Wedlake Bell

A day in the life of... Kiana Bharakhada, apprentice, Wedlake Bell

Departments to date: Private client (Year 1) and Corporate (Year 2)

I am a second-year apprentice at Wedlake Bell. Currently, I am sitting in the corporate team, but I spent my first year in private client. I was part of the first cohort of apprentices at Wedlake Bell and I am currently studying the City Century in-person Solicitor Apprenticeship programme at the University of Law (Bloomsbury campus).

I came straight from A-levels, where I studied English Language, Sociology and History. I also relocated from Leicester in order to start the job. This was admittedly very scary, but I felt really supported by the entire Wedlake Bell team and the other apprentice (Isabelle) as we went through relocation and starting the programme together.

7.30am: My alarm rings and I usually scroll through TikTok for 15 minutes while my brain wakes up.

7.45am: I start my morning routine (shower, makeup, and hair etc) and make sure I have everything packed in my bag. I will also choose my outfit for the day. The firm has a ‘dress for your day’ policy, so normally I just wear business casual, although I might dress up a bit more if know I have client meetings. I also have a blazer and pair of formal shoes at my desk in case I ever need to quickly make my outfit more professional.

8.25am: I leave my flat and leave for the overground station. It usually takes 25-30 minutes for me to reach the office.

9.00am: I get into the office and set up my desk; I usually turn my laptop on and take a quick glance over my emails to see what has come in the previous evening or over the weekend. I’ll then grab some porridge from the Hub. The Hub is where people can go for breakfast and lunch as the firm offers porridge (also continental/cooked breakfast every Monday and Friday) along with a salad bar and soup in return for donations to our chosen charity of the year.

9.30am: I then go back to my desk and start time recording for the day. Time recording is how firms know how much to charge clients for the work produced. I will also create a to-do list and have a quick check in with my supervisor regarding my workload and generally keeping them updated.

I can then get started with my tasks; while I was in private client my work mainly consisted of drafting deeds, wills and lasting powers of attorney. I also had to call banks, the Probate Registry, the OPG and HMRC to chase matters where we haven’t had a response. I then also worked with the PSL’s with more internal organisation of old deeds which was a big project over a few months.

Now in corporate I am working on our company secretary service. As I am still new and finding my feet this is a really good way to become familiar with the documents and processes within the team.

1.00pm: This is when I usually go for lunch. I and the other apprentices will either go out for lunch or go to the Hub and have soup/salad.

2.00pm: I return to the office and carry on with my to-do list. I will also have weekly catch-ups with my supervisor to discuss my workload. These chats have always been helpful as they are a good way to ask more questions and check that I am progressing well, especially as I work on/learn new things.

5.30pm: I finish up and send any work that is due for the next day or week. I then leave the office and begin my commute home which takes around 30 minutes.

Alternatively, through City Century, Isabelle and I have made friends that we can catch up with. We all work close to each other and working in the city means it is really easy to make plans after work and have a social life away from the office. We enjoy exploring London (as we have only been living here a year) by going to Top Secret Comedy Club, the Theatre, and the parks in the summertime.

The firm also has many clubs which run after work such as netball, football and run club which meet throughout the week. I joined netball in the summer which was a great way to meet more people in the firm.

About the firm

Senior partner: Camilla Wallace

Managing partner: Martin Arnold

Who we are: We have strong expertise in real estate, private client, dispute resolution and business services. Our driving force is to empower our clients by providing quality legal advice, insight and intelligence that enables them to achieve their goals, whether personal or business. We are large enough to advise on the most complex matters, but small enough to ensure that our people and our work remain exceptional and dynamic.

What we do: With 80 partners supported by almost 200 lawyers and support staff, we operate on a four practice group model: private client, business services, real estate and dispute resolution.

What we’re looking for in an apprentice: We are looking for self-motivated apprentices – individuals with potential who will thrive in an apprenticeship. The key areas that we focus on are enthusiasm and a strong work ethic.

What you’ll do: The Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme is a six-year route to qualification which combines on-the-job learning with studying for a law degree and the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). If you are considering a career in law, but are unsure about pursuing a university degree, a solicitor apprenticeship could be the route for you.

By the end of the six years, you’ll be fully qualified as a solicitor and have avoided student debt. Apprentices will be based in our London office and study one day per week with the University of Law.

Apprentices are allocated a trainee buddy and a mentor to help them settle into life at the firm.

Perks: Pension, health insurance, dental insurance, personal health and wellbeing support including virtual GP service, life assurance, season ticket loan, corporate gym membership, additional holiday scheme, give as you earn, cycle to work scheme, employee mortgage advice, birthday leave, subsidised firm-wide trips.

Sponsorship

Your LLB studies and SQE course will be funded by Wedlake Bell as part of the Solicitor Apprenticeship programme.

Seat options

So far, our Solicitor Apprentices have sat with insolvency, private client, commercial disputes, corporate and residential property. During the programme, Solicitor Apprentices will be able to experience a broad range of practice areas across the firm.

Diversity and inclusion