I joined Rayden Solicitors in January 2020 as a paralegal, having just graduated from my LPC and MSc in Law, Business and Management. A few months later, the country went into a lockdown as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was an uncertain and scary time for everyone. We seamlessly moved to remote working and were supported with regular team catch ups and with the tools to be able to communicate and continue to work together. As a new and very junior member of the team, I valued this immensely and felt supported throughout by the partners.
I was grateful to be invited to apply for a training contract at Rayden Solicitors within a few months of starting at the firm and was given the opportunity to talk to one of the partners about the application process and how the training contract would work. The firm ensured that, even though we were still operating remotely, that I had everything I needed to prepare for the application and the interview. I remember doing the interview for my training contract in my living room and found out that I was successful that same day. I will always remember that I had a phone call from every partner at the firm that afternoon to individually congratulate me. It was such a special moment for me in my career, and I will always remember how lucky I felt to be a part of a team which was led by people who truly championed you as an individual and supported career progression, even in challenging times.
I had a really positive training contract, with the opportunity to work on a wide variety of cases and learn a lot about the different areas of family law through practical experience from industry leaders and experts. I was supported with not only a training contract supervisor but also a mentor who took the time to understand what interested me and what I wanted to get out of the training contract as well as what the firm expected from me. During my training contract, I undertook a secondment at a local firm. I was worried about losing touch with my support network at Rayden Solicitors but my meetings with my mentor and supervisor continued along with additional, regular check-ins. Everyone also ensured that I continued to be invited to Rayden Solicitors team events so even though I was away from the office for a few months, I was not away from the team and the support they provided me. I look back on my training contract very fondly as it cemented that this is the area of law I wanted the rest of my career to be in and have been fortunate to continue practicing not only in family law but at the firm which has supported me throughout my entire career to date.
Since qualifying, I have continued to work at Rayden Solicitors. Due to a personal relocation, I requested a move to another office in the firm. I was supported with a gradual transition to the new team, including a period of time spent working across both locations, which gave me the opportunity to settle in and get to know everyone. I was concerned that it would take a while for new working relationships to develop, however, I felt instantly welcomed everyone and the team ensured I was included in local events to get to know the new community and build a new network of contacts. Everyone made a real effort to get to know me and the transition was a very positive experience. I was most grateful that, despite a change in personal circumstances, I was able to stay at Rayden Solicitors.
I was given the opportunity to apply for a promotion to Associate between my second- and third-year post-qualification. My line manager worked with me to ensure that my goals and work in the period leading up to the application aligned with the role profile which ensured a strong and successful application. I have truly ‘worked my way up’ the career ladder at Rayden Solicitors and at each stage I have been guided and supported towards the next step. I am always encouraged to expand my personal network and my knowledge into the particular areas of family law which interest me to develop my own practice as a lawyer in the way that works best for me. I look forward to continuing to develop as a family lawyer and progressing my career further with Rayden Solicitors.
Rayden Solicitors offers range of opportunities from the very first step in law to those more established in their career. Please take a look at our Early Careers and Work With Us pages for more information.
