Trainee Solicitor

Angelina Mikelova, Brunel University of London, LLB Law

Q: What has been your most interesting work to date?

My first seat was in real estate. I primarily assisted the commercial property and new build teams. The most interesting work was negotiating the set up development and sale of three luxury houses. I was involved at the start of the transaction and I had to go through all the searches and planning permissions in order to produce a report on title for the client. I was given the opportunity to understand the future plans for the development and identify all the potential issues that the client might have once they attempt to sell the individual plots. It was interesting because it was not an ordinary sale and purchase of an existing plot and therefore you had to anticipate what will happen in the future and keep your client’s objectives in mind when assessing things like access ways and boundaries to the new development.

Q: What are you enjoying most about working at BDB Pitmans?

Feeling that I am part of a supportive team which helps me to realise my potential by giving me a great level of responsibility from the start. Also, the lack of hierarchy and the appreciation of colleagues for all my contributions.

Q: What is the work/life balance at BDB Pitmans?

A really good work/life balance with no pressure to do longer hours if work is not urgent.

Andrew Howson, Aberystwyth University, Law

Q: What has been your most interesting work to date?

Working on a debt claim that became subject to a winding up petition hearing. This was a fast-paced case that allowed me to take on a lot of responsibility and to be closely involved in the preparation for the hearing. I was able to learn a lot from senior members of the team, to really understand how to prepare for a court hearing and the tactics involved in litigation.

Q: What are you enjoying most about working at BDB Pitmans?

The firm has a very friendly culture and an extremely nice atmosphere. If you are ever struggling there will always be a fee earner that is happy to help you. It’s very good to have so many approachable members of staff as this ensures you aren’t stuck on your own worrying about a problem for hours on end.

Q: What is the work/life balance at BDB Pitmans?

It is very good, you are encouraged not to stay late unless you absolutely need to. Trainees are given the chance to have a life outside of work and to pursue extra-curricular weekday activities. You are also allowed to enjoy your weekends with no expectation to do extra work and not have a break at the end of the week.

Aileen Redmond, University of Bristol, German and Spanish

What challenges did you face in your first seat?

As with any new job it takes some time to get your head around the new systems, and for those that haven’t worked in a law firm it can take some time to adjust to time recording and filing documents. At the start of each seat it also generally takes about a month or so to feel comfortable in the practice area, but it gets easier with each seat change. Having said that, each team has a range of training sessions to help you get up to speed on the different work streams for each department and everyone is very supportive.

My first seat was in the Charities team, a unique area of law which I hadn’t been exposed to before. I particularly enjoyed how much client contact I had during my first seat. I regularly attended trustee meetings which gave me an understanding of the challenges charity clients face and it was a fantastic experience to help them to achieve their goals.

How did you approach your second seat six months into your training contract?

 My second seat was in litigation so I was prepared to work to strict deadlines and to travel to court a lot. I really enjoyed the range of experience I had in litigation, working across different practice areas including, regulatory proceedings, property matters, Wills and trust disputes, as well as commercial litigation. I think litigation is a good seat to do early in your training contract as it gives you exposure to a variety of different clients and practice areas and helps you in other seats. I really enjoyed helping clients to put forward their case and, where possible, to come to an agreement with the other side – but if the matter did end up in court it was really exciting to watch counsel argue our client’s case. 

You are now in your third/final seat – what have you enjoyed most about working at BDB Pitmans?

As a trainee you are given real responsibility. During my time at the firm I have led my own matters and have given real input to larger projects. This isn’t the type of firm where you will be just given administrative tasks to do. As a result, now that I am coming to the end of my training contract I feel equipped to make the transition to becoming a qualified solicitor.

I’ve also really enjoyed the variety of work I’ve had and the opportunity to experience specialist practice areas, which you don’t always find at mid-size law firms. I’ve worked with teams that are industry leaders in their field, and have been involved in really interesting work such as drafting legislation, advising public bodies of their functions, and conducting my own advocacy.

The firm’s size means trainees are given genuine responsibility and the specialist practice areas has given me experience in unique and fascinating work. 

What is the work/life balance at BDB Pitmans?

 The work/life balance at the firm is really good – there is no expectation for you to stay late unless there is a real need to. Of course this can depend on the department and deadlines but the firm has a really friendly atmosphere and promotes a good work life balance. A lot of fee earners work flexibly and I appreciate working at a firm that helps employees to balance work and family life.

Thomas Lane, University of Liverpool, Philosophy and Politics

What has been your most interesting work to date?

My first seat was in the corporate team during which I assisted on a range of matters from public acquisitions to commercial advice on contractual arrangements. If I were to pick one piece of work it would probably be a small research task that spiralled into becoming a major piece of advice on FCA compliance. This stands out as it gave me a chance to get involved in discussions, both within the corporate team and with other teams across the firm, about the implications of certain actions, and ultimately which course of action to recommend to the client.

Being given the opportunity to get so involved in a piece of advice work, and actually having your opinion valued in internal discussions over the direction of the work, was a very fulfilling experience, and it shows how highly regarded trainees are at BDB Pitmans.

What are you enjoying most about working at BDB Pitmans?

The people are all great to work with, but being given real responsibility is definitely one of the highlights of working at the firm. You will be trusted to undertake work that is central to a matter, encouraged to think about the management of a case and given opportunities for client interaction. While you are trusted with this level of responsibility, you will always have a team behind you that can help if needed, and both of the teams that I have worked with so far have been excellent at providing support whenever I have needed it. Everyone wants you to succeed, and everyone understands that you are there to learn as well as to work!

Outside of work there are loads of things to get involved with, and various groups will organise talks, film nights and a variety of sponsored events for charity. Since joining the firm I have taken part in a number of these activities including several football matches against other London law firms which have been a great way to get to know people from different departments.

What is the work/life balance at BDB Pitmans?

On the whole the work-life balance at BDB Pitmans is great, and people are very accommodating of personal commitments. This is something that a lot of firms will claim, but it really is the case at BDB Pitmans. While you are expected to work hard, and indeed there may be times when you need to stay late to ensure that a deadline is met, this is never taken for granted and people will always look out for you. Other team members have always been willing to take on more work to make sure that no-one is overloaded, and there is a real sense of camaraderie within teams whenever things get busy.

I think that the firm has a great approach of encouraging its employees, including trainees, to take responsibility for their own time-management. You are encouraged to find a way of working that suits you, and this allows each person to structure their working life in a way that allows them to make time for their commitments outside of work.