Apprentice Paralegal Review

My role includes assisting fee earners on different matters. This includes tasks such as drafting legal documents, conducting legal research and also taking part in document reviews. I also partake in a variety of different meetings on a near daily basis and I am in contact with colleagues from all of the different firms offices.

I came to Pinsent Masons with no previous legal experience and since joining I have been supported and encouraged to develop a variety of new skills.

I have really enjoyed the different types of work that I have been exposed to and being able to gain real client experience from an early stage. The type of work and responsibility that I have been given has massively exceeded my expectations.

The management within the work place is very well structured with defined teams and a designated manager for each of these teams. However I feel that organisation from the training provider side has room for improvement especially when it comes to communication and making us aware of the type of exams that we need to prepare for.

I have access to support on a daily basis from my line manager and from other members of my team, in order to receive guidance on pieces of work that I am undertaking. I have also been supported by the firm's early talent team who are always on hand to assist with any queries or issues in relation to the apprenticeship or workload.

The vast majority of the programme has been self taught and it can sometimes be difficult to contact the coaches from the training provider. There were a couple of 1 hour sessions in relation to the law pathway modules but you are expected to teach yourself the content before these sessions.

Some of the modules do have a cross over with the types of work that I complete in the work place. Some examples of this include legal research and drafting legal documents. However due to the law pathways not always matching up with the teams within the firm some of the knowledge that I have gained from the qualification is not entirely applicable to my area.

There are plenty of social events that the work place puts on and I am always keen to get involved in this. The firm also has different sports teams, such as a net ball team, and also runs sport based socials, such as a summer sports day. The firm also encourages you to attend networking events which can be held either at the office or at an external venue.

Yes

Pinsent Masons offers a very supportive and engaging work environment. During my time here I have worked with colleagues at all levels from all offices and have found the culture to be very open and friendly. The level of work that you receive will offer a welcome challenge and you will create a brilliant network of colleagues to reach out to if you need assistance.

Research the firm thoroughly in order to fill out your application form and ensure that you have key points about the current affairs of the firm to talk about during any assessment centres you are invited to. If you are applying for an apprenticeship role find comfort in the fact that Pinsent Masons is really not looking for you to have extensive legal knowledge and instead work on promoting yourself and the skills that you have gained from school, work experience and any extra curricular activities.