The first month of my tenure as a trainee at BDB was pretty much as I expected it. Of course there were nerves and apprehension but I would be lying if I said that the training contract was not what I had expected it to be. I think that is a credit to the firm’s inclusive approach to its trainees before they join, including them in social and educational events months and sometimes years before they start. What this means is that, whilst the vast majority of faces will be unknown to the new trainee there is a certain sense of familiarity with the firm which provides a sense of comfort during those initial nerve-wracking stages.
I was fortunate to have Employment as my first seat. However, I was eased into things with a week-long trainee induction course, which involved not only learning the obligatory IT packages and how to dictate (no, I still haven’t got used to it), but also how to dress properly. Now I’m not just talking which tie to pick out in the morning; this was a top to bottom personalised appraisal, although I have to admit to being a little mortified on learning that my style was classified as ‘Muted Man’!
The Employment seat provides a hectic, high-octane introduction to the world of the law, as well as the opportunity to exercise so many of the different facets of a lawyer’s skill set, from advocacy to drafting compromise agreements and witness statements, and advising clients. As an Employment trainee with BDB you get the opportunity to see a huge range of the contentious and advisory work that lands on the average employment lawyer’s desk every day. I was told before I began the training contract that the firm’s approach is friendly and collegiate and, once again, I wasn’t surprised to find everyone in the department was immensely supportive and great to work with. What’s more, trainee contributions were openly acknowledged and valued, which was motivating.
The highlights from that first seat? A good few, but I would have to pick out representing a client at the Employment Tribunal in a wrongful dismissal claim, negotiating settlement on behalf of an employer client in an unfair dismissal claim (and learning from the mistakes I made doing it!) and accompanying colleagues to a number of Tribunal hearings.
Six months flew by, and it was onwards and upwards, literally in my case, to the fourth floor and a seat in the Government and Infrastructure (G&I) department. There are probably no two more different departments in the firm in terms of the nature of the work you do. Whilst Employment is fairly transactional, much of G&I bread and butter work is done over long periods, given that it generally concerns major infrastructure projects. Trainees generally do not run files and there is lots of research. Know what a tube à manchette is? Or stringing? Or the difference between cables and lines? You will do. I have to say the work was probably the most intellectually stimulating I have done. It is more ‘heads down’ than I’d experienced, but it was nice to have the time to get to the root of an issue. You really feel that you are navigating uncharted waters, given that you are often tasked with finding out answers to questions which haven’t yet been addressed by anyone, anywhere!
For example, I had to look into and understand the requirements for registration of chemical substances under the REACH system, decide whether a ban on circus animals conformed to the EU Services Directive and check that the activities undertaken by a public body were in line with its statutory powers (requiring a visit to the Parliamentary archives to flick through Hansard). I also helped draft the UK’s first Development Consent Order for a highway.
One highlight of a G&I trainee’s time (apart from the Christmas dinner in April) has to be the guided tour round the Houses of Parliament by the department’s Parliamentary Clerk. I was also fortunate enough to attend the first week of a public enquiry, therefore witnessing the contentious side to the department’s work.
Overall, it has genuinely been a great experience. I’ve managed to get the seats I have wanted so far and have been pleased with the sheer range of clients, and therefore work, with which the firm deals.
Lastly, mention should also be made of the social side of things. The area round the office is hardly short of a pub or two and there has been ample opportunity to socialise with trainees and other staff during the working week, as well as network with clients at external-facing events (which are not nearly as stressful as I had envisaged!).