Jack Townsend: from phone shop sales to Scotland trainee

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Nov 01, 2021

Written By Emma Finamore

Demonstrating how vacation schemes can kickstart a legal career, Jack Townsend is now a trainee solicitor at Addleshaw Goddard. He tells us about the experience.

How did you get your training contract?

Through the Addleshaw Goddard (AG) vacation scheme. As someone who had no legal experience, the scheme was a fantastic opportunity to get a flavour of what life would be like working in a law firm (a bit more realistic than watching Suits).

I was placed in the Litigation department for a week and had a brilliant time meeting people not only in the team, but from across the firm. The experience was invaluable in my decision to pursue a legal career as it confirmed to me that the profession is approachable and the work engaging, I even got the chance to go to the Heritage Court. A few weeks later I was offered a traineeship with AG.

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

Each day is completely varied, no two are the same and you certainly never spend a full day doing the same thing. I usually start my day catching up on emails and planning out my tasks for the day, but try as you might, your schedule is always subject to change.

I am currently in the Real Estate department and I have found that my days typically consist of meetings – both internal and with clients, drafting legal documents or preparing advice notes and speaking to other solicitors – however this completely depends on which matters you are involved with.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Definitely the variety, responsibility and the challenges that are involved in the traineeship. You really are kept on your toes with the variety of work you are exposed to, whether that be the type of law as you move departments or the type of clients you are acting for. I find this keeps me motivated and interested in my work. No two matters are ever exactly the same so you never feel like you are living through Groundhog Day.

I have noticed that my supervising fee earners within AG are not afraid to give me a lot of responsibility and this has made me feel like a valued member of the team with a real purpose to my role. By receiving a high level of responsibility I feel like I've achieved a lot by the end of each week and this gives me a great sense of job satisfaction.

What are the challenges?

Confidence! I have definitely suffered from imposter syndrome at points during my traineeship, however I have found that all of my colleagues are supportive, approachable and encouraging. This has been greatly appreciated, especially as I have almost entirely worked from home.

I found the experience of starting the traineeship remotely pretty daunting, and wondered if I would be able to integrate into my team without ever meeting them in person. But my colleagues have made a real effort to keep up a 'virtual office' by having frequent team meetings and making sure to video call instead of a simple email.

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

As I have progressed through my traineeship I have definitely noticed an increase in the level of independence and responsibility I've been given by supervising colleagues. I have also begun taking on more of a client facing role, often speaking one-to-one.

In the future I hope to continue to be fulfilled by my work and to be excited by the unique circumstances which surround the clients I work for. To be honest I probably couldn't be much more specific than that – I usually take things one step at a time!

How do I get a training contract?

Firstly, have interests outside of the law! I think being passionate about the law is a given when applying for a training contract, but in order to make your application stand out you want to show you are a well-rounded individual.

I know getting legal work experience can be difficult, so if you are unable to secure any, try and get a job, work experience or a volunteering role with transferable skills. For example, I worked in a phone sales shop when I was at university and while that might seem unrelated to a career in law, I talked about speaking with customers, writing up phone contracts and juggling work and university commitments on my application form.

Lastly: apply for the vacation scheme at Addleshaw Goddard. It is a fantastic insight into the firm and allows you to sell your personality alongside your academic and other achievements.

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