I completed my law degree at
I successfully secured a Training Contract to commence in September 2008. I then completed my LPC on a part-time basis at
In September 2008, I commenced my Training Contract with Stephensons in the Family department, covering all areas of family law from divorce and ancillary relief to child care and domestic violence. I then moved to the Consumer Litigation department, where I dealt with all aspects of civil litigation from contract disputes to land disputes and unmarried property disputes. I am currently in my third seat in the Clinical Negligence department and continue to be offered the same level of opportunity and responsibility as I have throughout my training contract. At Stephensons I have been actively encouraged to develop my skills and confidence. Stephensons does not hesitate to afford those who are capable with extra responsibilities, such as running caseloads and representing clients at hearings.
Being a trainee can be daunting as you are expected to adapt fairly quickly to each new department throughout your Training Contract. However, I have been pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and helpful each department has been. At Stephensons, both supervisors and support staff alike appreciate that the purpose of a Training Contract is to learn and will go out of their way to help you gain as much as possible from each seat. The fee earners are also mindful that trainees need to prepare themselves for running their own files and will ensure that trainees work on files at all different stages. I have found the training that I have been given in each of my seats to be excellent. I have also been made to feel that I can ask for help when necessary, which I have been very grateful for. As I have progressed through each seat I feel that I have grown in confidence considerably due to the wide range of responsibility that I have been given and due to the feedback that I have received at the end of each seat.
I have had the opportunity to experience a variety of different work-types during my Training Contract with Stephensons, which has been invaluable in providing me with a solid base for my future career. It has also assisted me in identifying which work-types I am more suited to. Stephensons is a particularly good firm to train at, as there really is a department for everyone. Stephensons cover all specialisms from Commercial and Employment to Crime and Family. In addition, many of the solicitors at Stephensons are renowned in their area of law and this affords trainees the opportunity to work on some extremely interesting and high-value cases.
Although trainees are expected to work hard at Stephensons, there is a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and trainees are encouraged to go out socially. ‘Trainee nights out’ are a regular occurrence at Stephensons and they give the trainees a chance to get to know each other and share information about the different departments. There is a real sense of camaraderie amongst the trainees at Stephensons. All in all, Stephensons is a fantastic place to work and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to work in a welcoming atmosphere, with approachable colleagues, whilst gaining sufficient experience to become an excellent solicitor.
