How to Succeed as a Trainee Solicitor: My Top 5 Tips

It can be tough being a trainee solicitor, as you rotate every six months into a new department, making it feel like you are starting a new job again. Once you start to understand how things work, you have to move on. Before you know it, the two years are up and you’ve qualified as a solicitor!

This blog will provide my five top tips on how to succeed as a trainee solicitor, so you feel prepared once you begin your Training Contract.

Communication Skills

You are required to communicate with clients as well as your colleagues so it is important to refine your communication skills. This includes being able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. The clearer you are able to communicate, the more likely you are to build a rapport with clients and build relationships with your colleagues. You should also be compassionate, as some clients may be grieving or going through a difficult divorce, so showing empathy will help you interact with your clients. You want to present yourself in the best way possible, so always think about how you communicate with people.

Ability to Work with Different Fee earners

As a Trainee Solicitor you will most likely have a supervisor who will provide you with work. From time to time, you will also receive work from other fee earners in your department, in addition to assisting your supervisor. You will need to learn how to work with different fee earners who often have different personalities and working styles. This requires you to pick up quickly how different solicitors approach their caseload. This can be challenging and overwhelming but it is important to remember that this takes time. You will gradually understand how different fee earners work and you will learn how to alter your working styles based on who you are assisting.

Ask Questions

Asking questions is part of a Training Contract! You will learn so much as a trainee and you may come across a task which is challenging or you may not understand a certain principle, so it is important to ask questions. It’s much better to ask questions than to sit alone, struggling with something you don’t understand and panicking. Fee earners understand that you are constantly learning and they expect you to ask questions so don’t suffer in silence if you are unsure on something. It also shows that you want to learn and improve so never be afraid of asking questions, regardless of how silly you may think they are.

Establish Good Habits Early On

Building strong habits from the start will set you up for success throughout your Training Contract and beyond. Simple practices like creating task lists, diarising important dates, and staying organised will help you manage your workload effectively and reduce stress. These habits not only make your day-to-day work easier but also lay the foundation for a smooth transition into life as a qualified solicitor. Start early, and you’ll thank yourself later!

You Will Make Mistakes

We all want to present the best version of ourselves in the workplace but it is important to remember that you may make mistakes and that is okay. A key part of a Training Contract is learning new skills, and making mistakes is a natural part of that process. Just make sure that your work is always checked by your supervisor or solicitor before you send anything, especially at the beginning of each seat because this gives a solicitor the chance to review your work if there are any mistakes. If your work has mistakes, it gives you the opportunity to learn from it and not make the same mistake again.

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