Paralegal to Trainee: A Guide to commencing your Training Contract at a new firm.

Beginning a training contract can be a daunting task for anyone even if you have previous experience. As a paralegal in the residential conveyancing department at two of my previous firms I found the experience to be invaluable in building up the key skills required to succeed in my training contract particularly in the following areas:

• Communication- speaking to clients, lenders and other solicitors on the phone and via email.
• Teamwork- working other members of the team and third parties, such as lenders, accountants etc.
• Time Management- Juggling multiples transactions at once and working towards tight deadlines.
• Drafting- documents such as leases, transfer deeds and HM Land Registry applications.

Nevertheless, if you’re lucky enough to obtain a training contract (well done!) and it happens to be at a different firm to the one where you have been a paralegal, I have some key tips for you to succeed in your endeavour:

1. Be prepared to start from scratch. Despite the fact that I had foundational knowledge of residential property doing my first seat in commercial property came with its own challenges. I had to quickly get to grips with areas specific to commercial property such as security of tenure or VAT. Although, most trainees tend to do their first seat in a completely new area of law, so be prepared!

2. Get Involved. A good way to stand out is to get involved with charity and extra-curricular opportunities the firm has to offer. I have had the opportunity to get involved in a number of things outside of my day to day work. The firm has provided me with a number of opportunities to get involved such as the Mental Health and Diversity & Inclusion Committees and also a chance to be involved in a recent trainee recruitment video!

3. Go by your own pace. The clue is in the name ‘trainee’. Just because you have previous experience in a specific area of law does not mean you’re expected to know everything (particularly as junior). You’re there to train and learn on the job and do not feel pressured to be a legal genius in your first week. Also you will have a lot to learn such as using the firm’s case management system and everyone’s name!

4. Learn as much as you can. As stated above, just because you have some previous experience does not mean you know it all. Soak up everything you learn and always have a positive attitude. Remember a training contract is not a box ticking exercise or a formality, it is an opportunity for you learn as much as possible before you qualify as a solicitor.

5. Just be yourself. Remember the partners at your law firm are experienced lawyers and have spent many years training solicitors and they picked you because they obviously see the potential in you. Just relax be yourself and focus on learning and exploring new areas of law.

All the best with your training contract!