A week in the life of a solicitor apprentice at Browne Jacobson

I joined Browne Jacobson as a solicitor degree apprentice in August 2023, and I currently work within the property litigation team in real estate. I've loved my apprenticeship so far, so I'm really happy to have this opportunity to discuss what my week typically looks like in the role for anyone interested in finding out more about the apprenticeship programme. 

Monday

On Monday, our property litigation team holds a meeting where we discuss various matters related to our clients, our workload, and have an overall catch-up. During this meeting, I check for any close deadlines using my key dates diary. These dates are crucial, and if I don't see them in my Outlook calendar for the week, I make sure to diarise them to stay organised and on top of them.

Recently, a colleague in my team asked for my assistance in drafting an urgent notice that needed to be completed and sent out the following day. This task took up most of my morning, but I made sure that everything was completed swiftly and on time. Once I finished drafting the notice, I sent it back to my colleague to check it and make sure that all the information I included was correct.

Tuesday 

On Tuesdays, I go to our Nottingham office to meet with my supervisor. During our face-to-face discussions, I update my supervisor on my legal work and how I am managing my workload with my university studies.

After the meeting, I received feedback on the urgent notice I had completed. This helped me make relevant changes to the notice before posting it. I appreciate any feedback I receive from my team as it gives me insight into what I did well and where I can improve for future tasks.

I also participated in a 'calling out bias and microaggressions' session via Teams. The session was informative and insightful, we had a chance to share our experiences and learn about resources available to those affected by microaggressions.

Wednesday 

Wednesday is my university study day. I usually stay home for study days and work through my course online. My cohort have just started learning tort law, which is the second module of our course. 

I started my day by going to the gym before beginning work. Our unit for this week is on the tort of negligence, specifically on the duty of care. I began by watching a two-hour lecture that explained what the unit will cover and provided me with key information and definitions to be aware of. Then, I moved on to the reading tasks which involved reading chapters from various law books to help me understand the material in more detail.

I also worked through the 'prepare' and 'engage' tasks which allowed me to use the knowledge that I gained from the reading and lecture in a more practical way. 

Thursday 

Thursday is usually quite a busy day with numerous meetings and calls. I like to start by checking important emails to ensure I am well-prepared for the day ahead.

I was given a task to draft urgent court proceedings for our client, therefore I spent my morning drafting these before sending to my supervisor for review.

Today was Lunar New Year, therefore I took part in activities hosted by the firm that raised awareness of the celebrations within the Asian community and allowed me to learn more about traditions whilst trying various authentic Asian snacks. It's always fascinating to learn about different cultures, and our firm genuinely embraces and celebrates diversity in all its forms.

I also met with the ‘real estate knowledge sharing group’, where apprentices, trainees, and solicitors gathered to share their experiences dealing with challenging or interesting situations within their teams. During the meeting, I spoke about the urgent notice I handled on Monday. 

Later in the day, I conducted some research on the ‘rights of light’, which was a new topic for me. I focused on understanding what the rights entailed as well as how compensation is determined and calculated for those affected. 

Friday 

I didn’t have any urgent work in the morning on Friday, so I took the time to file my emails accordingly. It’s great to take on client work, but it's also important to stay on top of any admin work to help me stay organised throughout the week. 

I took note of important dates for a consent order and scheduled them in my key date’s diary. Later, I attended a monthly update meeting where we discussed case law updates, consultations, legislations, and commercial property problems - and that was the week complete. 

As a solicitor apprentice, every day is different and I love learning new things, whether it's about different cultures or learning new legal information within my team. 

I feel really grateful to be a part of the team at Browne Jacobson. The firm has a very inclusive and supportive environment where everyone gets an opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions. Whether it’s through participating in events or writing an article, every employee is given a chance to be involved and represented. Personally, I have taken part in several firm activities which have helped me build my confidence and improve my team working skills. I'm really looking forward to seeing how I progress within the firm in the next six years.