Trainee blog - Susan Currie

Susan Currie, a trainee solicitor at Cloch Solicitors, obtained her LLB from Glasgow Caledonian University and her Diploma from the University of Glasgow. Her traineeship has been based in a boutique corporate firm, focusing on Corporate, Commercial and Civil Litigation. She is due to qualify in August 2017.

The five most important things I learned on my traineeship

In July 2015, I was offered my traineeship with a boutique corporate firm. After the five-year stretch at university, I was finally deemed a fit and proper person and ‘ready’ to be exposed to the practice of law.

The last two years have been an incredibly steep learning curve, full of the unexpected, and I am now peering over the hill into qualification, ready for the stabilisers to come off. With self-reflection being a substantial part of the traineeship, I’ve been looking back on some of the most important things I have learnt within the past 23 months:

1. Don’t limit your options

Apart from work experience placements, the Diploma is the first opportunity that most of us will get to expose ourselves to the practical aspects of law. We are no longer taught what the law is and how to recite it, but we are taught where to find it and how to conduct ourselves.

During the Diploma, all students will encounter some type of litigation class, which usually includes mock court scenarios. At this point, I was unsure of what area of law I wanted to go in but I knew it wasn’t litigation and I thought I was safe with my traineeship being corporate and commercial. But several months later, litigation started to sneak into my role. Firstly, it was attending a diet of taxation, then appearing for internal matters, until one day I realised the majority of my caseload was litigation related, and strangely I enjoyed it.

It is important to give each seat of your traineeship a chance as you never know what you may enjoy.

2. First day/week/month nerves are just that

When I was offered my traineeship, I had no idea how I would fit into the job of a trainee solicitor. The LLB teaches you some academics and the Diploma teaches you some practical aspects, however, nothing prepares you for life as a trainee solicitor.

The first few days, weeks and months can be pretty nerve-wracking, but, like any job, once you settle in, these will disappear and tasks which seemed incredibly daunting in your first few weeks or months will become second nature.

3. Everyone makes mistakes

Making mistakes is part of human nature. These happen on a regular basis. However, in our profession they can be fatal. There can be a significant pressure on trainees to work autonomously, which means it may appear easier to hide a mistake rather than attempt to resolve it and deal with the consequences at the outset.

Being able to identify your mistakes and ask for help is one of the most important traits you can possess. During the traineeship, you are expected to make mistakes – you are still learning. It may be difficult to accept that a mistake has been made, ask for help and deal with the consequences. However, this is a much better option that leaving it to develop into a potentially incurable problem.

4. Organisation is key

No matter the structure of your traineeship, organisation is key.

My calendar is full of colour-coded meetings and events, my desk has a to-do list updated daily, I have a list of clients to run through each day and I have multi-coloured post-it notes, tabs and highlighters to hand at all times. Without efficient organisation skills, deadlines can easily be missed, which can result in lost clients, or, in some cases, even a professional negligence claim.

For me, I have learnt that setting five minutes aside in the morning and in the evening is vital to ensure that I am up to date. Everyone has a different way of working and finding a way which fits in with your firm and your methodology is vital.

5. It is not your case…

This is probably one of the most important pieces of advice I have ever received. If your traineeship is within a contentious department, it can be easy to feel deflated and lost after your first unsuccessful matter.

It is important to remember that you haven’t lost. It is not your case - it is your client’s case. We owe a duty to the client to act in their best interest and taking a defeat personally is not in their best interests!

Moving forward

Everyone has a different traineeship and it is important to remember that everyone will have a different experience. Despite this, one common point is that we will all have highs and lows. Reflecting on the numerous highs and lows over the past 23 months has left me excited to see what is in store for me as a newly qualified solicitor!

Any views are the views of the author and not of the firm.