Trainee Talks: Becoming an NQ Solicitor

With the New Year comes qualification season. For my final Trainee Talks blog, I wanted to do something slightly different so I approached TSP’s 2024/25 incoming cohort of trainee solicitors for questions they would like me to answer.

1. Knowing what you now know, through first-hand experience, if you could go back in time and talk to yourself at the very start of your training contract, what would be the biggest bit of advice you would give yourself?

I think at the beginning, before I started my training contract (TC), the idea of two years of training felt like a very long time, and 2025 felt like the distant future. But time moves fast, and six months in a team isn’t actually a very long time. So I would say, take a breath and take your time. Do the reading before you start the task, go to the Business Development (BD) events, pause and take it all in - it’s your training contract, and it is what you make it. I would also continue to say yes to every opportunity because you don’t know where it will lead you.

2. How do you feel about qualifying? Do you feel ready to begin as a solicitor?

I feel well equipped to be a newly qualified (NQ) solicitor. It’s funny because you get so used to a review every three months and seat rotations that beginning the role itself doesn’t feel scary. It is, of course, daunting and nerve-wracking to have the label of Solicitor applied seemingly overnight, but you’re returning to a team that you know and have worked with previously. You meet with your supervisor prior to your return and receive reassurance and support from your training principal, incoming supervisor, and HR which helps to fight off any dread you may be feeling. You also still receive support and supervision as an NQ, and will have more time to learn as a permanent fixture of the team.

3. Do you feel like you have learned enough? Do you feel like a solicitor?

I think it’s naïve to think that you will learn everything about an area of law within six months, but you pick up lots of soft skills and learn something major in each seat. I feel like my confidence has really grown over the last two years, and like I’ve ‘learned to learn’. I don’t feel like a Solicitor just yet, but I have some excellent supervisors to pull me up to their standard over the coming months and years.

4. Is becoming an NQ still really daunting?

I think with any new role, you will feel nervous because you don’t know everything. But trusting the process and yourself is key here. I’ve been told it’s good to be nervous—not only does it mean you’re human, but it also means you care and want to grow.

Also, when you stay at the firm you have trained at, you know the team you are going back into, and you’ve done some of the work before as a trainee, so you don’t have extra anxiety about figuring out new systems or building a rapport with colleagues.

5. How did you choose the department you want to qualify into? Do you feel like you had enough exposure?

I think for many of us, we start our TC’s with a notion of where we want to go, but it’s really important to keep an open mind. The way that the training contract is set up at TSP allows for exposure to different teams within the firm. It actually made choosing quite difficult, as at each rotation, I wanted to stay where I was. The reason I chose the area I did is because I had such a varied and fun time working in the team and enjoyed the work (missing it even after I had rotated). This role will also allow me to continue working alongside the other teams I have already worked in, including probate, property, and corporate/commercial.

6. What was the most challenging part of your training contract, and how did you overcome it?

Before I started, I had an entirely different notion of what I would find difficult than what I actually did. I was worried about making big errors, which is rare. You’re very well protected, and all the work you do is checked thoroughly. It’s more about the technicalities of drafting and the little things, like emails, consistency across documents, and attention to detail—which all develop over time. But the most challenging for me was communicating my workload and stating when I didn’t have capacity. I was supported to communicate my ‘to-do’ list to all of my supervisors, who would then adjust it accordingly. Always saying ‘yes and…’ helped me. Yes, I’ll do this work for you, and I also have to do XYZ; this and asking, ‘What would you like me to prioritise?’ instead of just guessing.

7. If you could go back to the start of your training contract, would you do anything differently?

I think another of the challenges I faced during my TC was the anxiety, imposter syndrome, and stress that comes with the constant variation in routine, environment, and three-monthly reviews (no matter how nice they actually turn out to be). TSP encouraged me to attend soft skills courses to develop my confidence and invited me to a lot of different BD and networking events to put the training into practice. I think the main thing I would do if I were to start again would be to not shy away from change and just be myself. I think authenticity goes a long way - show up as yourself to work every day, and you’ll be a lot happier on a Sunday evening.

8. What advice do you have for the future cohort?

I think the best advice I would give to the future cohort is to lean on each other. No one else is going through the same experience as you except for your peers. Communicate with each other, work together, and know it’s okay to be friends. You’re here to learn with and from each other, rather than compete.

As I take the next step in my legal career, transitioning from a trainee solicitor to a newly qualified one, I can’t help but reflect on the hard work, challenges, and growth I’ve experienced within myself over the past few years.

To those about to embark on this journey: embrace the changes, stay curious, and be patient with yourself. There will be moments of uncertainty, but with each step, you’ll gain confidence and clarity.

I will of course miss being a #TSPtrainee but I’m excited for what lies ahead, knowing that this is only the beginning of the next chapter in a long and hopefully dynamic career. To anyone in the same position, I wish you all the best. Here's to the future and the opportunities that await us.