“Independent. Rewarding. Strategic.”
In this episode of Brief Encounters, Future Lawyers sits down with trainee solicitor Annabel Field to discuss her journey into law, the SQE and life in a specialist personal injury and clinical negligence law firm.
We discuss:
Working as a paralegal before starting a training contract, and how this can make the transition into working life smoother. Annabel was less afraid to ask questions, ask for more responsibility, and felt comfortable in her environment.
Overcoming self-doubt and ignoring the background noise. With training contracts more competitive than ever, and SQE fail rates never out of the press, the legal industry can seem very daunting. Annabel stresses the importance of focusing on your own journey, and being confident in what you have to offer.
Working in a specialist personal injury and clinical negligence firm, and how ‘human’ the job is. In the era of AI, Annabel believes that people (and specifically client-handling) skills are going to become ever-more important.
How work/life balance is possible in a career in law. Learning about a law firm’s culture, work and clients, and making sure all these things align with your own values and aspirations before you apply to work there.
How to highlight what makes you different from other candidates. Most people will have good grades and a number of legal qualifications behind them, but not everyone will have had an interesting job, been a member of a sports team, or been on an impressive trip. Don’t be afraid to talk about the things that make you you – it may just be the difference between getting the job over somebody else.
Listen to the full podcast episode to hear more of Annabel’s advice.