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Mid term trainee update – Rebecca Esson
It’s the time of year when law fairs are taking place, students are returning to studies and future lawyers are applying for traineeships. One of our current trainees, Rebecca Esson, shares her experience of being a trainee here at RCCW. She’s mid way through her traineeship having recently completed her first year in post, although not her first year with us as a firm.
You can read more about Rebecca’s journey to becoming a trainee here at RCCW, as well as other staff career journeys in our career conversations.
Additionally if you are starting your final year of LLB study or commencing your DPLP you may be interested in our traineeships for 2023 and 2024, there’s still time to apply, find out more here.
Read Rebecca’s story of life as a trainee in one of the North east’s leading full service law firms below.
Traineeship to date
My traineeship began in August 2021 with my first seat in the Court department. I quickly realised how much I enjoy all areas of Civil Court practice and, when it came time to rotate seats after 8 months, I was offered the opportunity to remain in the Court department for my second seat. I am grateful to be given the chance to continue in my role in the department for a longer period of time as I have been able to settle more fully into the team and gain additional experience in a variety of other work.
Key things you have learned
One of the main things I’ve learned so far is how different practicing the law is to learning it at university. Although conducting legal research takes up some of your time as a trainee, the vast majority of your time is filled by completing practical tasks such as taking client instructions, liaising with other solicitors, drafting documents and occasionally making an appearance in a Court or Tribunal! I learned quite early on in my traineeship that no two days are the same and you have to be really adaptable to whatever work that might be passed your way. The Court department has been a very supportive of my learning and development so far. There is a true sense of team spirit within the department and colleagues will go out of their way to help others in any way they can.
Key lesson learned
A key lesson I have learned is ‘don’t be a slave to a style’. As a new trainee it is easy to become reliant on styles to assist you in the drafting process, however, sometimes you need to be more vigilant and aware of what styles you are using and why. Always remember to scrutinise your work and make sure that, if you are choosing to include a particular section of a style, there is a legitimate reason for doing so. By doing this you can ensure that the documents you are drafting are directly tailored to your client’s unique circumstances.
What you have most enjoyed?
I have mostly enjoyed having the opportunity to meet such a wide variety of clients and assist them through, what is often considered to be, some of the most difficult times in their lives. This is a very rewarding part of the job. I also had the opportunity to travel to Edinburgh in July to attend a consultation with Counsel. This was an incredibly interesting experience where I was able to become involved in a high value personal injury case and assist in the process behind quantifying the claim for damages.
What you are looking forward to in the next year?
As I approach the second year of my traineeship I will be able to apply for my restricted practicing certificate. This will open up more opportunities for me to appear in more Court settings and allow me to gain wider experience – which I am very much looking forward to!
Advice and tips for applicants for traineeships
It’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the firm before choosing to make an application. If you have a chance to attend any law fairs at university, please do! It will give you an opportunity to speak to our friendly colleagues and get a feel for whether the firm is the right fit for you. I also believe that transferable skills are just as important as legal experience when it comes to your application. It is useful to draw from experiences in all aspects of your life in order to show how these abilities have made you into a great candidate for becoming a trainee solicitor.
To find out more about careers at RCCW click here , current vacancies click here, and traineeships here.
