Jonathan Smith Relates His Experience As A Barlow Robbins LLP Trainee
Having decided that I did not want to work in a City firm for my training contract, I focussed my attention on looking for smaller, regional firms to apply to. I was after a firm that would offer the opportunity of a high calibre of work and a ‘hands on’ approach to their training contract, but without the trappings associated with working for a large City firm. Barlow Robbins LLP seemed to fit these criteria perfectly – small enough to deliver focussed training, but large enough to offer substantial and challenging work.
Despite the inevitable nerves, I actually found the interview to be an enjoyable experience (which is more than can be said for some other interviews that I attended!) The opportunity to give a presentation on a subject matter of your choice made me feel that I could really be myself and that the firm was interested in me as a person. The remainder of the interview felt more like an informal chat than anything else, and was a fantastic opportunity to find out a bit more about the firm from those who worked here. Overall, I came away with the impression that Barlow Robbins LLP was a friendly, approachable firm, yet one that was serious about delivering and maintaining a high quality of work. The fact that the firm had aspirations to develop and grow further in the future was also important to me. Needless to say, I had no reservations in accepting their offer of a training contract for September 2008.
Having worked at Barlow Robbins LLP for just over 9 months now, I can safely say that all my initial observations about the firm are true. I have had the opportunity to work in two different offices, in two different areas of law and have really enjoyed myself in both. The level of responsibility that you are given as a trainee may seem daunting to start with, but the fact that you share an office with your supervising partner means that any questions you might have are always answered and explained promptly and thoroughly, which is fantastic for building your confidence and skills as a good lawyer. No question is too small or trivial, and there is always a friendly face willing to help!
Another aspect that particularly attracted me to Barlow Robbins LLP was the mentor scheme. Trainees are assigned a personal mentor for the duration of their two year training contract. The mentor has nothing to do with the every day supervision of your work. Their role is to act as a confidential point of contact should you have any concerns or problems during your training contract, as well as offering advice and guidance in terms of your career progression, or, just lending a sympathetic ear should you have had a bad day! Knowing that there is this further point of support available should you need it is really comforting in what can be, at times, quite a daunting and stressful period of your career.
Finally, there is a great social aspect to working at the firm. There are various sports teams and events that are organised including the summer and Christmas parties, and trainees are encouraged to participate fully in as many activities as possible. Inevitably, you can always find someone to have a drink with after work on a Friday too! The people that work here are a very sociable bunch, which makes working at the firm all the more enjoyable!
Trainees at Barlow Robbins LLP are encouraged to participate actively in all aspects of life at the firm, be it work or play, and they are treated as a valued member of the team from day one. Now, 9 months in to my training contract, I am sure that I made the right choice in choosing to work for Barlow Robbins LLP, and I am really looking forward to the next 15 months of my training contract. If you are looking for a friendly, fun, hard working and interesting place to work, then I highly recommend applying to Barlow Robbins LLP.
