When I think back to my very first day in the office, attempting to pretend I was calm and unsure of what to expect, I can hardly believe that I am eight months into my two year traineeship. I have just finished my first seat in Residential Property/Private Client and I am looking forward to beginning my second seat in Licensing. As is the nature of a traineeship, just as you are beginning to feel comfortable you find yourself diving back into the unknown. Miller Samuel Hill Brown offers three eight-month seats allowing you to experience different areas of law in practice prior to qualifying. Therefore, it is important when moving seat to hit the ground running and to be open minded.
I must admit that I did not feel particularly enamoured by Residential Property and Private Client at University however I found that I absolutely loved these areas of law in practice. Within four months of joining the firm I had my own personal caseload and was corresponding with solicitors and clients independently daily. I really appreciate the amount of responsibility my supervisor entrusted to me as this allowed my confidence and enthusiasm in the areas to grow rapidly. Luckily both Residential Property and Private Client are departments where there is regular client contact. I have undertaken many meetings with clients whether they were organised simply to obtain ID, to signing a will, to explaining the risks of a lifetime mortgage.
I was fortunate enough to be placed within an extremely welcoming and knowledgeable team and I owe them a great deal for making my experience within the department so enjoyable. I would definitely stress that trainees should not be afraid to ask questions and for help whenever necessary. The chances are that someone else in your team has had the same query in the past and if you don’t ask questions people will only be curious as to how you are so well versed!
Stephanie Hands, First Year Trainee