if you're going to argue with one, you will lose. (Sorry!)


On the other hand, if you're ever faced with a problematic situation yourself, we will always be there to help. Don't worry, we have your back.

3. We Work Hard

There's no need to worry about 'keeping' us, we work long hours on difficult cases every day. Sometimes you may not even see us for a while. A negative perhaps? I think not, you'll need the space from us when we're too stressed over all of our deadlines.

4. Attention To Detail

One of the key skills required to be a lawyer is attention to detail. So we'll notice all the little things about you, more importantly, we'll appreciate all the small things you do for us as well as the major things.

5. Non-materialistic

We can afford our own designer gear, so if you think those new designer shoes are going to win her over? Oh no no no, she's already got them in three colours sitting in her wardrobe at home.

6. We Like A Drink

It's commonly thought that lawyers are boring, unapproachable and too focused on their careers. But we all have to let go every once in a while! Lawyers are by far one of the best groups of people to go out with. We don't get out much so when we do, we go for it!

7. We're Intelligent

According to most people (I'm basing this on my friends' opinions, please don't judge), dating an intelligent person is 'sexy'.  Well, we all made it through 4 years of law school so I think enough has been said!

8. We Can't Do Maths

Unless you are specifically dealing with a lawyer who works with numbers, we just cannot understand maths. So, having someone to help with numbers from time to time would be a massive help to us. Blow our minds with a crazy equation and we're yours.

Corporate or Comfy?

Fashion. Something that can be expressed in a variety of ways, from bold colours and patterns to different cuts and shapes to enhance the human 'figure'.

Traditionally, lawyers have been expected to wear suits/office attire, in either a black or other dark colour. Something that the everyday person would consider boring, but it's known to be smart and professional when representing yourself to the client.

In recent years, more casual office wear has been introduced to the work place. So I wondered whether this would work in a law firm. Would clients be happy to attend a meeting with their Solicitor when dressed in smart jeans and a more comfortable top? I'm not sure...so I thought I'd ask them.

I asked a variety of people how they would expect their lawyer to be dressed. The majority of those asked did say that formal office attire was important as Lawyers are a representative of themselves and their firm. Many also said that corporate attire was necessary for the corporate industry.

However, a small number of people had commented saying that on 'dress down days' at their work, and when meeting with a client, the clients thought that the casual dress down clothing made their Solicitor appear to be more approachable and not as 'scary' as the general public would assume.

So perhaps there is a divide, corporate clothes for corporate clients and more casual clothing for private clients? It would be good to hear your thoughts.  I'm a believer that casual clothing in the office does work, but if you are seeing a client, formal attire must be worn. I think that I would be more productive in casual clothing as I would be more comfortable, but everyone has their own opinion and it's definitely a a situation where you can't please everybody!

SNEJLD

SNEJLD...funny word isn't it. I can guarantee you've just tried to say that in your head. I have, many times.

So what is SNEJLD? It's the Suffolk and North Essex Junior Lawyers Division, a branch off the Suffolk and North Essex Law Society, but as said in the title, for the junior lawyers.

SNEJLD members can range from Paralegals/Trainee Solicitors to qualified Solicitors that are up to 5 years qualified. The aim of this group is to interact and network with other lawyers in the area. Having a range of people at different career stages means that everyone can share their experiences and also ask for advice or general questions about their career path.

A new committee has recently been elected and this week the first social event of the year was held.

I always enjoy these events as it means that I get to mix with other people that have gone or are going through the same journey as me. However, I always underestimate how many lawyers there are in the area. Suffolk seems to be such a small county, but an absolute sea of lawyers seem to come out of nowhere at these events and I always wonder where have they been hiding!

The new committee are a friendly team and they seem to have big plans for the year with regards to social events.  I think that this is a good thing, sometimes these social events can be spread too far apart during the year and you forget who you've met before. I also find that you could be saying the same thing to everyone each time you attend.  I know that there are many plans for this year so watch this space!

If anyone in interested in attending these events visit www.sne-jld.co.uk to contact the team.  The more the merrier!

I look forward to the next meeting, here's to a successful year for SNEJLD!

On The Spot

If there's anything I've learnt since being a Trainee, it's that you're always being pushed out of your comfort zone.

As part of my duties as a Trainee, I volunteer and give advice at a local centre.  This week was my first time actually providing clients with advice. I had previously observed these sessions with another Trainee Solicitor, so I was familiar with the format of the evening. Luckily for me, the Trainee I observed previously, shared the advice sessions with me. It was good to have someone experienced with me in case I found myself in a tricky situation.

I don't know about other Trainees, but for me, this was one of the most terrifying experiences to go through.  As part of my preparation, only minimal information was provided, so I needed to try and cover all areas and questions that may be asked when I would be with the client. These sessions could also be on any area of law so I needed to make sure that I was researching the right information. When speaking with the client, just one minor detail could put a whole new spin on the situation, and you could essentially find yourself, stuck.

There were a million and one questions going through my mind when I was advising. Do I come across as nervous? Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about? Am I even doing ok? Does the client actually understand what I am talking about and is able to go away happy with the advice that I've provided?

As a Trainee, nothing is going to be straight forward and I'm not going to find everything easy, but for someone that feels the need to understand everything perfectly, this is really a worrying and tough task for me.

Once the evening had finished I felt so much happier, and I was really happy to be pushed out of my comfort zone. I feel a lot more prepared for when I have to do the full session next time and I've learnt that I should worry a lot less about these things. I'm not going to know everything, and this is all part of the learning process!

Back to Work

We're half way through January, already! Where does the time go? It's time for us all to get back into the swing of things, it's a new year and as usual we all have lots of work to do.

I don't really have much to report on this week as I'm slowly getting back into a routine. Sometimes it can be hard returning to work after a week and a half off, I for one am a victim of this. Sitting at home in front of the fire with a tub of Quality Street seems so much more appealing! The dark nights and mornings have also been rather depressing, for everyone. How are we expected to get up for work when we can't even see outside?

For some reason however, after the initial stumble of getting back to work, 2016 has seemed to give myself a good old kick. I seem to be a lot happier and I've experienced no anxiety. I've been training hard (for those that don't know, I'm really into my weightlifting) and I'm already seeing results.  I haven't been able to go to the gym properly for the past month as I've been unwell so it's nice to get back to normal.  I've also quit alcohol for a while, I'm not taking part in dry January, but I thought that this was needed. Too much alcohol is always consumed over the Christmas period!

I hope that the discipline that I've forced on myself has also been reflecting on my work and continues to do so. I've received some good comments from my supervisor recently so that's definitely contributed to my good mood. I must remember though, as I'm always having to be reminded....fill in my training diary and record my time!

So it's back to the healthy, disciplined routine for me. It doesn't worry me though, I like the challenge, exercise, food and work wise.  Whatever you've decided to change for this year, good luck!

Happy New Year!!

So it's that time of year again, everyone is making new year's resolutions and probably not sticking to them (myself included), but they're looking forward to starting afresh with a new year ahead of them.

I'm starting 2016 as a newly single lady.  I think that with this blog, I should also take you through the personal obstacles I face throughout my training so that you get a real insight into my journey. My other half thought it would be the perfect time to end our relationship over the Christmas period. But I've had my down days and I'm ready to start the new year on a high (the white wine sorted that out). I've never really been the type of person to need someone, so I'm embracing the single life for now.

So what are my new year's resolutions? I've never really had one, but I guess this year they would have to be to be more positive and focus on my happiness. I've been experiencing a lot of anxiety recently and for those that suffer with this, they know that at times it can be a very frightening experience.

It's a strange thing to say, but I've actually really looked forward to going back to work, my office was closed between Christmas Eve and 4 January and by the end of this period, I was bored! But like I've said before, my mind constantly has to be focused on something and I'm not the kind of person to switch off easily, in both professional and personal manners.

I hope that everyone had a good Christmas and New Year, I certainly made the most of the time off by seeing friends and consuming a lot of food and drink! I hope that you achieve everything you wish to and that you all have a happy and prosperous 2016.