Trainee Corner: Joe’s experience in energy law
I joined GA’s Energy team in the Bath office as a part-time legal assistant in April 2021, during my second year of law undergraduate studies. I continued in this role throughout my degree and the Legal Practice Course. I am now in the final seat of my training contract, back with the Energy team, following a year in the Plymouth office. This is my second seat within the energy team, as this is the area in which I wish to qualify.
Why I chose GA for my training contract:
Working in law obviously can, by its very nature, be challenging. However, from my experience with GA as a legal assistant, I was aware that they ensure high levels of mentorship from experienced team members throughout the training programme. Timely feedback and support are also key to the scheme. These were the determining features of GA, which ultimately made me choose them for my training contract as I felt that this would be most beneficial for my long-term training and development.
My experience as a trainee so far:
Overall, I would say that my time as a trainee has been insightful and rewarding. It has been fascinating working in different areas of law and putting into practice what I spent my time at university studying. One of my personal highlights was being part of the Dispute Resolution team and assisting the head of the team and partner, Ieuan Jones, in reviewing evidence and researching areas of law to build the best case for our client whilst participating in preparing for trial.
I’m also guided by the training principal, Lucy Foster, who provides exceptional advice and mentorship. We maintain regular progress discussions, and she has consistently been an accessible and supportive resource.
Within my current Energy seat, a particular aspect I enjoy is using the knowledge and skills I have developed to assist the head of team and partner, Helen Rumford, in providing our clients our specialist services to facilitate their green renewable energy projects.
My advice to prospective applicants:
The most important part of a training contract is training somewhere that enables the building of skills and knowledge to enable you to become a competent solicitor. To this end, I highly recommend undertaking a training contract at GA.
It is also helpful to choose a firm which works across multiple disciplines, even if you feel you aren’t necessarily interested in qualifying into them. This allows you to get exposure to various disciplines and learn extra skills, and, like many trainees at GA, you may be surprised and find you like a specialism you did not expect and vice versa.
It is in my view that the support, guidance and contact time afforded to trainees by the partners and senior solicitors at GA, and over a wide range of practice areas, is extraordinary.
Choosing a firm which is ranked in directories such as The Legal 500 and Chambers is also helpful as you know you are then training with a top-rated firm and one which will provide exposure to high-level clients and also exceptional lawyers and solicitors.
Applications for GA’s training contracts are now open with the deadline of 30th April 2025. Apply today: https://gasolicitors.com/recruitment/trainees/
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