Interview with Jake Price, Trainee Solicitor at Addleshaw Goddard

Nov 08, 2022

Written By Billy Sexton

Jake grew up in Cornwall and attended secondary school there. Law was not something that pupils from their school went onto do, and certainly wasn't on initially on Jake's radar. After leaving school, Jake worked various hospitality jobs, at home and abroad for five years, until one summer they came to terms with the fact that hospitality wasn't something they wanted to do for a career. Jake was persuaded by a friend to call Aberdeen University admissions department and two weeks later they had their first Law and French lecture! Six years later and they are working as Scots lawyer!

How did you get your training contract?

I didn't feel able to give up summer employment in order to attend any summer placements, so limited myself to direct traineeship applications. Thankfully, I was offered a traineeship with Addleshaw Goddard in the summer before my final year of the LLB after applying directly.

What's a typical day like as a trainee lawyer?

So far I have enjoyed the lack of 'a typical day'. Assisting various members of a team means that you get a wide range of tasks. I will generally start the day by considering which of my ongoing tasks are on today's to-do list and discussing as necessary with the supervising fee earner. If by the afternoon my to-do list is looking slimmer, then I'll reach out for anything else I can help with. Then just as you have gained a routine in the seat, the six months are up and you're onto the next thing - moving seats every six months can be stressful and tiring but it certainly avoids monotony!

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The variety so far has been my favourite thing. It's great to be involved in such wide-ranging transactions or cases. You can end up working on an issue that you never would have considered, or even realise existed. This means constantly learning about new aspects of law or new industries.

What are the challenges?

As mentioned above, it can be difficult to feel like you are starting a new job every six months, just as you’ve got to grips with the last one. However, this is important to allow you to gain an insight into the various aspects of law and settle on one which suits you. Often learning what you don't like can be just as useful as finding something you do like.

How has your role developed and what are your career ambitions?

The first seat can be difficult, as almost as much time is spent learning the firm's systems, as it is learning about the seat. Since progressing on from this stage the role develops to allow you to take on more experience and an active role in managing matters. I've really fallen in love with the contentious work and would hope to build a career in this area.

How do I get a training contract?

The application process is daunting, especially as you start to hear stories of someone who did 100 applications and still didn't get a traineeship. I would say to ignore these stories and concentrate on a quality-over-quantity approach. Personally, I chose five firms that interested me and wrote very tailored applications to each, taking at least a day or so to research each firm, and then another day to write the application. It paid off in my experience and I got through to an assessment centre for all five applications.

Interviews