Learning At Work Week – Meet Trainee Solicitor Leonnie Watson…
To mark ‘Learning at Work Week’, we have asked our Trainee Solicitors what learning at Timms is like. Today we hear from Leonnie Watson…
A Little Bit About Me…
Hi! My name is Leonnie (most of my colleagues call me Leo). I am coming up to four years at Timms having joined the team in July 2018. My role initially was working as an Office Administrator. I then became a Family Law Paralegal in April 2019 before starting my Training Contract in June 2021.
I obtained my Law Degree at the University of Derby, graduating in 2018. I then completed my Master’s and the Legal Practice Course at Nottingham Trent Law School in 2020 after studying for this on a part time basis whilst working full time at Timms.
My Training Contract Now & What’s Next
At the moment I am in the penultimate seat of my training contract working with the Conveyancing team. My first seat was in Wills & Probate and my final seat will be with the Private Family team which I will move to this June. I am due to qualify as a solicitor in December 2022.
The Most Challenging Aspect So Far
Admittedly, I would say the most challenging aspect of the training is the initial ‘getting going’ in a seat. I think this is because I was so worried about saying and doing everything perfectly the first-time round but, as they say, to grow we must also fail, and this is something I have come to terms with. After all, the whole point of a training contract is that you learn, even from your mistakes (which are inevitable as a trainee!).
What I Have Enjoyed The Most
I loved my time in Wills and Probate, and I have also come to enjoy conveyancing! I didn’t really like Land Law at University but the law in practice is definitely different to studying it. The best advice I could give to any other trainee solicitors would be to go into each seat with an open mind. Above all, a training contract is about getting experience and exposure to real cases and transactions, so it is important to approach all of this with the right attitude and a willingness to learn.
My Time At Timms So Far
I feel as though I have flourished professionally and personally as a trainee. I have learnt so much about the law in practice and also a lot about myself and my own capabilities. This has, in turn, helped me become more confident both at work and outside of work.
Colleagues that I have built relationships with, and had an opportunity to get to know better, over the past 12 months have always been so supportive which has been fantastic and definitely a key part to my learning. I am so grateful for the support and encouragement I have received from Timms throughout my time with the firm so far and I look forward to seeing what the future holds in my career as a solicitor.
May 2022