Since choosing where you will spend two years as a trainee solicitor is an important one, you should thoroughly research all the areas of law and firms so you will know you have entered a law training contract that’s a perfect fit for you. You may think you know a great deal about the legal profession and the different firms that specialize in this field because you’ve read some brochures and websites and even talked to a few solicitors at open days and law fairs.

However, you may not have considered everything. Before you make a hasty and ill-informed decision that could follow you for many years, slow down and give careful consideration to where you are going to fulfill your training contract. Sure, there is a chance that you could change firms after you’ve started your training contract, but your options could be limited depending on the experience you’ve received over the course of your contract. It’s also important to do some research about where you want to spend your time as a solicitor trainee and why as this will come across to recruiters during the application and interview process.

The main factors to consider while researching your options are as follows:

Work – Before entering a training contract it’s critical that you think about the precise areas of law that you want practical exposure to. Keep in mind that studying a specific area of the law as a law student can be far different than actually practicing it so it may be well worth your while to explore the practical side of the area that interests you. Once you’ve made your decision, start looking for firms that are able to provide experience in these areas. It should be noted that you might not always be able to choose which areas of law you will be working in while completing your training contract. This can be affected by the number of other trainees and the size of the law firm. You should be able to get a good feel for the type of work that’s usually available for a trainee solicitor by studying the firms’ recruitment materials.

Type of Clients – As well as the type of work, you should also think through what sort of clients you might like to get experience in working for. Do you want to do work for large blue chip clients where you are unlikely to get very much direct client contact or would you prefer to work for smaller commercial clients or individuals where you are likely to get more direct contact and be able to more directly help them yourself.?

Colleagues – An important decision to make is also what sort of size firm do you want to work for in terms of headcount. Do you want to be one of a few or one of many? Do you want to be part of a large intake of trainees or want it to just be you and one or two others? Similarly, do you want to have many and varied colleagues, perhaps with various nationalities under one roof and also worldwide, or to be part of a smaller team where you can maybe build stronger relationships?

Geographical Location – One factor that’s always a hot topic among those in the legal profession is the balance between work and personal life. This can often be affected by the location of where you work. For instance, working in London will likely mean a very hectic lifestyle and long commute, while working in the regions might offer more in terms of the quality of life. These factors can be subjective so you will have decide for yourself what affect, if any, living in a particular location for the duration of your training contract would have on your life.

Other Considerations – In addition to the factors mentioned earlier, many law firms offer perks such as overseas placements, gym memberships, and travelcard loans in London just to name a few. These perks should be nothing more than a secondary consideration but they may help you make a decision between two or three very similar firms.

If you are seeking to become a trainee solicitor and secure legal work experience and/or a law training contract follow these links for more information

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