But after two seasons I realised that I
wanted to continue my legal career and
so I moved back to the UK.
excellent customer service, organisation
and communication skills, which you
learn with good training and experience.
Back in Brighton, it was again very
difficult to find a training contract and
so I started work as a legal secretary
in a firm in Worthing before moving to
Mayo Wynne Baxter in Brighton. I was
attracted to MWB because of its good
reputation and the range of areas of law
covered. I started as a legal secretary,
progressing to paralegal before finally
starting my training contract. Working
in these roles gave me a several years
experience, a thorough knowledge of
how a law firm works, managing files and
helping clients. This type of experience
is vital as being a good solicitor is not
just about applying the law; it is about
Training at Mayo Wynne Baxter has been
brilliant - real training on real cases. I
have been able to get really involved
with the files, discussing cases, meeting
and talking with clients. It has increased
my confidence to know that my firm is
investing in me. I felt very supported
by the training partner and by our HR
department, who put up with my (no
doubt endless) questions about what
was happening next and what forms to
fill in etc.
years, to focus on my clients and fight
their corner, and to continue to learn in
my specialist areas. With the increase in
supermarket legal advice and call-centre
service, traditional law firms are facing
much more competition. Although these
new companies can compete with us
on price, they lose on customer service,
expertise and experience. There is no
substitute for the years of studying,
training and experience that goes into a
good solicitor in a high quality law firm
like Mayo Wynne Baxter.
By Miranda Jenkins
So now I face the next challenge – to put
to good use all the training, knowledge
and skills that I have developed over the
I started as a legal secretary,
progressing to paralegal before finally
starting my training contract.
33