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Trainee profile

Ashleigh Stewart

Day one

The responsibility placed on a trainee is fantastic at Shoosmiths.  From the first day in the office you are trusted with your own files to run and on larger transactions, or cases, you always feel that you’re playing an integral role in whatever the matter may be. Trainees are an important part of the firm and our contribution is always highly valued. 

Open plan

It is the culture at Shoosmiths that really makes it a bit different from any other national law firm.  The open plan offices mean you will find yourself sitting near, if not next to, Heads of Department and Equity Partners.  From a trainee perspective this is great, you will see and hear how Associates and Partners work and pick up skills simply by listening to them and watching them work. 

There is no closed door policy at Shoosmiths, everyone knows each other and acknowledges you, whether it is talking to another trainee in the kitchen as you make your first cup of ‘wake up’ coffee in the morning or laughing with an Equity Partner as they try to figure out how to make the photocopier print double-sided!  I have found colleagues know the name (and a little bit more) of everyone in their department regardless of which office they are based at and it is unusual if you do not know every member of staff in your office.

Data rooms, photocopying and tea with two sugars please………not here!

Some of the work I have been involved in since starting with the firm has included attending a mediation with clients for a £5m dispute, running files from the early negotiation stage through to completion for commercial property acquisitions and re-financing deals, working closely with an Assistant Solicitor on two M&A deals, getting to run the deal, draft and negotiate the disclosure letter and share purchase agreement alongside advising a motor manufacturer on extended warranties and contracts of insurance.  There will be times when some of tasks you are given are not the most exciting but you will still learn a lot from them.  You are given a direct dial to the client and trusted to build on existing client relationships.

Secondments

You may also be given the opportunity to go on a secondment as a trainee at Shoosmiths.  Four of the trainees from my year spent six months on secondment with clients including Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen Group, ARAMARK, and Hewlett Packard.  The firm then actively encourages you to keep in contact with the client when the secondment ends and the aim is that you work closely with that client for the rest of your career. 

Ashleigh Stewart is a second year trainee solicitor
Legal departments worked in to date: Commercial Litigation, Corporate & Commercial, Secondment to Volkswagen Group United Kingdom Limited and Commercial Property
Education: University of Leicester and College of Law York
Degree: LLB (Hons) and Diploma in Law
Outside interests: Sporting interests include aerobics, golf and swimming and last year I completed the 5km Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research. I also enjoy travelling to new countries, reading, being in the outdoors and going on "trainee tour"!

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Get in touch

Sally Stagles

Graduate Recruitment Officer
T: 08700 86 3223
I: +44 (0)1604 54 3223
E: join.us@shoosmiths.co.uk