My road to becoming a solicitor involved some detours and changes to the original route planned out, but the destination stayed the same throughout, to qualify as a corporate solicitor.
I obtained my undergraduate in law at Nottingham Trent University, after which I had a gap year before completing my master’s in the legal practice course at City University London. From there I went straight into work as a corporate and commercial paralegal at a regional law firm in Kent. During this time, I was contacted by City University London, informing me of something called the SQE.
The SQE would enable me to qualify as a solicitor sooner than I would be able to if I continued with my previous route of starting a training contract, as I had already been working for a year as a paralegal. After careful deliberation, I decided to switch routes and try my hand at the SQE, whilst continuing to work as a paralegal. Fortunately, due to having completed the legal practice course, I was exempt from SQE1 and only needed to take the SQE2 exams.
After months of studying while working, I took the exams and waited to see if my detour would still lead me to the right destination. Thankfully, my hard work had paid off and months later I got an email from the SRA notifying me that my results were available, and the rest is history. I received my certificate confirming I was admitted as a solicitor of the courts in early July. I had arrived!
I am now pleased to say I am working as a corporate solicitor at Warners Solicitors.
