Katie Collins describes training to be a solicitor with Furley Page

Why did you choose Furley Page to pursue your training?

Having moved away from home to attend university, I knew that I wanted to return to Kent to start my legal career. Furley Page is a well-known, reputable law firm that offers full service legal support to its clients. This appealed to me as I wanted to experience different practice areas during my training contract and build numerous skills. Being based in the bustling city of Canterbury was another appeal for me; it’s a great city with lots going on.

What seats have you been in and has there been any which challenged your perception of that area of practice?

My first seat was in the Private Client Team where I enjoyed plenty of face-to-face interaction with clients early on. I was surprised at the complexities of trust work, which Furley Page have a dedicated team to assist with and I certainly hadn’t appreciated the intricacy and day-to-day management required.

I then joined the Residential Conveyancing Team for my second seat. I found that the work differed to what I had previously studied on my degree and LPC; it was far more practical and fast paced, which I enjoyed.

My third seat was with the Dispute Resolution Team. I was aware that the work would be fast paced and often time sensitive but was surprised at how quickly I was able to adapt to this style of working. The work was also more varied than I had first appreciated, which meant I was able to work on a wide variety of cases.

If you could take one key learning from each of your seats you have completed so far, what would it be?

To get involved in as much as possible! Working for a variety of fee earners on numerous matters allowed me to see different working styles and broaden my own knowledge and skillset. Offering my assistance and saying yes to every opportunity presented to me allowed me to make the most of my training contract.

Reflecting back on your training so far, to what extent has the reality of training in a legal firm lived up to your expectations?

The training contract has surpassed my expectations; I feel that I have really grown in skill and confidence over the last year and a half. Each team I have had the pleasure of working with has been supportive and given me a good level of responsibility early on, which has allowed me to gain and build on key skills which will be invaluable upon qualification.

Find out more about becoming a trainee solicitor with Furley Page >>