6 Top Tips On How To Be A Successful Trainee Solicitor

Becky Richardson is a Trainee Solicitor at BHW, she shares her top tips on how to be a successful Trainee.

I joined BHW as a paralegal in the firm’s Commercial Property department and having fortunately secured a training contract, am now a Trainee. My time as a paralegal provided a variety of challenges and essential legal exposure, which has helped me to prepare for life as a Trainee by developing my skills and confidence through practical experience. BHW have continued to encourage and support me through my LPC which I am studying part-time alongside my Training Contract.

Being a Trainee can often feel like a whirlwind, here are 6 things that I’ve learned during my time as a Trainee Solicitor at BHW:

1. Communication

Communication with a supervisor is essential. Throughout my first seat, I have found having an open dialogue with my supervisor invaluable. This has helped me to keep track of my workload and to work effectively towards tight deadlines; especially as I have been given work by multiple people on the team.

2. Attention to detail

Every Trainee Solicitor would have heard this buzz phrase. It is not a skill that is perfected overnight, and a Training Contract is the perfect opportunity to develop this skill. It is easy to forget that everyone is human and so mistakes will inevitably be made. However, it is important to learn from this and the thing that helps me most is to print out the document and read over it after a period of time; it is always better to look at something with fresh eyes.

3. Ask questions

Everyone at BHW are friendly, supportive and always willing to help if you need it. I have learnt that if you are ever unsure the key is to ask the right question, at the right time, whilst showing an understanding of the subject and an enthusiasm to learn.

4. Get to know your fellow Trainees

Whether this be a coffee or a walk, taking the time to know your fellow Trainees in different departments can go a long way. At the end of the day, everyone is in the same boat, and you never know when you will need their help navigating a particular seat.

5. Get involved with the firm

At BHW there is ample opportunity to get involved with the firm. Last year, I ran the Rothley 10k as part of a BHW team entry.  This was a great way to get to know my colleagues at BHW that I wouldn’t normally cross paths with. By saying yes to getting involved, you will feel part of the team and it helps to be known around the firm.

6. Be yourself

It sounds cliché but the most important tip is to be yourself, this will make your time as a trainee enjoyable, especially at BHW.

BHW recruits four-six trainee solicitors each year, with successful candidates starting in April and October. BHW is a Legal 500 and Chambers Leading Firm with many Partners ranked Legal 500 Leading Individuals. The nature of our client base and our specialist expertise means that our trainees are exposed to much larger and more complex transactions than is usual for a firm of our size.

For more information on our current Trainee recruitment status, visit our Trainee Solicitors page.