Simranjeet Mann | Trainee Solicitor at Womble Bond Dickinson

Simranjeet Mann wanted to be a lawyer for a long time, and after completing her LLB she undertook the LPC LLM with The University of Law. She now works at the international law firm, Womble Bond Dickinson, and runs a popular YouTube channel where she shares her legal journey. Below, Simranjeet talks about her career and offers some advice for those looking to succeed in law.

I’ve been set on becoming a solicitor since I was a teenager. At school, I enjoyed subjects like history and English literature. I liked applying facts or literature to answer a question. In the same way, I liked applying legislation and case law to answer questions when studying my law degree.

However, I didn’t enjoy studying law at university as much as I thought I would. I started looking at other options, and did a tax internship with EY at the end of my second year of studying. This made me realise I wanted my career to begin in London, I loved the hustle and bustle of the city. In my final year I picked more practical modules like Corporate Law Simulation, which gave me an insight into what it would be like to be a corporate solicitor, and I started enjoying law again. After graduating I became a paralegal, which solidified my decision that I wanted to be a solicitor. I realised studying law and practising it are two different things, and I much preferred law in practise.

I was looking for a reputable university to complete the LPC LLM and The University of Law fitted this brief. I also liked the course structure and the way we were examined, which made them stand out from others. I think the strength of the University’s tutors, the passion and interest they have for their various subjects, sets students up for success. I admired the way they presented the vast content in such an approachable and organised format, and I felt I could approach the tutors when finding a topic difficult.

I’m currently a trainee solicitor at Womble Bond Dickinson and in my fourth seat, covering Commercial & Intellectual Property (IP) law. Whilst completing this seat I also attend a part-time commercial secondment. So, Monday to Wednesday, I attend the secondment, then work at Womble Bond Dickinson with the Commercial and IP teams Thursday and Friday. I assist my colleagues with matters relating to clients or tasks on a daily basis. On secondment I cover all kinds of areas relating to employment, tax, governance, compliance, IP, and much more. My daily tasks involve drafting emails, researching areas of law, providing summaries from information, undertaking administrative duties, and proceeding matters.

I’ve found my training contract very insightful; there are times it can be overwhelming and stressful, but I’m lucky to have the support of the colleagues in my team. Everyday there are new challenges to overcome, on what is essentially a two-year long interview, but it’s been very fulfilling. To be able to look at something tangible, and say you had a part to play in it, feels worthwhile.

I created my YouTube channel because I wanted to share the information I gained during the training contract process. Although I knew it was quite personal and may not help absolutely everyone, I thought it was worth sharing. Thankfully, some people have found my advice useful, so I’m glad I was able to reach this objective.

I would say if you’re looking for a training contract that enthusiasm is important, don’t be afraid of looking like you’re too keen. Get involved in any opportunities that come your way. Create and utilise your network. Take part in open days, networking events, mentorship schemes, as all these things will help you. The training process does involve a lot of self-awareness and reflection, so understand what your strengths and weaknesses are in order to keep picking yourself up and improving.

Resilience is key. There will be times you’ll feel like things aren’t going your way, or it looks impossible, but if you know this career is for you, then try and figure out what is going wrong and tackle it head on.

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