Solicitor Apprentice Review

At present, I am a solicitor apprentice in a client specific real estate team and therefore I am responsible for drafting and progressing leasing and asset management. I deal with the client, other solicitors and my colleagues on a daily basis to update, negotiate and take instructions from the client where necessary.

I have developed organisation skills during my apprenticeship due to the importance in my role of having an organised workload. This has allowed me to have a full picture of where my matters are placed. I have also developed leadership qualities due to my responsibility as a case handler to work independently within the parameters of supervision.

I have always wanted to do law so to find an apprenticeship in this field with the ability to progress to qualification seemed like a dream come true. I definitely enjoy my programme due to the level and quality of work and independence however there is no denying the programme is extremely demanding and it can at times be stressful.

My programme is definitely well structured on the employer side, with regular check ins with my apprenticeship manager, a strong support network to flag any issues and clear guidance on progression, however I find that the study provider can be unorganised and the amount of support offered compared to the amount of work we are required to do is poor.

As touched on above, the support from my employer is good. I am in regular correspondence with my apprentice manager about work related issues, university issues but the support network goes beyond the apprenticeship and I definitely feel like I have adequate support from my colleagues and management in every aspect.

Whilst support is available from the training provider, I find that the amount of work is very large and in comparison, the support offered is very little. For coursework and portfolio, we are offered one 3 hour session at the start of the term to cover all of our portfolio submissions and coursework for that term and then the only additional support is through feedback and e-mail correspondence. We have coaching calls for these things but there is no real structure of how regularly or when these should take place so they seem to occur randomly.

I think the portfolio aspect of the qualification certainly gives you the opportunity to vary your workload and allows you to develop in all of the areas necessary for law. The modules studied definitely tie in to my day to day work, especially the land law and property practice modules which tie in really well with real estate.

The social aspect at my work is fantastic. Overall, there is a huge range of ages in the office which creates many different relationships and there is a social committee which arranges in-office events on a monthly basis and there are many seasonal events. I recently took part in a football tournament where my firm competed with other professionals to raise money for charity.

Yes

I have definitely had an overall positive experience with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner. The quality of work and the responsibility is high and the ability to do significant work for such high profile clients at this stage of my career is a huge highlight. On the flipside, as a result of this the job can be very demanding and stressful and during exceptionally busy times working extra hours becomes regular, but there is a strong support network to assist with this. The people are fantastic and very friendly.

Always make sure before applying for Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner that you have researched the key areas of law and their key clients. I would also recommend doing some research into their recent achievements and linking that to how you think you can bring further success to the firm. As a general tip, make sure you showcase your own achievements and skills and find a balance between showing what you can offer without coming across as big-headed!