GetMyFirstJob Ambassador
Hello, I Am Leah Clifton
I was never interested in the university experience. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer, and an apprenticeship felt like the quickest way to get to that destination. While I’m studying one day a week, I’m also working alongside qualified solicitors four days a week. My personal view was that the benefits outweighed the cons. I was able to earn money, avoid debt, and gain invaluable experience. For me, it was a no-brainer and suited me best.
Tell us more about your experience
My job consists of assisting and learning from the qualified lawyers in my team. On a day-to-day basis, this changes and depends on the department I'm working in, but some examples include drafting documents, communicating with clients or other external parties, attending meetings, and preparing court bundles.
I also get involved in the social committee, helping to organise social and charity events. Last year, I helped organise and take part in skydiving! I’ve also been involved in business development work, such as drafting blogs and insights, most recently covering the rollout of a free NHS workplace health check programme.
An important part of my job has been volunteering and pro-bono work, with Dentons offering many opportunities to get involved. Some examples include helping out at Willen Hospice and Winter Night Shelter, as well as reviewing US death row cases.
A highlight would have to be my first time attending court in London. It was a bankruptcy case, and I accompanied a senior associate and counsel to take notes (which is extremely hard to keep up with and takes a lot of practice to perfect, I imagine!). It’s so surreal, at 19 years old, to step into a courtroom or even just be asked to attend alongside such experienced and knowledgeable people.
The support I have received at Dentons truly makes a big difference to managing the challenges of an apprenticeship. You build strong connections with other apprentices and trainees, your team and wider office, as well an early careers team that are excellent at supporting apprentices. I have never come across anyone here who hasn’t been supportive of both the apprenticeship and me as an individual and colleague.
My advice to anyone looking to start an apprenticeship would be to just do it because I truly believe you won't regret it! The experience you receive is invaluable, and there are so many opportunities that go alongside an apprenticeship. You will still qualify with the same level of education as those who chose the traditional route, but you will avoid all student debt, gain years of experience, and make connections so early on in your career. The question I was mostly confronted with when applying for apprenticeships was 'won't you miss out on the university experience' and put bluntly, yes. My experience is definitely different but in the best way for me, I still have a great social life and have met some of the best people and so I don’t feel like I have missed out at all.