THE LIFE OF A TRAINEE
I am currently a First Year Trainee at Miller Samuel and so far I am loving every minute of it!
First Impressions
I first became aware of Miller Samuel during my final year at Strathclyde University. Like every other law student, the thought of applying for traineeships and even worse attending the all important interview, brought me out in a cold sweat. Yet, as soon as I stepped through the doors at Miller Samuel I felt completely at ease. Everyone within the firm from the partners to the secretaries are very friendly and always willing to offer support and answer any questions you might have. In addition to this, every trainee has a ‘buddy’ for all those silly questions that you really don’t want to ask the partners.
What to Expect
I think everyone has heard horror stories of the trainee that got chained to a photocopier for two years. I have yet to experience this fabled lengthy shift at the photocopier. In fact, one of the things that strikes me about Miller Samuel is the level of responsibility and involvement I have received as a trainee. Instead of feeling like I am being given all the jobs that no one else wants, there is a real focus on learning and you often find that the partners will go out of their way to give you tasks that will help you develop your legal skills.
Due to the diverse nature of Miller Samuel, trainees are offered great variety in their workload. Miller Samuel has five departments: Corporate, Litigation, Employment, Commercial Property and Private Client, which also includes their Residential Property and Family Law units. The idea is that you will spend six months in four departments. Since starting my traineeship, the work I have been involved in has been diverse and challenging. It has been a steep learning curve but one that I have enjoyed.
Litigation Seat
My first seat was in the Litigation Department, where I got the chance from day one to do some ‘real work’ on ‘real files’. The Litigation Department at Miller Samuel deals with a wide range of matters such as personal injury, medical negligence, contract disputes, accidents at work, debt recovery; family law; public liability and property damage.
Typical trainee tasks that I would be involved in would be: taking precognitions; drafting court actions; carrying out personal injury valuations; calculating loss of earnings; researching case law and attending consultations with Counsel, although these tasks are just a few of many. I can honestly say that very few days were ever the same. I feel that I learnt a lot during my time within the Litigation Department. I was able to do a lot of hands on work and was able to attend court on numerous occasions with the other solicitors. In fact, one of the highlights of my time within Litigation was when I got to go to the Court of Session in Edinburgh for a multiplepoinding case in which I had assisted in taking the precognitions. I loved the time that I spent in this seat and am hoping to get the chance to go back to the department towards the end of my second year. By this time, I will have my restricted Practicing Certificate and I hope to gain experience appearing in court.
Corporate Seat
I am currently in my second seat in the Corporate Department. I am new to the department, having only been here for a few weeks but so far I am really enjoying it. I have already been involved in some interesting transactions, including a complex demerger and a business acquisition. I have incorporated two companies and carried out tasks such as: drafting board minutes and resolutions; completing Companies House forms and preparing company books. I am beginning to see how this all fits together into the bigger picture of the service we are offering clients and feel privileged to be in a team where I am provided with an endless stream of learning and development opportunities.
Social Events
As I am writing this, I am getting ready to attend our firm’s Christmas Night Out. This is just one of the many social events that I have been invited to whilst being a trainee at Miller Samuel. Whilst studying for my Diploma in Legal Practice, I was invited along to the firms’ Burn’s Night, which unconventionally involved a curry and karaoke! I must admit I was rather worried that if my future employers heard my singing, then my P45 would be in the post but it was a great night and a good chance to get to know people on an informal basis. Since starting my traineeship I have also been invited to the opera, a day at the races and the prestigious Scottish Law Awards for which Miller Samuel were nominated for three awards.
Is Miller Samuel for You?
At the end of the day, it depends what you are looking for in a training contract - if you want to spend two years chained to the photocopier, there is no point applying to Miller Samuel. On the other hand, if you want a rewarding traineeship that will offer you the chance to get practical hands on legal experience in many different areas of law, with lots of support in a friendly environment, then Miller Samuel may just be the firm for you!
Susan Gibson
1st Year Trainee