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Life as a trainee lawyer

Experience as a trainee lawyer

Katharine Martin is a trainee lawyer in the Housing Law Division

Before starting my training contract with Communities and Local Government I worked for a firm of solicitors. Working for a government department is an entirely different (and in my opinion far preferable!) experience.  I am half-way through the third seat of my training contract, working in the Housing and Land Division.

My first seat was in the Local Government Division. There I gained experience of a broad range of areas, including byelaws, council tax and queries raised by MPs on behalf of their constituents on matters about local government.

My work on parish orders (statutory instruments which operate to change, for example, the area of parishes or their electoral arrangements) gave me good drafting experience and the chance to produce my own pieces of legislation.  I also assisted with the Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill, which provided a fascinating insight into the operation of both Houses of Parliament.

Each trainee needs six months litigation experience to fulfill the LawSociety's requirements, and this is generally taken in the second orthird seat. The Department doesn't conduct its own litigation so thisis undertaken in another department.

I chose the TreasurySolicitor's Department where I worked in the Prison Service Litigationteam. There I was given my own caseload (mostly prisoner and officerpersonal injury claims with some false imprisonment claims) on day one. I also prepared for and attended inquests, which is an unusual butinteresting area of work.

The six months was very 'hands on' andgave me valuable experience of advising my clients in the PrisonService and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on the meritsof claims against them, instructing counsel and general litigationprocedure and tactics.

In my current seat I advise clients onhousing issues as well as on the duties of local authorities to provideadvice and assistance to homeless people This is stimulating andworthwhile work. I have also advised on large-scale redevelopmentprojects, and it is particularly exciting to play a part in theregeneration of our towns and cities.

The Department provides agreat variety of experience of a wide range of legal areas. As well asthe seats I have undertaken, there are also opportunities inConstitutional and European, Employment and Commercial, Planning,Discrimination and Regeneration law.

You are responsible for your own work from the start of yourtraining contract, but support is there whenever you need it. The levelof responsibility given to trainees here is greater than given to mostprivate sector trainees I've talked to.

As well as theprofessional skills course, trainees benefit from an extensiveprogramme of training. All trainees attend induction courses thatfamiliarise you with how the Department works and explain the lawyer'srole within it.

This induction training is complemented byregular in-house seminars, lectures and courses on relevant legaltopics and external courses where necessary. Many courses are attendedby lawyers and trainees from other departments, which gives traineesthe chance to share knowledge and experiences of legal work acrossgovernment.