Five invaluable practices from my experience as a trainee solicitor

I have just embarked on my final six months as a trainee solicitor, and reflecting on my training contract experience so far, the past 18 months have undoubtedly been an invaluable learning curve. As I progress towards qualification, I have begun to reflect on the lessons learnt and experience gained.

As a prospective trainee I was always told about the importance of certain skills as a trainee solicitor, but the last 18 months have allowed me to hone these in practice at Machins. Here are my five invaluable practices I believe every trainee should really take on board:

Feedback

Throughout your training contract at Machins you will benefit from an appraisal and seat review with your supervisor at the end of each six months spent in the department. Alongside this you will have regular mentor meetings and weekly (or daily!) meetings with your supervisor, and it is vital that you are able to take any advice you are given onboard. As you are starting your legal career, take advantage of the fact that your supervisors want you to be, so listen to their feedback, ask questions and take their recommendations on board.

Advocacy and communication

I was confident that I wanted to qualify into family law very early on in my training contract, and here at Machins that has given me the benefit of building strong relationships with clients and counsel alike. It has also given me the opportunity to attend court hearings and witness excellent advocacy first hand from colleagues. The ability to communicate effectively with a client in a way that is tailored specifically to them is fundamental to the role of a solicitor, this is definitely something that will develop over time. The client contact you will experience during your training contract at Machins will enable you to become an excellent communicator.

Networking

Beginning to build your network and attending events run in the local community is an essential part of your training contract. This can be daunting at first and you may feel a bit out of your depth, but once you become a regular attendee at certain events you will begin to make connections with local business people and other professionals and see the benefits from growing your professional network.

Time-management

Managing your time is essential during your training contract to avoid feeling overwhelmed. I have found that a diary is an effective way for me to plan and keep on top of my work. It is essential to be able to mana. Over time you will learn effective ways to manage your workload and also the ability to voice when you simply do not have capacity!

Enjoy yourself!

A training contract is often described as a two-year job interview, but it is also packed full of new experiences and is a big learning curve. Your training contract is a great time to play an active part in firm committees and marketing, which will not only build your skills but also allow you to build your work connections. Like any job you will have some great days and some that are not so great, but you have worked hard to get to this point so make sure you take every opportunity available to you and enjoy the ride!