I joined Butcher & Barlow LLP in January 2021, working as a Paralegal within the Commercial Property and Dispute Resolution departments at the Firm’s Leigh office, under the supervision of Partner Adam Shawcross. However, I also assisted Mark Fletcher, Consultant, and Claire Jackson, Partner, with various matters. My workload was varied and no two days were the same. This was quite a welcome relief as prior to working at Butcher & Barlow I had spent five years in a specialist personal injury firm. Having a varied caseload opened my eyes to several areas of law that I hadn’t previously considered to be of interest to me.
Very quickly I was trusted to work independently on a wide range of tasks although the Partners were always available to offer support when and where required. On a day to day basis I was typically meeting with clients, taking instructions (both face-to-face and via telephone), reviewing and drafting Leases, drafting divorce petitions, drafting Wills and also preparing matters for Trial. I was also given the opportunity to conduct an Infant Settlement Hearing on a personal injury matter. At the time this felt quite daunting, however it was a great learning opportunity for someone starting their legal career and support was available to me throughout to ensure that I wasn’t too far out of my comfort zone.
I commenced my Training Contract in September 2021 and this saw me move from Leigh to the Firm’s head office in Bury. There is usually a lot of anticipation around seat moves and it can leave you feeling a little apprehensive – despite the fact that you’re still working for the same firm it does feel like starting a completely new job. I reached out to some of the other Trainees and Paralegals at this time to find out a bit more about the office that I was moving to and what the day to day tasks would be in my new department. Up until this move I hadn’t fully appreciated how helpful it is to hear about the different experiences from the other Trainees.
During my time in Bury I worked in the Residential Conveyancing department with Joanne Barton, Associate. Admittedly this was not my first choice of seat but I realise now how important it is to have an understanding of the residential conveyancing process. As my training contract has progressed I have gained a greater appreciation of how the other areas of law have varying levels of interaction with property transactions. I was exposed to all aspects of residential conveyancing including taking instructions, interacting with estate agents and lenders, reviewing searches, preparing and reviewing contract packs, raising and reviewing enquiries, and drafting reports on title. I was also exposed to probate sales, with internal instructions coming from the probate department.
After my seat in Residential Conveyancing I moved to the Gadbrook Park office to work with Alex Sandland and his team in Commercial Dispute Resolution. This built on the experience I had gained in Dispute Resolution whilst working in Leigh. I was excited to get back into a contentious area of law.
In all of the departments that I have worked in so far, responsibility and variation have been two key themes. A large amount of trust has been placed in me from the beginning and I feel that I am able to develop my skills independently whilst seeking support from experienced fee earners as and when required. Working for different Partners and Solicitors has exposed me to new ways of working – everyone has their own personal flair and understanding how to manage and interact with a broad spectrum of clients is something that you learn very quickly.
No two days are the same and I feel well supported in my role that I am able to work independently within my capabilities, whilst pushing myself to learn new things. I have also been given plenty of opportunity to request exposure to particular areas of law that interest me, so as to ensure that each seat has been fulfilling both from a training perspective but also from my own personal perspective.
As my training contract progresses I am enjoying the exposure to new offices, departments and people, and I am looking forward to continuing my learning with such supportive Partners.