“I learnt an incredible amount during my placement…it taught me so much that I’ll be able to use moving forward in my career”
Mark Edmonds is now back in Bournemouth in the final year of his LLB Law degree and has been reflecting on his placement year with London solicitor firm, Lockharts Solicitors.
“My placement has been an amazing experience. It allowed me to use the theory I studied over the last two years at university and apply them in the professional workplace. It also provides an amazing opportunity to get your foot in the door of a very competitive and tough profession.”
Mark really appreciates the value of his placement year and how it has furthered his desire to be part of the legal profession. He said: “I learnt an incredible amount during my placement, from managing clients on a day to day basis, to how firms are run.”
During Mark’s placement year, the company went through a merger. This meant Mark had the opportunity to work in two distinct firms whilst also experiencing a merger. His positivity of what could have been a daunting experience shows the maturity and increased knowledge of the legal profession that Mark acquired during his placement year.
Being part of a supportive team was really important to Mark. He said: “My favourite thing about being on placement was the team I worked with at the firm. They were so welcoming and supportive throughout the process, so I never felt alone. They taught me so much that I’ll be able to use moving forward in my career.”
Finding a placement can be a challenging experience. Mark told BU: “Although the process of finding your placement is quite daunting, I think it’s certainly valuable in terms of life lessons. It is very much like applying for a job, it’s competitive and you need to be at the top of your game.
“The application process is extremely valuable, particularly when it comes to the legal profession. You experience the process of applying for jobs in the legal market, in addition to training contracts which are incredibly competitive.”
Mark has thought about how his placement year will help him once he’s graduated. He said: “My placement will help me tremendously, as I have gained a year’s practical experience working in two completely different-sized law firms.
“Not only has it confirmed to me that this is the career I want, but it has shown me the variety within the profession from small to large firms. It’s also shown me what these firms expect of paralegals and trainees who I think are incredibly valuable, particularly when applying for training contracts.”
