Before gaining work experience at Fisher Jones Greenwood, I was unsure whether I wanted to be a solicitor. I am due to start my third year of my Law degree and having never stepped foot in a solicitors’ office, I was keen to experience a week in the life of various solicitors to assess whether it was the correct path for me. Upon completion of work experience at Fisher Jones Greenwood, I am now set on becoming a solicitor.
I was greeted on Monday by Su, the training executive, who had created a timetable for me so that I knew which department I would be sitting in each day. I worked closely with the partners of the firm which provided me with a fountain of knowledge in each area.
Monday – Private Client
I was warmly greeted by the private client team and after initially being set a task to draft a Lasting Power of Attorney document, I ended up spending the day in client meetings which I loved and learned a lot from. I attended client meetings with Sarah for clients to make new Wills and sign existing Wills as well as attending a client meeting with James about estate planning. I didn’t realise that estate planning would be part of private client work and it made me realise how vast private client work is.
Tuesday – Family
Simon, the head of the family team, took time out of his busy schedule at the beginning of the day to talk to me about his career. I drafted sample applications for a child arrangements order and a financial order for a divorce which was really interesting as I was able to see the two sides to family law. I enjoyed the high level of client contact involved in family law and private client and the emotional element in these two areas of law.
Wednesday – Commercial
I was tasked to draft a sample share purchase agreement. I knew nothing about corporate and commercial law, so this was by far the most challenging day. I didn’t realise how much work was required to draft a contract and I now acknowledge the importance of ensuring that every clause is phrased in the correct way, as the use of one wrong word can change the meaning of the entire document.
Thursday – Commercial Property
Ellen gave me an introduction to the team before giving me a heads of terms document to use to draft a lease. Having studied land law at university this year, focusing mainly on residential property, I was able to see the similarities and differences between commercial leases and residential leases.
Friday – Development Day
I was fortunate to speak to Tony Fisher about his career and I really appreciated this opportunity. I then spoke to Andrew about advice on blog training before getting some feedback on my CV from Anthony which was invaluable. Lastly, I had a mock interview with Anthony and this was a great chance to self-reflect on myself and the skills that I have gained from different experiences.
This week at Fisher Jones Greenwood confirmed to me that my ambition is to be a solicitor. If you are unsure about whether to pursue a career as a solicitor, I would advise you to apply for work experience with Fisher Jones Greenwood to gain a fun, accurate insight into a career as a solicitor.
Evie Byott