We had a chat with Caroline Neadley at Rollits about work experience, training contracts and career opportunities at the local law firm.
A Partner within the Employment Law team, Caroline Neadley is also the Training Principal at Rollits. As part of her role, she supervises the Work Experience Scheme and Periods of Recognised Training for trainee solicitors, both of which help people to explore and pursue a career in the legal sector.
“I’m involved in raising awareness of the schemes and training we offer, including delivering the recruitment process, and finding high-calibre candidates,” says Caroline. “We manage all of our recruitment for trainee solicitors in-house, which includes talking to people interested in training to be a solicitor and attending as many career fairs at schools, colleges and universities as possible.”
Work experience at Rollits takes the form of two weeks spent at the law firm, which is usually undertaken by second year university students who may or may not be studying for a Law degree. However, Rollits encourages anyone who is pursuing a career in law to consider applying for the scheme.
During their work experience they get to undertake real-life legal work, experience different departments within the firm, and better understand the many aspects of day-to-day life as a solicitor. As well as legal work, their time at Rollits also covers the delivering of presentations to current trainees and solicitors, a variety of administrative tasks, and exploring the marketing and financial aspects of being a solicitor.
“By offering comprehensive work experience that covers all areas of the business, we provide students with genuine insight into a legal career,” says Caroline. “It’s an important stage of their journey, as they may still be deciding whether or not a career in law is right for them. Following their work experience we build on the relationship, resulting in many of our work experience candidates going on to apply for a Period of Recognised Training with us.”
A Period of Recognised Training is a two-year training contract. Rollits looks to recruit the right people from the outset with a view to employing them full-time when their Period of Recognised Training ends, providing their trainee solicitors with permanent roles and exciting careers opportunities for the future.
“We currently have five trainee solicitors and another two joining us in September,” explains Caroline. “It’s a rolling two-year programme – as one set of trainee solicitors qualifies, we take on more trainees. In the last six months, we have had four trainee solicitors qualify and we were delighted to offer them all permanent roles at Rollits as qualified solicitors.”
Applications for the next Periods of Recognised Training starting in September 2024 are now open. Meanwhile, the deadline to apply for this year’s Work Experience Scheme for placements in June and July is Thursday 31st March.
“We reach out to everyone who is interested in a career in law, and welcome applications from individuals at any stage in their career,” adds Caroline. “Our solicitors, trainees and support staff are happy to answer questions, offer advice and guidance, and give a taste of what it’s like to work at a leading law firm. Whether you’d like to send us your CV, invite us to an event or simply have a chat about a career in the legal sector, we’re always here to offer our support.”
The Trainee Solicitors at Rollits are also encouraged to write about their experiences and training journeys. You can read these first-hand accounts on the Trainee blog.