Trainee solicitors

I have just started my third seat at Beale & Co, sat with the Contracts and Project Advisory Team. I have recently returned from secondment with the in-house legal team at Mace Group and my first seat was in Health and Safety Contentious Construction.

At Beales, I have been able to expand on and find new interests, working alongside knowledgeable legal experts across the Construction, Insurance, Procurement and Competition sectors. The flexible nature of Beales’ training contract means that I have worked with Partners and Associates across the firm’s practice areas, contributing to a well-rounded and invaluable experience. During my first seat, I attended Court and mediations, assisted with advice on construction fire safety issues, and helped draft expert instructions and pleadings.

The secondment opportunity at Beales has been a real highlight of my training contract. Whilst at Mace, I advised consultants and contractors on domestic and international projects. Working directly with in-house lawyers and project teams gave me greater insight into the construction industry, how clients operate, and their needs / concerns from an in-house perspective.

Beales’ ‘open-door’ policy creates a work-place environment which promotes collaboration and sharing of expertise. I have learnt a lot working with different partners, associates and solicitors, gaining confidence and improving my practice.

I am looking forward to the remainder of my training contract and to expanding on the skills and knowledge that I have learnt from my previous seats. To date, training at Beales has been an interesting, enjoyable and rewarding experience.

I have just started my second seat at Beale & Co, sat with the Construction Team. My training at Beales has been enjoyable so far, and I have gained valuable experience. The firm’s unique structure which allows me to manage my own cases while supporting other fee earners has given me hands-on responsibility in complex, high-value matters, all while progressing my own caseload. This balance not only enables me to learn from others but also gives me the freedom to develop my own style, which is actively encouraged here.

So far, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a diverse range of matters. Noteworthy experiences include court work including multiparty litigation, pre-action work defending architects and engineers, detailed contract reviews, adjudication and negotiations.

Although I am officially sat with the Construction Team, Beales’ flexible approach has allowed me to explore other areas of law, broadening my exposure and learning opportunities. One of the standout aspects of my training at Beales is the incredibly supportive culture. While each trainee has a supervising partner and a designated mentor, all partners, associates, and solicitors are approachable, fostering a collaborative atmosphere conducive to growth.

There are also numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth. In addition to internal training sessions, I regularly write financial specialty risks updates which enhance my commercial awareness. As a trainee, I also participate in business development opportunities and networking events, which encourage me to build my professional network early on in my career.

I look forward to what the remainder of my training contract will offer, as my time at Beales has been both rewarding and enriching

I spent my second seat on secondment at a multinational engineering company where I assisted the Nuclear & Power team with non-contentious project advisory work. I had the opportunity to work on a variety of interesting projects, including Nuclear & Power projects both in the UK and overseas, as well as several large infrastructure projects in the water sector. This experience gave me an insight into how our clients operate and an understanding of their needs from an in-house perspective. The opportunity to work on projects across different sectors of the business has given me a broader knowledge of the industry in which our clients work, and an understanding of how legal advice should be provided in a way that helps the client achieve its business goals. Further, completing a secondment as a trainee has been a great chance to network with a large client at an early stage of my career. The opportunity as a trainee to complete a secondment is invaluable and is one of the reasons I would highly recommend applying for a training contract at Beale & Co. I will take this experience into my third seat where I will be spending 6 months on secondment at another leading global design & consultancy organisation.

I am approaching completion of my third seat during which I have been on secondment with AtkinsRéalis’ Nuclear and Power team.

Whilst on secondment, I have advised upon numerous international and domestic projects across Nuclear and Power, Water, Aviation, and Corporate Services. The exposure to such a variety of projects and internal stakeholders has propelled my understanding of Atkinsréalis’ business and how it operates from a macroeconomic level. One of many secondment highlights has been assisting with the formation of a corporate entity and the subsequent tender bid for a major infrastructure project worth c.£2 billion. Overall, the secondment has been invaluable in understanding how commercial law operates on the client-side whilst also helping to expand my professional network.

Due to the agile nature of Beales, I have had the pleasure of working across the firm’s various practice areas: Contentious Construction, Corporate and Commercial, and Financial and Specialty Risks. The matters I have assisted with include: acting for construction clients in multi-party TCC proceedings, pursuing insurers for double insurance contributions in a multi-jurisdictional context, managing a UAE-based acquisition, advising upon export control laws and overseeing transactional real estate matters.

As a trainee at Beales, I have been made to feel as a valued member of the team with tangible levels of responsibility on complex and high value matters whilst also being given the opportunity to progress my own caseload.

Aside from the trailblazing work itself, professional and personal development has been of high importance with regular internal and external training opportunities for trainees to increase their legal knowledge and to be brought up to speed with the latest industry developments. With Beales being recognised as leaders in advising within the construction and insurance industries, the training offered enables trainees to uphold the firm’s reputation in their work output.

The Firm’s culture has also been a standout feature of my training contract experience; the culture here at Beales is akin to a family dynamic. The “open-door policy” extends to all employees at the firm and facilitates a collaborative atmosphere in which to grow within. As a trainee, I have found it reassuring to be able to query case progression with senior members of the team; aiding efficiency, confidence and working relationships.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my training experience at Beale & Co thus far and look forward to developing my experience and skills further as I approach qualification.

I am approaching completion of my third seat during which I have been with the Health and Safety Contentious Construction team.

The firm’s established Health and Safety practice continues to grow following an increase in the HSE’s roles and responsibilities within the built environment sector. The team’s service offering on all aspects of investigation and enforcement action and prosecution has enabled me to experience a diverse workload over the last 5 months. During this seat I have attended coroners’ inquests, supported clients with HSE investigations and assisted with advice on a range of health and safety issues pertaining to construction. There is always the opportunity to be involved with extra-curricular business development activities within the team, which provide greater exposure to the issues that the industry faces. I have enjoyed the opportunity to expand my knowledge base in this multi-faceted practice area during a pivotal time within the construction industry.

An invaluable opportunity available during a training contract at Beales is to complete a seat on an in-house secondment with a variety of clients in the construction and insurance industries. I completed my second seat with the Nuclear & Power team at Atkins Limited during which I completed a non-contentious project advisory seat. During this six-month period, I experienced working on the client-side, which highlighted the contrasting legal style and commercial considerations compared with private practice. The chance to be collaborate with the different business teams to reach viable commercial solutions on a variety of interesting projects is less accessible in private practice and this involvement with the business truly improved the quality of my advice. I would highly recommend capitalising on a secondment opportunity as you will learn vital, transferable skills that will enhance your professional development, whilst expanding your own network within the legal industry.

As a trainee at Beales, I have benefited from the opportunity to tailor my training contract to pursue my interests. Having completed and enjoyed my first seat in Contentious Construction, I was able to request another Contentious Construction seat for my third seat. The flexibility of the training contract structure at Beales is unique, as it facilitates the development of specialist knowledge throughout the two-year training period. Equally, the range of practice areas at the firm encourages trainees to explore various sectors and delivers a diverse training contract. The ability for trainees to take ownership of their training with a firm that accommodates these choices heightens the value of pursuing a legal career with Beales.

Since the start of my training contract, trainees have been encouraged to take an active a role in the firm’s business development. I regularly draft articles for the website and client notes, which are equally beneficial tasks for maintaining commercial and industry awareness. Outside of the office, there are frequent opportunities to get involved with the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. So far, I have volunteered my time at numerous fundraiser events for construction industry charity CRASH, in addition to having delivered a presentation skills session to primary school classes with my colleagues.

I greatly value the variety of work and opportunities that have arisen during my training contract so far and look forward to developing my experience and skills further as I approach qualification.

I began my legal journey studying undergraduate Law at Newcastle University. Thereafter I completed my Masters in Law and LPC followed by a year out, prior to starting my Training Contract.

So far as a Trainee I have worked on a wide variety of matters. Highlights have included adjudications, court work including a multiparty litigation in excess of £30m and pre-action work defending architects, engineers, and surveyors. At Beale & Co you are aware of the wealth of expertise at your fingertips, and are encouraged to use it in order to develop your technical legal know-how and wider professional skills. During the training contract you benefit from sharing an office with a Partner, which provides for a very well-rounded training experience.

I have spent my third seat on Secondment at an external international construction and consultancy firm. This has been a brilliant experience and I have gained hands on experience of live projects, and an understanding of how the make-up of a contract has tangible ramifications on site. I have also enjoyed advising on contractual terms for high value bids, and negotiating final terms when those bids are successful.

Lastly, at Beale & Co I have found that a culture of respect is pervasive and hard work is rewarded. You are encouraged to develop your own professional style and are given ample opportunities to do so.

For anyone who enjoys diverse and interesting work, with a specific interest in the construction and insurance industries, I would recommend applying for a training contract at Beale & Co.