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.

Sarah Barker, University of Cambridge, History BA
University of Warwick, Post Graduate Diploma in Local Government Management

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

Attending a variety of trustee meetings whilst in the charities team was really interesting as it gave me a great insight into how charities of all shapes and sizes run their affairs and what issues they are most concerned about. This helped me to gain a richer understanding of both the charity sector as a whole and the motivations and worries of our charity clients, which in turn was invaluable in helping me to shape my advice. It was also great fun to be a fly on the wall!

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

The variety of the work. BDB Pitmans has a great range of specialisms that you don’t often find in a mid-sized, full service law firm. At this stage in my training I have completed a seat in the charities team and I am now in the planning, infrastructure and public law department – both teams are industry leaders in their sectors. The work that the two teams do, and the clients they deal with, are very different and so I have been exposed to a variety of issues, challenges and styles of working. I am learning something new everyday and the learning curve is a steep one! However, the support and training I have received in my seats so far have been great, so I have never felt too far out of my depth.

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

The work life balance is really good. Whilst a lot of firms will say this in their trainee marketing material, at BDB Pitmans this is totally true! Of course, there are busier times when you may be required to stay later than usual in order to meet a deadline or because a last minute instruction has come in, but this is the exception rather than the rule. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular activities outside of usual working hours – such as volunteering for the firm’s pro-bono programme, attending sector-specific breakfast briefings put on by the firm, or even playing netball for the firm’s team – and trainees are encouraged to get involved. But expectations are realistic and you’ll find that you are choosing to do these things because you want to learn more, rather than feeling like you have to put on a good show.

Riccardo Bruno, Brunel University, Law

Q: What challenges did you face in your first seat?

For my first seat I was placed in the pensions team, an area of law that I had not been exposed to before – either during my studies or in practice. The main challenge, therefore, was getting to grips with the core elements of pensions law to assist me in my day-to-day tasks. Thankfully the team were on hand to provide plenty of useful materials and even sent me on an introductory seminar. Other (and more common) challenges included getting up to speed with the various systems and policies in the workplace as well as learning to adapt to different work methods adopted by different team members.

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

Equipped with the positive experiences gained in my first seat, I felt confident going into the next rotation. This encouraged me to take on more responsibility within the team and have conduct of some matters on a day-to-day basis. This also encouraged me to involve myself further in the business development and corporate social responsibility causes promoted by the firm. This included participating in various charity events and providing legal advice at the Citizens Advice Bureau on a pro-bono basis.

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

I have thoroughly enjoyed the quality and variety of work in each seat. I have also enjoyed the level of responsibility given to me as a trainee, whilst also maintaining appropriate levels of support and supervision from my supervisors. This balance, I feel, is vital in developing top lawyers. I have also enjoyed the experiences away from my desk such as attending court hearings, mediations and trustee meetings. The firm really gives their trainees an opportunity to experience life as a solicitor both at and away from their desks.

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

Whilst maintaining a city-firm feel, there is a healthy work/life balance at BDB Pitmans, allowing colleagues of all levels to enjoy a social life and undertake extra-curricular activities after work. This, I believe, makes for a happy and efficient workforce and is one of the biggest benefits of working at the firm.

Hengameh Hassan-Yari, Queen’s University (Canada), Psychology

What challenges did you face in your first seat?

The first seat is often the most challenging as you’re entering a new environment and it may well be your first time working in a professional setting. There are many facets of working in a law firm that a first seat trainee will need to adjust to, from how the firm operates generally, to how to charge time and file documents. Whilst some administrative aspects of the job become easier as your training contract progresses, I do believe that many of the other challenges you face in your first seat are the same ones you will face at the beginning of every seat, as each department has its own processes and ways of working that you must adapt to. Regardless of whether it’s your first seat or your last seat, it always takes a couple of weeks to settle into a new department and it’s important that you don’t expect to start your new seat at the same place you ended your last one, so allow yourself the time to adjust.

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

I approached my second seat in the charities team with enthusiasm, as one of the main reasons I chose the firm was for its charities offering. Since I had been given a great deal of responsibility in my first seat in litigation, I started my second seat with more confidence in my abilities. Further, because I was interested in the work and wanted to get immediately stuck in, I became involved in challenging and technical work throughout my seat in charities – such as liaising with the Charity Commission on regulated alterations and the registration of new charities. Ultimately, the high level of responsibility you are given in every seat during your training contract is the best learning experience, as it forces you to shed any insecurities you may have and quickly builds your confidence.

What have you enjoyed most about working at BDB Pitmans?

I’ve appreciated the amount of responsibility that I have been given during my training contract, as I now feel well placed for the transition from trainee to NQ solicitor. The purpose of the training contract is to give you the experience you need to become a competent solicitor after the two years is over and BDB Pitmans is a firm that will give you that experience in a supportive environment. Colleagues across the firm have been incredibly supportive throughout the course of my training contract and the small trainee intake has meant that I have always had a strong, core network that I can rely on.

What is the work/life balance at BDB Pitmans?

Based on my training experience, the work/life balance at the firm has been excellent. Naturally, it does vary slightly from department to department, but on the whole the firm is very supportive of a culture that respects work/life balance. It’s important for me to work at a firm where people have interests and hobbies outside of their profession and are allowed the time to cultivate those interests, because it means that your colleagues are more rounded individuals.

Seán Burke, University College Dublin, Commerce

What challenges did you face in your first seat?

Having only ever had a theoretical knowledge of property law, I was somewhat nervous about doing my first seat in the Commercial Property department with an emphasis on development work – of which I knew very little about! Thankfully, the team were really welcoming and provided plenty of guidance and instruction when giving tasks, so I quickly rose to the challenge and really enjoyed the seat.

Although important in every seat, the value of communication with my team and other-side solicitors, and management of client’s expectations was highlighted to me in my first seat in particular, and laid the foundations for my future seats.

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

The challenge faced in the first seat is somewhat replicated in each subsequent seat, as you essentially start again from scratch with a new team and a different area of law, except you have the benefit over the first seat of being familiar with the systems, software and internal processes. But by being enthusiastic, paying attention to the details and giving yourself some time to adjust, you will enjoy each new seat rotation and what it has to offer.

Taking some of the key points of what I learnt in my first seat such as communicating and managing client’s expectations, I felt I was better suited to face the challenges my second seat presented. This provided me with a lot more confidence and, as a result, I was given more responsibility which allowed me to take the next step forward in my training, building on the positive experiences of my first seat.

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

The variety of work and increasing level of responsibility. One of the great things about working at BDB Pitmans is that when you demonstrate that you are able to take on more responsibility, it is given to you. This can come in the form of handling completions of transactions, managing your own files (with appropriate supervision) or meeting one-on-one with clients. The level of responsibility given doesn’t feel pressured or forced and comes gradually as you progress through your training contract.

Another great aspect of working at the firm is everyone’s approachability. There is never an issue with asking questions to anyone across the firm or offices. Everyone is extremely approachable and friendly and are always more than happy to share their knowledge or expertise with you.

What is the work/life balance at BDB Pitmans?

Work/life balance at BDB Pitmans is very good. As with every job, some tasks are more challenging or have tighter timelines than others, which can occasionally require more time in the office than usual. However, the norm is that there is time to socialise after work, or participate in extracurricular activities with colleagues, like the firm’s five-a-side football team.

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.