Warwickshire Legal Services shares the latest success stories from its trainee solicitor recruitment drive.
Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC’s) in-house legal team, Warwickshire Legal Services, is sharing the latest success stories from its trainee solicitor recruitment drive as multiple employees who secured the opportunity in 2019 have now secured further, qualified positions within the service.
The latest trainee solicitor recruitment drive took place in June 2022 and resulted in six positions being offered to successful applicants out of a pool of over 50 candidates, with the positions beginning incrementally between 2023 and 2024. Under the supervision of senior staff, trainee solicitors are given the opportunity to undertake a wide range of legal work, contributing to the delivery of service level agreements to clients, and developing their skills and experience as a solicitor in a busy and professional environment.
Warwickshire Legal Services is one of the many areas across the Council that places a huge focus on career development and progression, enabling employees to apply their knowledge and abilities to improve Warwickshire and see just how much of a meaningful difference they make to real people. Kieran Brehany joined Warwickshire Legal Services in 2020 following the trainee solicitor recruitment drive, and experienced first-hand the variety of legal work available. In his role, Kieran received ongoing support from expert mentors and enjoyed new challenges that provided professional development opportunities by guiding the Council’s services and those of its partners and clients. Reflecting on his time as a trainee solicitor, Kieran said:
“The variety of areas of work is amazing for the industry as a trainee scheme. Each team takes the time to introduce each area of Law and try and get you involved as much as possible. I have been involved with the contracts and negotiations as part of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. I also really enjoyed the Company Secretarial work I did for the County Council, as it was challenging and helped me become a better and more confident speaker.”
Kieran finished his training solicitor contract earlier this year and has since begun his new role as a full-time solicitor in the Commercial and Contracts Team within Warwickshire Legal Services. You can read more about Kieran’s trainee solicitor experience on the WCC website, or watch Kieran speak about working for WCC on YouTube.
Warwickshire Legal Services endeavour to support and train all of their employees to the highest standards, requiring staff to be quick thinking, practical, confident and keen to develop. Pru Jaques, Internal Legal Assistant for the County Council’s Children and Families service area, and Karina Bird, Internal Legal Assistant for the County Council’s Subject Access Requests (SAR), demonstrated all of these qualities in their Assistant roles and secured new fixed-term contracts this year with Warwickshire Legal Services which begin in September 2022.
Cllr Andy Jenns, Portfolio Holder for Customer and Transformation, said:
“I am delighted to see the success and development of trainee solicitors in Warwickshire Legal Services. Career development and progression is paramount here at the County Council, and in Legal Services our staff get to experience a rich variety of work, seeing cases through to completion, enjoying a higher level of responsibility, and getting more hands-on experience whilst enjoying a better work-life balance and greater flexibility.
“It’s a big responsibility that can be challenging at times, but this is what drives Warwickshire Legal Services to succeed and achieve. Our teams apply their knowledge and abilities to make a meaningful difference to real people, and help make Warwickshire the best it can be now and for future generations.”
Warwickshire Legal Services provide legal support to Warwickshire County Council, Warwick District Council and Warwickshire Police, amongst other local authorities and public sector clients. The award-winning legal team of over 120 committed and capable staff provides a wide range of legal services in a number of specialist fields including governance, information law, planning, property, highways, education, commercial, and adults and children’s social care and safeguarding. They also provide a wide variety of day-to-day support and training and innovative solutions to assist clients to meet their challenges.
To find out more about Warwickshire Legal Services, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wls
It’s an exciting time to be a part of the council and employees are given the support and encouragement to succeed and help others. At WCC, you’ll improve the county and see just how much of a meaningful difference you make to its people. View current vacancies at WCC.