Hannah

I paralegalled full-time for a total of 9 months at Fulcrum, a litigation firm involved in significant and high-profile international corporate criminal investigations and prosecutions. I was initially hired for a three-week contract but converted this into an offer for the permanent role. I had sole responsibility for leading a team of paralegals on a document review task of seven years' worth of evidence, pending a decision from the Serious Fraud Office. The case is extremely complex, and I gained an excellent understanding of seven different transactions in a short space of time. As the firm does not take trainees, I carried out trainee-level work, including legal research, drafting legal notes and reports, attending and noting client meetings, completing court runs, translating evidence from French, and carrying out document review. I worked directly with various solicitors and received especially good feedback for my drafting skills. I also worked on compliance matters, which has involved attending meetings, reviewing and analysing proofs of services and discussing our conclusions with the client.

Having already completed a work placement in the Real Estate and Construction teams, I attended a summer vacation scheme at Gowling WLG LLP, which was reorganised into a virtual experience, followed by an assessment centre which examined writing, communication and teamwork skills. I was then interviewed by a Partner and HR representative and have accepted a training contract with the firm to commence August 2022.

I undertook a paid work experience placement as a paralegal at a small but established law firm, where the primary focus was intellectual property. The founder had relocated from London but retained a heavy case load and several high-profile clients. I quickly grasped the complexities of recording and production contracts, and drafted advice to clients and took dictation for contracts; both tasks tested and proved my aptitude with contract law. I used my knowledge of company and trusts law to frame research for a client on a question about her power as a minority shareholder in a charity, for which I had excellent feedback. This was also the second time I have had individual responsibility for accounting and billing. Through this, I have developed a strong working knowledge of law firms as businesses and how this differs depending on size, practice and location – though this was a small firm, many methods were continued from the partners’ extended time working in City firms. I spent a few weeks at Searlelaw and was asked to stay on but had to move back to London.

A solicitor in HMRC’s legal department invited me to spend time with tax team, during which I undertook research on an area of judicial review procedure for an international tax evasion case. I also assisted in the daily High Court insolvency proceedings. I answered queries from attending barristers and members of the public and supported the HMRC representative in preparing case files for the acting barrister. This noticeably improved the efficiency of the hearing, which was especially busy given its proximity to the Christmas break. This inspired an interest in commercial disputes, so I asked to attend two days of a more complex tax case, which I found stimulating, having prepared and researched the area. My time at HMRC led to my work at Erskine Chambers and my decision to take the ADR module in my final term at University.

I was selected by my University Pro-Bono Programme for a civil research role, assisting the largest Chambers in the South-West with its caseload. This required that I be on-call for the entire academic year, alongside my degree and internship. One project on which I worked prevented a tenant being made homeless, as after a week of research on housing law, I found a line of discussion in Hansard on the purpose behind the legislation which supported our argument. This was used in Court to successfully defend the tenant’s right to remain in her council house indefinitely.

My role as a full-time sales associate in a luxury kitchenware shop improved both my attention to detail and customer communication skills. I memorised hundreds of product specifications as well as building memorable displays, to get to know the products so I could meet customer requirements quickly and effectively. I actively engaged with 100% of customers who came through the door, giving them a friendly and personalised service. I was often recognised as the highest weekly seller. My problem-solving abilities were tested when I was opening alone one day and the card machines were out of service. I informed the manager and other stores, quickly creating signs directing customers to the nearest cashpoints and called the card operator personally to get the machines running again and minimise losses.

Attendance at various law fairs and events at University highlighted that modern lawyers needed more than just academic strengths to succeed, so I actively pursued a way to improve my business skills whilst at University. I was chosen for a project management internship with a local firm, which I completed alongside my studies. I am proficient in the fundamentals of project management, including advanced Gantt charts, and oversaw the progress of two projects in the final months; notably one for Babcock International. Additionally, I delivered a school presentation and ‘question time’, independently managed the firm’s accounts, and was instrumental in its transition to an online management system. I also attended client meetings and provided notes for filing.