News & Insights

TRAINING FROM HOME.

As the end of my second seat dawns, what strikes me is I have trained entirely from home this time due to Covid19. My partner and I completed on our house just before Christmas last year and little did we expect for the house to be so much of an office space too!

I have answered a few questions below to give some insight into how I have still continued to train at Laceys whilst working from home.

What seat are you currently in?

I am in my second seat (of the five that I will complete) in Commercial and Corporate Law. Primarily, working alongside Sam Freeman (partner) and Victoria Boynes-Butler (associate).

My work has involved drafting company shareholders agreements to provide practical mechanisms, organisation and protection to shareholders; advising on the many stages of purchase and sales of companies; reviewing company’s articles of association to help answer a query and much, much more.

It has been a busy time as a result of the March budget and the end of the financial year.

Has Covid19 impacted the way you work?

Being in the Commercial and Corporate Law Department, the nature of the work is easily achieved at home on the computer. This differs to my previous seat which was Private Client where there was more reliance on post, paper grants and paper Wills etc. Whilst I still find reviewing more complex commercial documents easier in paper format, the majority of other commercial and corporate work can be done on the computer.

Laceys have provided me with a double screen which has helped enormously when it comes to research, report writing and general drafting when there is a need to cross-reference documents.

Covid19 has pushed me to be less paper based so this is a positive impact.

I imagine interacting with clients is a good skill to develop, has Covid19 hindered this?

Client interaction is something I enjoy very much and my previous experience has allowed me to establish good client interaction skills. Covid19 has not limited my further development because Laceys swiftly adopted the use of Zoom as a platform to keep that valued client interaction. I have participated in many calls and enjoyed them.

What are your top tips training from home?

• Have good contact with your colleagues to further assist you.

The team I am working with are approachable all times of the working day, be it on the phone, via email or on Zoom. They are very supportive and still manage to make me feel just as welcome and comfortable as you would do in an office setting.

• Take regular breaks.

I have a dog, so it is nice to be able to walk him during my lunchbreaks.

• Enjoy the quiet.

Whilst office working has many perks, being able to draft, for example, company board minutes or a written resolution, without the usual interruptions generally results in a better first draft.

• Look forward to going back into the office soon.

Work from home will not be forever!

My next training seat is in the Litigation department, which starts after Easter, which I look forward to telling you all about in my next blog. Until then, Happy Easter!

Laceys Solicitors offer reliable, responsive and pragmatic legal advice to individuals and businesses, whatever their legal need.

If you have a legal query please visit our website or contact us on info@laceyssolicitors.co.uk or 01202 557256 and we will be happy to help.