My journey to becoming a qualified solicitor

Potentially the biggest step in your legal career when striving to become a solicitor is the final stretch; completing your training contract.

Nick Cowley, who works on our personal injury team officially entered the roll in July 2020. We spoke to him to find out more about his journey into law and his next steps as a fully qualified solicitor.

 

 

Congratulations on qualifying! How did you celebrate?

I held a BBQ in my garden on the Saturday after I qualified to celebrate my success with my family, who have supported me throughout my training.

 

What are you most looking forward to now you have qualified?

Now that I’m qualified, I am looking forward to continuing to provide quality customer service whilst also expanding my legal knowledge and expertise.

 

What challenges did you face during your training contract?

Gaining a training contract with a firm is extremely competitive, especially at a firm such as Hampson Hughes which is consistently striving for excellence. It was not an easy process as there have previously been a number of trainee solicitors of a high standard. I am extremely proud to have achieved my goal and very excited for what the future has in store for me at Hampson Hughes.

 

Why did you choose Hampson Hughes to complete your training contract?

I worked at Hampson Hughes for around 18 months before being offered a training contract. The team here are extremely experienced, high calibre solicitors, so it felt amazing to be able to learn directly from them and be offered the chance to join their ranks as a fully-qualified solicitor.

Prior to receiving a training contract, and during my training period, I worked with a number of teams across different service areas in the firm. This has helped me to develop and expand my knowledge and definitely reinforced my desire to stay with Hampson Hughes.

 

What’s your greatest achievement (to date!) at Hampson Hughes?

I believe my greatest achievement has been gaining the trust of the firm in allowing me to run my own caseload with a number of strong results. I settled one case in excess of £20,000, which I was particularly proud of. The client was very happy with the outcome and brought in a card and present for me to show her appreciation for the work I had done.

I love supporting clients to get the results they deserve, and the satisfaction of securing them the highest possible outcome is the best reward. But, it was great to get direct positive feedback from my client too!

 

Finally, what piece of advice would you give to aspiring solicitors?

The best advice I can give is to never give up. The journey might not always be smooth-sailing, but anything worth having generally isn’t! Have faith in yourself and your abilities.

 

Want to find out more about our team? Check out our blogs for the latest from our staff whether they’re writing about ongoing cases, or sharing advice to those aspiring to begin a legal career.