Bailey Wright & Co again participated in a summer work placement through the University of Birmingham / CEPLER. (Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research)
Demi Hughes from the University of Birmingham joined us during August and gained valuable experience and provided valuable assistance during her month with Bailey Wright & Co.
Demi has produced a short piece about her placement:-
“After completing the first year of my law degree at the University of Birmingham, I began to search for a work experience placement that would differentiate me from an ever-growing crowd of high achieving students applying for training contracts. I was excited to be given the opportunity to spend four weeks gaining valuable experience at Bailey Wright & Co solicitors, covering child care, education and employment law – and what a month it has been!
From day one I was challenged and the experience that I have gained has been invaluable; I truly believe that it will give me a great advantage going forward in my legal career.
This experience has certainly demonstrated to me that practice is so very different from study and has allowed me to build and apply practical legal skills that solicitors rely upon daily. I have gained a much deeper understanding of the current difficulties of obtaining legal aid funding, the importance of daily administrative tasks and the workings of the family court (specifically the amount of negotiation that occurs before even entering the courtroom), to name but a few examples. I have also been given a unique insight into how a law firm runs, which has developed my understanding of how law firms function as businesses.
Each day I felt more and more like an employee rather than a work experience student: attending my first networking event, and completing important daily tasks, from staffing the switchboard and preparing and delivering court bundles, to attending court with clients and shadowing barristers. I often felt that I was representing Bailey Wright & Co and I was really proud to be doing so.
The four weeks passed so quickly, yet by the end of the placement I felt that I had grown with the challenges that I had faced, becoming more confident and competent in fulfilling my role within the firm.
I would just like to thank the entire team at Bailey Wright & Co as they have all played a key part in my development throughout the work experience process. I would like to wish them all the best and hope that we are able to remain in contact in the future.”
We would all like to thank Demi for her enthusiasm and hard work during her placement and wish her well with her studies and career in law.
Bailey Wright & Co