Having graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an undergraduate degree in Politics & Sociology, Anna completed the accelerated LLB in 2017, and the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in 2020, both at the University of Glasgow. Before commencing her traineeship, Anna worked as Business Development Manager for St Mocha Coffee Shop, where she aided in the opening of multiple sites across Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, most recently the development of the old Carbeth Inn, now St Mocha’s first drive thru coffee shop.
As I begin my second year as an MSHB trainee I can honestly say that the firm have been extremely supportive throughout. Although it is a commercial firm, our medium-size makes it feel very personal and I’ve never been made to feel I can’t ask for help from my supervisors. I have been exposed to two practice areas so far: licensing and employment, and I will move seat again in April 2022. The opportunity to gain experience in different areas of law was important to me when applying for traineeships and MSHB’s broad practice areas really interested me. I have enjoyed being involved in licensing law, especially during “lockdown 3.0”, trying to assist the trade and our clients after they were forced to close their doors yet again. It was certainly an experience I wasn’t expecting when I received my traineeship offer in February 2020!
The stress of applying for training contracts is well engrained in my memory (and probably the memory of every lawyer!). Other than the obvious (proof read your CV and cover letter) my number one tip for those on the hunt for a traineeship is to know why you want to be a lawyer at a particular firm. It’s a question that any prospective employer will ask and it’s really important that you do your research on that firm and tailor your response accordingly. Don’t just provide a generic statement that has been cut and pasted from the web, interviewers will see straight through those answers. One of my worries was not having enough legal work experience, but don’t undersell part time jobs as the experience gained from these can also make for excellent answers to competency based questions. Being commercially aware is also key, something you will have heard repeatedly throughout the Diploma. I have now seen first-hand how important it is to stay up to date with current affairs and to know the impact contemporary changes can have on your clients. It really is true that a solicitor is a business advisor as well as a legal professional.
