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If you are interested in applying for the School Leaver Legal Apprenticeship at Michelmores you may be curious about the work you can expect to be involved in. This blog explains more about the type of work you can expect to complete and the skills you will be building on in your second year.
Day-to-day tasks
I am currently in the New Homes Team which sits within the Real Estate practice area. In this role, I support fee earning lawyers and paralegals to progress plot sales for housing developer clients. My daily tasks range from opening files, completing matter risk assessments, issuing contract packs, assisting with post-completion tasks and finance-related tasks such as payments. As well as learning how to complete legal administrative tasks and gaining valuable experience from understanding these processes, I have also had exposure to legal work. This includes drafting different types of Deeds, which has been interesting and allowed me to research the purpose of the documents and take the time to understand their purpose and how they fit into the bigger picture of plot sales. As a legal apprentice, you can expect to get started with understanding matter related work and supporting the lawyers in your team on tasks such as contacting clients and corresponding with third parties to progress work which will develop your professional skills and build your confidence.
Responsibility
When you start as a legal apprentice, it’s likely going to be your first real step into the working and professional world, and for many, including myself, this was a daunting experience. Michelmores understands this and therefore, offers you a wealth of support from the Early Careers team, supervisors and your team members as they invest into your growth and development. To develop as an apprentice, you will take on administrative and legal work, and your level of responsibility will gradually increase as you gain more experience throughout the apprenticeship programme. Responsibility is important and means learning to organise your workload and being proactive by asking questions about any tasks which you are unsure of in a timely manner. You will be supported by your supervisor to find a way that works for you to keep track of the work you’re assigned and how to prioritise the tasks you’re given to meet the deadlines.
Training
Michelmores hold regular training sessions on topics ranging from the firm’s IT systems and how to use new ones which are implemented, to knowledge-based sessions which are relative to different practice areas and all of these provide an opportunity for you to expand your knowledge and be up to date on changes to systems and processes that we use for our tasks daily. As a legal apprentice you will receive extensive training when joining so that you are well equipped to learn and succeed. Training is then provided by your teams as you rotate seats throughout the apprenticeship. Throughout your apprenticeship you will participate in a tailored learning and development programme that will develop your soft skills and technical skills needed to support you throughout the programme.
Building skills
As a Michelmores legal apprentice you will develop your professional skills and gain legal work experience with each seat rotation. Alongside your day-to-day work, you’ll have the opportunity to attend different events and meet people who are interested in the programme and talk about your own tips and insights into the process. Examples of events you can attend include careers fairs, open days and insight sessions. One of my favourite occasions was co-leading a session at a local college as part of the Michelmores’ Momentum programme which aims to widen access to law and professional services. The highlight of running these sessions has been getting the opportunity to speak to the students about their goals, interests in the firm and share my experience of the application process and the apprenticeship programme.
For more information regarding Michelmores’ apprenticeship opportunities please visit our Early Careers page.