I joined Brodies' real estate team in Glasgow as a newly qualified solicitor in 2018 after completing my traineeship. It was a great decision and since I joined I've been made to feel really welcome.

There are many great things to share about the NQ experience at Brodies, but if I had to narrow it down, I would choose three in particular:

Firstly, the people.

There are over 600 people at Brodies, so there's plenty of experienced partners and senior colleagues around to offer advice as well as a significant number of more junior professionals, all of whom have been a great support network for me. Working with colleagues who are at an early stage in their careers means they can share their experience in terms of how to approach work, but also in adapting to life as an NQ more generally. Having so many junior colleagues also makes for a great social life; there's plenty of regular invites to young professional events, which I've found to be a great way of establishing and growing a network of contacts who are at a similar stage in their careers.

Secondly, the training.

The training I've been given at Brodies has really helped - not just in my abilities as a lawyer but also in helping me to understand the firm's ambitions, its values and culture, and the other areas of the business that play important roles in day-to-day operations. As an NQ solicitor, it's been great to receive a wide range of training generally but also to participate in sessions that reinforce the legal basics. I also took part in a training programme specifically designed for NQ solicitors which helped me to adapt to life as an NQ and gave me the opportunity to meet and socialise with fellow NQs in different practice areas across the firm.

Thirdly, the scope of work. Brodies' client base is vast, so every day presents new and interesting matters to work on. In addition, the balance of work has been just right. I've been involved in and exposed to high value work and transactions, but without being thrown in at a level that is beyond my ability and experience. This has been a great way of learning from and assisting experienced colleagues who are at the very top of their game, while building confidence and developing as a lawyer.

If you're considering applying to Brodies for one of its NQ roles, I can't recommend it highly enough. If I could share any advice on how to make the most of the experience, it would be:

  1. Attend as many social events as you can to build your network.
  2. Use the support network of junior colleagues who are always available to help.
  3. Participate in a wide variety of training sessions to expand your knowledge and skills set.

To apply for one of our NQ roles, visit Brodies' careers page.