Welcome to our 2024 Trainees!

At the beginning of September, we welcomed our talented new Trainee Solicitors to the Firm. We often talk about what to expect throughout the application process, so we thought it might be useful to share what happens next if your application is successful.

Our Trainee Solicitors are given responsibility from day one, working on real-life cases with real-life clients. We aim to provide a stimulating environment to our Trainee Solicitors, allowing you to challenge yourself and thrive.

To give you more of an insight, we asked one of our trainee solicitors, Lili, to share some of the things she got up to in her first couple of weeks as a trainee solicitor at Geldards.

Week 1

Our first week consisted largely of training, meeting our colleagues and settling into the firm.

On our first day, we were welcomed by the HR team who gave us an introductory talk, followed by talks from Facilities and an IT introduction. Later, we met the current trainees and Newly Qualified Solicitors (NQs) at the firm who took us on a tour of the office. I finished the day by joining the Commercial Dispute Resolution (CDR) team who will be my colleagues for the next six months whilst I complete my first seat with them.

On Tuesday we had training on time recording and billing and a talk with Terri from the Learning & Development team. After work, we went for a meal at the Botanist with the current trainees and NQs.

On Wednesday, we took part in more training and had a talk from our training principal, Fiona who gave us some helpful advice on being a trainee. I joined the CDR team in the afternoon and carried out some research into various companies on Companies House.

Thursday followed a similar structure, with IT training on other systems in the morning and carrying out more research in the afternoon.

Our second week was our first full week with our teams, but Friday was our first full day with our teams. I sat in on meetings with prospective experts and took a note of these meetings for the file. These meetings helped me to get a better understanding of the background of the case and provided me with an opportunity to meet some of the other people who are involved with the matter.

Week 2

On Monday, I sat in on a follow-up call, discussing the experts we had met with on Friday. I carried out some more research on Companies House and then took a note of a meeting with a client, discussing their next steps in an ongoing matter.

On Tuesday, I carried out some administrative tasks, including drafting a letter to a client regarding disclosure obligations. I then attended an IT catch-up meeting where we had a chance to discuss any issues we had come across whilst getting to grips with the IT systems at the firm.

I carried out more administrative tasks on Wednesday and made the most of the quieter day by filling out my training log and watching some webinars on topics relevant to CDR.

On Thursday and Friday, my colleague and I met with a client in the office, who was being interviewed. We took a note of the meeting for the file and received some positive feedback from the client. It was a great opportunity to attend an in-person client meeting so early on in my first seat and even better to hear that the client felt comfortable and reassured.

Biggest takeaways from my first two weeks:

? Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

? Make the most of opportunities to meet new people.

? Do the rubbish stuff right! (this one is stolen from Michael Evans in CDR but it is very good advice!)

Find out more about our Training Contracts and apply here!