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Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week

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Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week

This week is #NationalApprenticeshipWeek – an opportunity to shine a light on the amazing work being done by employers and apprentices across the country.

To celebrate our very own apprentices, we spoke to members of the team to find out about their stories – from those that started with us recently in the midst of a pandemic to those that have stayed with us and progressed to full time roles.

Megan Gumbs  – Apprentice

Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors is an award-winning legal firm that has 200 years of history and expertise, but I also saw that there was a brilliant workplace culture here and it’s an environment that I feel will help me to develop professionally. There are so many opportunities for me to grow within the firm and within my team.

Embarking on this apprenticeship has been brilliant in terms of kickstarting my career and helping me to develop skills that will set me up for the future including how to deal with and interact with clients daily, how to work as part of a team despite working remotely right now and how to manage my own time independently when required.

Being in a solicitor’s firm, the workload can be heavy at times but with guidance and continuous learning I’ve been able to manage that and set priorities for myself as part of my day-to-day.

Of course, things at the moment are still a little strange and there have been elements of working in a pandemic that have been challenging. I have missed the face-to-face interaction, but we have a supportive team. This current environment is different than usual in that there are restrictions on client appointments and office working.

I think pursuing an apprenticeship in law is a great idea because it helps you develop a wide range of skills and although it can be quite challenging regarding the workload it will really push you professionally. I think that it just shows anyone who is in the legal industry is a highly motivated and hard-working person.

Harry Cain - Apprentice

The thing that interested me most about an apprenticeship at Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors was the opportunity to join a growing team and learn about the different sides of law. After the tough year we all had in 2020, I started looking for apprenticeships and thinking about the next step in my learning years - I saw Bell Lamb and Joynson as the perfect choice.

My day-to-day as an apprentice sees me learning from other mentors and members of staff. We also shadow and listen to colleagues on the phone so I better understand how to deal with clients in a professional manner. I have learnt many things from my time so far, including how to communicate with clients through to to helping within our wills and probate and conveyancing departments. The best aspect for me has been learning about how our conveyancing department is run and gaining an understanding of the process including completion and how to ensure a a property sale or re-mortgage goes through.

Starting an apprenticeship during a pandemic was really good for me as I left school and was unsure of the path to take. I came across Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors and I saw an opportunity to progress into law and earn a salary while learning. What better way to learn than with a firm who have 200 years of experience? In my job role I am required to attend the office but the staff working from home are still available to help me when needs be. I have been supported well during the current world situation and the firm offer 1-to-1 check ins to make sure we are okay and to see how we can be assisted.

To anyone considering a role in law I would say go for it! The opportunities you get are brilliant and you learn from those who have years of experience. You will be apart of a family and not just a team.

Morgan Connor – Client Relationship Executive and Past Apprentice

When I first started considering my career options in 2018, an apprenticeship is something that appealed to me personally as an alternative option to university. I wanted to learn and gain a qualification as well as earning a wage at the same time, so it seemed the logical choice for me, especially as an opportunity came up at Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors.

During my initial time as an apprentice here I received training in new business for our conveyancing department. This involved administrative tasks such as how to provide quotes for new case instructions. I was able to learn on the job through dedicated training alongside shadowing my teammates.

My advice to anyone considering an apprenticeship in law would be to just go for it! Just make sure that you complete all of your work on time and don’t leave anything to the last minute – organisation and preparation is key to getting the most out of your apprenticeship.

I decided to stay with the firm because I really enjoyed my time as an apprentice here and wanted to progress further into the field of law, which is what my current role has offered. I enjoy helping clients make one of the most important decisions in their lives - moving house!

Abbie Sanders - Client Relationship Executive and Past Apprentice

I was interested in an apprenticeship role at Bell Lamb and Joynson Solicitors as it gave me the opportunity to learn new skills while working after I left school. I first started in July 2018 and have since progressed to a role as a Client Relationship Executive.

The apprenticeship itself set me up for my current role as it improved my timekeeping and communication skills. I was supported to progress professionally by shadowing other colleagues in the team and with training that was provided by the firm.

Opting for an apprenticeship is a really good way forward if you are looking to earn while you learn in a potential career you wish to progress in.

I decided to stay with Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors as it has given me opportunities beyond my apprenticeship in law. What I love about my job is the fact we all work as a team and we help clients through what is probably one of the biggest purchases in their life!