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I am now in the third seat of my training contract and time really has flown by.
I am currently sitting in the Property Litigation department, and this is my first taste of contentious law. Although two years sounds like a long time, it’s really hard to squeeze in as much varied training as possible, but it is so important for your learning and development as a Trainee Solicitor.
One of the key advantages of a training contract is the opportunity to experience different areas of law before qualification. For me, being a massive property law enthusiast, that has meant building a strong foundation in property law, but from very different angles. Having completed seats in both the Planning and Transactional Real Estate departments, and now in Property Litigation, I’ve had the chance to experience the full lifecycle of property matters, from acquisition and development through to dispute resolution.
Each seat has brought its own challenges, but also its own perspective. In the Planning team, the focus was on resolving technically complex issues to unlock the potential of sites and navigate regulatory hurdles. In the Transactional Real Estate team, the spotlight was on progressing deals efficiently and managing commercial and statutory deadlines. Both felt like building something (quite literally in the case of development work).
Property Litigation, by contrast, has been about resolving what happens when things don’t go to plan. It’s been fast-paced, detail-driven, and often strategic. You’re frequently dealing with time-sensitive issues and working closely with clients to develop a position that protects their interests while keeping commercial outcomes in mind. It has also accentuated the importance of early settlement. Although we are a Property Litigation department, litigation is always the last resort, and it’s been eye-opening to see the work that litigators put in to avoid further dispute.
What I’ve found particularly valuable is how the knowledge and experience from my previous seats feeds directly into litigation work. Understanding how leases are structured gives vital context when advising on the fallout. You see the practical impact of the clauses you once drafted and the long-term consequences of negotiation points that may have seemed minor at the time.
For anyone interested in a specific area of law, I would highly recommend experiencing both the contentious and non-contentious sides. Together, they provide a far more complete picture and a stronger foundation as you move toward qualification. I’ve found that this rounded experience has not only made me a more confident trainee but also helped me understand the kind of lawyer I want to become.