Trainee lawyer committed to aiding others
Julia Murrell has always been wanted to be a lawyer and to help vulnerable groups of the community such as children. Now thanks to the support of an award winning Essex law firm, she
is well on her way to qualifying as a solicitor specialising in legal aid work.
Julia has just started an assisted training contract at leading Colchester-based solicitors Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP. She completed a law degree at the University of Kent in Canterbury, after which she studied for a one year legal practice course at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford.
Explains Julia (22): “Before you become a solicitor, you must complete a legal practice course to help develop the skills needed to work in a firm of solicitors. After this, all trainees have to have a period of practice-based training at a law firm which is known as a training contract. I am really pleased to have joined Fisher Jones Greenwood as it has an outstanding reputation for welfare and legal aid work.”
Fisher Jones Greenwood handles over 1500 legal aid cases a year, and is one of only a handful of law firms in East Anglia to hold legal aid contracts for criminal, family, housing, welfare benefits, education, employment, community care, personal injury and public law. The firm recently won two major accolades for its welfare work, not only scooping the solicitors’ category in the prestigious Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards, but also winning the Business in the Community East of England Leadership Award for Pro Bono Company of the Year. Both awards were made in recognition of Fisher Jones Greenwood’s pioneering ‘Tendring Outreach Project’ which provides essential legal advice on welfare issues to vulnerable people living in the Tendring area.
Senior Partner Tony Fisher said: “Working in legal aid provides the opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives which is why we are so delighted to welcome Julia on board. Access to good quality legal advice is vital for the wellbeing of our society. Many vulnerable people struggle to understand their legal rights and obligations and without legal aid would not have access to justice. As a firm we are very committed to legal aid.”
Julia is currently working on a groundbreaking project established by Fisher Jones Greenwood called Lawyers for Young People, a national pilot of services aimed at children in the care system. After six months with Lawyers for Young People, Julia will move to the family law team.
Julia said: “During my training contract I will work in different areas of the firm to gain a broad range of experience. Once I have qualified I would very much like to specialise in either family law or dealing with children’s legal rights. Unfortunately many trainee lawyers are now opting to specialise in other areas of the law because they are glamourous and more lucrative, but legal aid work I believe offers a very worthwhile, interesting and rewarding career path and I am very excited about the future.”
According to the Law Society 5,751 trainee solicitors commenced training contracts last year. The Legal Services Commissioncurrently provides 492 grants, over four schemes, to support the training of new legal aid solicitors.
Tony Fisher said: “Access to good quality legal advice is essential for the most vulnerable and excluded people in our society. We are one of only a very few law firms in the region to remain committed to social welfare areas of law so we are very pleased to be training the next generation of legal aid lawyers.”