My first 6 months at Bolt Burdon Kemp (BBK)
Since joining the firm in August 2022 as Bolt Burdon Kemp’s first Graduate Solicitor Apprentice, I have had a wonderful array of experiences afforded to me. From my first day at the firm, I have been challenged and stimulated in equal measure. I have grown a lot in my first six months as an apprentice and look forward to carrying that momentum forward to qualification.
The First Week
On my first day at Bolt Burdon Kemp, I arrived at the office nervous but excited. Thankfully, I was eased into my new role by friendly and supportive colleagues who were eager to ensure my transition was as comfortable as possible. After onboarding, I was given a tour of the office and introduced to different members of staff, including a ‘buddy’ who was available help me settle into my new position; answering any questions I had and helping me adapt to the firm’s systems. Following an eventful morning, I was kindly taken out to lunch where I was given the opportunity to find out more about life at the firm.
On my return, I was introduced to the team I would be working with in the first year of the apprenticeship, taking my first seat in our Child Brain Injury team. The team was welcoming and I got to learn about the work they do and how I would be supporting them in my role. While my first week was primarily just training, I was eager to work with the team as soon as I had completed the training.
Work Life
During my initial weeks in Child Brain Injury, I was gradually introduced to their complex caseloads, through a mixture of administrative and research-based tasks. I gained insight into the day-to-day running of these cases and the complex level of involvement the solicitors and paralegals have in managing them. This period allowed me to appreciate some of the difficulties faced by our clients and the work we as a firm carry out to assist them through their claims.
It was not long however, before I was afforded responsibility and asked to accompany two partners to visit one of our clients in person. The work we undertake to help our clients is at the heart of what we do at Bolt Burdon Kemp, so having the chance to see this in action was a rewarding early experience. With this opportunity I was able to understand, in their own words, the difficulties they face and the work we will carry out to help.
From here, my responsibility grew. My experiences now at Bolt Burdon Kemp are numerous and as I look back on myself before I joined the firm, I cannot believe how much I have achieved in such a short space of time. My day-to-day experience at Bolt Burdon Kemp never feels stagnant. I work daily with solicitors to progress our cases forward, ensuring we are always moving in a positive direction for our clients.
Some of the highlights of the work I have been able to engage in so far include my attendance at a High Court hearing in the Judge’s chambers, as well as the work I have carried out interviewing clients and drafting witness statements.
The firm also hosts numerous training events as well as clubs and socials. The Public speaking workshop for example, has allowed me to train my presentation skills and become more confident in my ability to speak to a crowd. Clubs and social events also allow us to let our hair down and have fun at the end of a day and I particularly enjoy practicing my poor card skills at poker club.
Study
One of the differences between the Solicitor Graduate Apprenticeship route and a traditional Training Contract, is the structure. One day a week I am afforded a study day, to work towards completing the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE). This course is taught online with the University of Law, giving me a large degree of freedom in how I use my time when studying. I also meet regularly with a skills coach from the University, to help me set and achieve goals, ensuring I get the most out of my apprenticeship.
The firm is very supportive and my team respects these boundaries, never asking me to carry out work on these dedicated study days. As I continue to progress through the content of the SQE, I find that it often feeds into my work at Bolt Burdon Kemp.
While the studies are intense, I feel the structure affords those of us who wish to work while we study a new route into becoming a solicitor. The apprenticeship allows me to continue my development, while gaining real-world experience and I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about an alternate method of solicitor qualification.
