In this article, I will share a few of the things I expected vs what I actually experienced once I started my solicitor apprenticeship at Womble Bond Dickinson. This is based entirely on my experience of what I assumed going into the application process (and then the job itself) - whether rightly or wrongly - from the cultural zeitgeist around the legal profession and the typical "9 to 5" vocations. A lot of these came from research before my application, of course, but admittedly a good amount of my expectations where influenced by media and the general perception of the "professional services".
Expectation #1: you won't ever leave the office "on time" and most of your life will be dedicated to work
Reality: So far, this isn’t true. I've only needed to stay past five a few times in my first few months and while this will probably change in the future, the image of overworked and sleep-deprived lawyers working well into the night isn’t the case at firms like Womble Bond Dickinson. While this may be different in other firms, at WBD, the expectation is that a good work/life balance is achieveable.
Expectation #2: I was going to live in a suit
Reality: This isn’t true. In fact, this was probably the biggest shock for me when I started. Instead of a suit and tie, the dress code at WBD is geared towards 'dressing for the day'. As long as it's what would be considered "appropriate" for your day at work, there aren’t really any strict guidelines. There are occasions where business attire is necessary - but these are clearly forecasted ahead of time.
Expectation #3: The partners are scary and unapproachable
Reality: I'm fairly sure this came from both my time at college and the influence of the media - but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Although they are the most senior people in the business, they are just as approachable as anyone else you'll meet and work with. Everyone in the office is open to a conversation, and this extends to the partners without exception.
Expectation #4: The environment would be very competitive
Reality: Again, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Where legal work is often portrayed as each person trying to get ahead, at WBD, the team feel is incredibly apparent. Every matter is worked on by a group of people, with each person being just as important in the matters life cycle. There is no room for a competitive environment - as everyone is just doing their best to support the project being worked on at the time. It truly feels like a team effort.
Expectation #5: I would be treated differently because I was inexperienced and younger than most in the office
Reality: This might be another thing influenced by college, but I had assumed that I would be seen differently, maybe even as untrustworthy or a "risky" person to hand work to because of my age and inexperience. This is, again, hugely wrong. While there is the expectation that an apprentice will make mistakes, it is also exactly what the team hopes will happen. As I was told, it would be almost worrying if we didn't make mistakes. Socially, the same is true. No one treats me or anyone else any differently because of experience - and this is the same throughout the company.
Want to learn more about our apprenticeship programme at Womble Bond Dickinson? Visit the dedicated web page here.
This blog was written by Toby Ellis, Apprentice Solicitor at Womble Bond Dickinson.
