First reflections: our trainees

Matthew Itson, Breesha Loughran and Sally Roche began their Training Contracts with Minster Law earlier this year. We sat down with the aspiring solicitors to see how they’ve settled in…

Q. How were you feeling about joining the training contracts programme?

SV: “I was really excited to start the Training Contract programme. We were offered the positions just under a year ago so we have had a lot of time to prepare for it and I felt really ready to start.”

MI: “I was anxious to be honest. I have worked at Minster Law for over three years in the Multi-Track team and I knew that embarking on the Training Contracts programme would take me out of my comfort zone and into new areas of the business. In a way, it feels like starting over again.”

BL: “I was really excited! I’ve worked at Minster Law for three years so I was ready for a new challenge.”

Q. What did you get up to during your first week?

SV: “During our first week we met with colleagues from across all areas of the business. Although I have worked at Minster Law for three years, it was really interesting to gain an insight into how these departments operate and the impact they have on each other.”

MI: “I spent my time meeting colleagues in other parts of the business as well as listening into initial calls in the First Response Unit (FRU). I also found out how costs and outstanding disbursements are agreed with Third Party Insurers in finance and the End of Claims Team, and helped to shift the massive amount of post that comes in and out of the business every day. It was a fantastic experience to see the hard work needed from everyone in every department to ensure that our clients get the best outcome overall.”

BL: “We spent time with the customer experience team, marketing, accounts and facilities.  As we probably won’t get an opportunity to sit with these departments as part of our Training Contract, it was good to get to spend time with them to understand what they do and how they contribute to making the business work as a whole.”

Q. Have you spent time with the last year’s intake of trainees?

SV: “After our first day we all went out for something to eat – it was so nice to hear about their experiences and get some advice and tips. I think it is something we will try and do with next year’s intake too as it was really useful and helped us to bond more as a group.”

MI: “The previous year’s intake have been very good at bringing us into the fold early before we even started by including us in objectives planning meetings and charity fundraising events. They have made clear that they are here to support us and guide us as we progress through our own Training Contracts.”

BL: “Sally, Matthew and I went out for dinner with the second year trainees after the first day to celebrate the start of our Training Contracts.  They are all really supportive and have given us a lot of helpful tips on how to succeed over the next two years.”

Q. What are you most looking forward to?

SV: “I am looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone, learning about different areas of the business and working in different ways. I am also looking forward to getting involved with more of the business.”

MI: “I am most looking forward to seeing the different kind of work expected of me now versus what I was expected to do as a Legal Assistant. I am excited about what else I will achieve during my time here.”

BL: “I’m looking forward to getting involved in one of the business projects as it is a chance to meet people outside of my department and to do something a little bit different.”

Click here to find out more about Sally, Matthew and Breesha’s journeys at Minster Law, and keep up-to-date with the trainees’ progress at @inthelifeofPI on Twitter.

To learn more about our Training Contracts and to see our other career opportunities, please click here.