Nigel Crawford

Trainee Solicitor

Degree subject Business & Legal Studies (2001), Masters in Business studies (2002)
Job title Trainee Solicitor
Employer Matheson Ormsby Prentice

I wanted to work for a large law firm because it would give me the flexibility to experience working in different departments instead of pigeonholing myself into one specific area.

As part of my traineeship I have been able to move around the firm and experience many aspects of law. So far I have worked in commercial property, asset management and corporate finance. This has been invaluable as it gives me the opportunity to see where I would be best suited and it gives me an overall picture of how the firm works.

When I first started with the firm I sat at a desk with other trainees and we assisted the partners with research. The partners would feed us information, let us run with it, and then discuss and review our work and progress. It's very similar to a mentoring programme and I've found it's a great way to learn.

The second year/rotation I actually shared an office with a partner. Seeing how the partners interact with clients was a great way to pick up handy hints and tips on how to deal with queries.

The best thing about this job is the constant learning – there's exposure to so many different things every day and I'm never left stagnating in one place. The only downside I can think of is people's perceptions of solicitors – we seem to be the least popular profession, rivalled only by stockbrokers!