Introduction
My name is Emma and I'm an Associate Solicitor at Fieldfisher LLP in Birmingham. I am part of the Dispute Resolution team, which deals with litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution services to resolve contentious issues for clients. I studied Law with German Law at the University of Birmingham and graduated in 2016, having spent my year abroad at the University of Bayreuth in Germany. I did my LPC at the University of Law in Manchester then completed my training contract with the Wilkes Partnership LLP between 2017 and 2019. I joined Fieldfisher as a newly qualified solicitor in September 2019 and became an Associate in July 2021.
Mentoring experience
This has been my first year mentoring and it’s been a brilliant experience. I mentored a first year law student and we had calls every month. We discussed what working as a solicitor was like, how to approach studying at university level and what experiences and opportunities she should be getting involved with to boost her CV and her chances of getting a training contract. We also discussed non-legal career options. We will be staying in contact after this year and I am looking forward to seeing how she progresses with her studies and career.
Top tips for getting into your industry
Getting a training contract is really tough, so students should start thinking about what experience they can get as early as possible. It isn’t just about getting legal work experience, any work experience or jobs where you have obtained transferrable skills that you would use as a lawyer is relevant, such as time management skills and organisation, working under pressure and customer service
How can you support students and graduates through the mentoring scheme?
I can support students and graduates through the Careers Networking Mentoring Scheme by offering an insight into a career as a solicitor and advising on obtaining work experience, vacation schemes and training contracts. I would have found it really useful to speak to someone who had been through the training contract application process and understanding what trainee and solicitor life is really like, so I'm glad that I can now offer that to other people.