NQ blog - November 2015: Full circle

Without even realising it, my first 12 months as a NQ solicitor came and went in the blink of an eye. Why did I miss this all-important milestone? Ironically, because I was too busy working! At Campbell and McCartney, I am primarily responsible for the civil department at our Glasgow office – a demanding, but highly rewarding responsibility. I also undertake work assisting the partner in the criminal department. Resultantly, on any given day, I am either busy rushing around Glasgow Sheriff Court juggling a number of civil and criminal cases, or I am in the office taking back-to-back meetings with our ever-increasing number of clients.

Personally, I thoroughly enjoy the busy dynamics of my work. Being responsible for a large number of clients, I have to constantly stay on top of my workload. This is a labour-intensive and time-consuming process, which requires being able to foresee problems and deal with these proactively. The good thing for me is that I tend to thrive in the thick of things. OK, I’m still learning. But every day I put to use the knowledge that I gained from the day before. For me, it is all about working towards becoming an expert adviser, ultimately for the benefit of my clients.

Coming from the position of a trainee, and dealing with my supervisor’s clients, to the situation now where I have my own clients, I can finally take a step back and reflect on how far I’ve come in what feels like a really short space of time. I owe this not only to my own ambition but to my employers at C&M for allowing me the autonomy I am presently afforded. The feeling of helping my clients and hearing how the advice and/or court representation I have provided has improved their situation is a hugely rewarding part of my job.

I have also come full circle since starting as an NQ at C&M as this week we have taken on a new trainee solicitor at our Glasgow office who will be working closely with my colleagues and me. We all have a great working relationship with each other, and our trainee has already settled in very well. Having been in his position only a year ago, I can offer advice about my own experiences as a trainee – the good and the bad – to help my new colleague on his way to becoming a solicitor! That is just another great aspect of the job.

Overall, my first year as a qualified solicitor has already been a great success in my view - and I’m looking forward to what this next 12 months will bring.