Why Choose Wilson Browne Solicitors?

Jess Leech – Senior Associate

7^th May 2021 had been a date circled on my calendar for 2 years. It had been written in bold, it had been highlighted, and it had been underlined…twice! 7^th May 2021 was the day that I (finally) qualified as a Solicitor.

I am now over a month into ‘newly-qualified life’ and it finally seems to be settling in. I still have my new business card sitting on my desk as a frequent reminder. I still take every opportunity to tell someone that ‘I am a Solicitor’. And I still find my eyes lingering over the word ‘Solicitor’ on my email signature. But (in my defence) it has been six years in the making, so it may take a few months until I can finally ‘play it cool’.

Now seems like the perfect opportunity to reflect on the journey and to leave a small mark on our Trainee Blog for incoming and current Trainees. Below are my 3 ‘Top Tips’ that I have collated over the last two years.

Look Beyond the Fee Earners

While the Fee Earners will ultimately be your primary source of legal training, I believe that every single employee here at Wilson Browne has something to teach you during your Training Contract to ensure that you qualify as a well-rounded Solicitor.

For example, Paralegals are often the first point of contact for a client. Listen to their phone calls and take note of how they build a rapport with clients. Our Receptionists and Office Assistants are a friendly face when moving seats between offices. Be a friendly face back and they will become an invaluable support system.

And my biggest kept secret? The Secretaries. Our Secretaries were (and still are) my first port of call and are fountains of knowledge in their own right. They have taught me invaluable lessons which made every day life as a Trainee Solicitor that much easier, from where to find a Fee Earner’s favoured precedent, to the fact that our printers have a hole-punch function (a life-saver when preparing a 1,000 page Court Bundle.)

I will forever be grateful for those who played a role in my journey to qualification. Many probably don’t even realise the role they played or the impact they had on my journey. However, that’s Wilson Browne for you. ‘We’re All The Help You Need’ not only for Clients but for fellow colleagues as well.

Trainees

One of my favourite parts of being a Trainee has been being a member of this unique community within the firm. No one can relate to your journey as much as those who are right there living it with you.

On both a professional and personal level, fellow Trainees become your confidants, cheer leaders, and support system. Over the last two years alone I have celebrated fellow Trainees securing their Training Contract, job offers, qualifications, engagements, PLC results and even becoming a first time Dad!

So my second tip is to ignore the myth that Trainees are your competitors and rivals. This couldn’t be further from the truth here at Wilson Browne. Embrace the advice and experience of those Trainees ahead of you, and enjoy passing that advice on to those behind you. Celebrate each others successes and milestones because, you never know, your fellow Trainees could be sitting across the Board table from you one day!

Trust the Process

Being a Trainee is not always easy. Rotating between teams, offices and legal practices every six months means that, by the time you finally settle in, it’s time to move on. Sometimes it can feel like you’re always ‘in at the deep end’ and just trying to stay afloat. By the time your toes finally touch the floor, a huge wave comes and takes you right back to where you started only six months ago and you find yourself once again treading water.

In light of this, my third tip was going to be to invest in a desk caddy. (In the last two years I have had six different desks across two offices so it’s still a good tip which warrants a mention!). However, my final tip is to just’ trust the process’. On those days when you feel overwhelmed, out of your depth, stressed, and questioning if it is all worth it, look around at those Solicitors in your team and remember that they too had to go through this process. And if they can do it, so can you!

And so, after four years at university, one Undergraduate Degree, one Masters Degree, an eye watering number of exams, an even more eye watering number of Training Contract applications, a heart breaking number of rejections, three Training Contract interviews, two Training Contract offers, one (obvious) choice, two years of training, five hundred pages of training records, 6 letters after my name… and it all came down to the 7^th May 2021. And you’ll be relieved to hear that it was worth it. Every. Single. Second.

Samantha Stooke – Paralegal

Having worked at other companies over the years, I can honestly say that being at work isn’t always a happy experience.  However, working at Wilson Browne for the last year and a half has been an absolute pleasure.  With a wide variety of clients and great staff to work alongside, work is never dull and always rewarding.

Despite not having a legal background, everyone has been so incredibly supportive of my career move and choice to join the company. You are never made to feel ‘just a number’. With so many possible career options available, they are never afraid to help you progress over time, supporting you with training or anything else that you need in order for you to follow your career choice  I look forward to my future within the company!

Chloe Lake – Trainee Solicitor

I feel incredibly fortunate to have begun my legal career at Wilson Browne. I spend each day in an environment where I feel genuinely encouraged by colleagues both in my direct team, and wider firm.

Wilson Browne places real emphasis on its marketing initiatives, and outside of my day-to-day role, this is an aspect of life at Wilson Browne that I thoroughly enjoy getting involved with – particularly on social media.

In a sector where firms can often be perceived as inaccessible, there is a real culture of accessibility, from the partners to support staff – it is easy to see why Wilson Browne is a great firm to work for.

Melanie Merrey – Senior New Enquiries Assistant

I love the variety in this Role and the fact the it has evolved so much in the last 18 months. The job is hardly recognisable from the Spreadsheets and lists we used to work with.

Every day is different as there are different areas of Law to deal with, and the time goes by very quickly.

The Ethos of the firm is just brilliant and I felt right at home within a couple of weeks of starting. Everyone here is approachable and willing to help, from the support staff through to the Partners.

I feel like we make a difference as a team and as a firm.

Sharon Moore – Secretary

I have worked at Wilson Browne for 23 years as a member of the support team.

My friends often ask me what it is like to work at a law firm and often think it is a typical stuffy place. Wilson Browne is not like that. It is a wonderful place to work and every one is so friendly and approachable.

There is scope to move up the ranks and Wilson Browne is very supportive of career progression. I couldn’t imagine myself working anywhere else.

David Farmer – Partner

The best thing about working at Wilson Browne is that there is a supportive team environment and the opportunity to meet clients at an early stage.

You get a real exposure to the local business community.  You have the opportunity to take part in business development and become an integral part of your client’s business.

I have also taken up the position as a School Governor which has helped develop my skills and given me the opportunity to put something back into my local community.

Tom Warrender – Partner

I joined the firm in October 2005 to commence my training contract and over the years have progressed through to now being an Equity Partner sitting on the firm’s Board of Management.  It is fair to say it has been quite the journey!

From the very first interview I had with the firm I got a really good feel for the place.  Throughout my training contract that feeling proved to be correct with a very open family feel to the firm, where Partner’s doors are always open and it is acknowledged that everybody has a significant role to play within the firm no matter what their position.

The firm has always been one with vision and I have been proud to be a part of that helping shape the firm’s future.  It is a working environment where excellent training is provided, talent is recognised and there is a real opportunity to tackle challenging legal work for excellent clients.

My time at the firm has been, and continues to be (!) an extremely positive experience.