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!