Life as a Third Seat Trainee
I am currently in the third seat of my training contract in the Commercial Property department and this will be my second time working as a trainee in the team. I thought it would be good to give an overview of what a Commercial Property trainee does on day-to-day basis, although no two days are ever the same!
Having already spent six months in the department, I have found that the level of work and responsibility has increased compared to my first seat. Daily tasks involve drafting and reviewing leases and altering and assigning licences and other documents relating to commercial landlord and tenant work. I also assist with case management such as updating and reporting to clients, agents, solicitors and third parties and providing updates on the transaction. Machins has a variety of national and local clients and we act for both commercial landlords and tenants and this includes large companies, SMEs, charities, and individuals. Some days, I can be dealing with properties or sites which are only a stone’s throw away from one of our offices! In addition, my supervisor is supportive and, like many in the firm, has an open-door policy. We have daily meetings and catch ups where he offers guidance and advice on how to deal with queries and tasks on transactions that I am dealing with.
As trainees, we are also encouraged to get involved in networking, charitable and social activities. So far in my third seat, I have attended numerous networking events mostly with my supervisor. I find this helpful as his experience is invaluable and puts me at ease when meeting and talking to new people. I have found networking to be enjoyable and it has allowed me to start to build relationships with potential clients, agents, accountants and other professional referrers outside of the day-to-day work environment. Networking is an important part of the role of being a solicitor so building and maintaining relationships with potential clients or referrers is critical for bringing in new work.
We also can get involved with charitable initiatives such as the Luton Love Run Fest which I took part in last year to help raise money for a local homeless charity. Machins also has several committees such as the Social, Mental Health and Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Committees.
As a trainee, I helped to start up and chair the D&I Committee. Diversity and inclusion is something that I am passionate about, and I have had great support from my colleagues and the partners at the firm to set up and progress this new committee. Since starting the committee, the firm has held several events and initiatives such as World Hijab Day, Ramadan and we also have several events coming up for Black History Month and Disability Awareness Month.
A training contract at Machins does not consist of being chained to your desk scanning and photocopying for your supervisor, in fact, my experience has been the complete opposite. For me, the most enjoyable thing about my third seat so far is the responsibility that I have to deal with transactions from inception to completion with a good level of support and supervision. I am very happy with the level of responsibility that I am getting as it gives me a lot of confidence for when I qualify and begin handling my own files and I am excited to see where the next six months towards qualification will take me!