Name: Rebecca Welman
Firm: Forsters
Position: Trainee solicitor
Degree: Theology & Religious Studies
University: Bristol University
Hobbies: Tennis and cooking
Current department: Dispute Resolution
Number of TC applications made and interviews attended: 10 applications and 6 interviews
Why did you decide to train as a solicitor?
I wanted to do something vocational and I thought it would make for an interesting career.
What were the biggest challenges you faced when trying to secure a training contract?
Not getting disheartened when I got rejections.
What was the toughest training contract interview question you were asked (at any firm) and how did you answer?
If you could meet anyone in the world who would it be? I answered Sir David Attenborough. (I didn’t get the job).
Tell us a bit about the type of work handled by the department you’re in at the moment…
I am in Dispute Resolution, which deals with a wide range of disputes (contentious trusts/commercial)
What are the most enjoyable aspects of your job?
Having the opportunity to do ‘real’ work. Although it is daunting at times, you learn the most from being thrown in the deep end.
What about your job didn’t you expect before you started?
I wasn’t expecting there to be so many people supporting me, from HR, to secretaries, our business services/reprographics departments, and the other solicitors (junior and senior), there is always someone who can answer my questions.
Who’s the most recent email in your inbox from, and what’s it about?
An email asking me to draft a claim form for a debt collection matter from one of the associates in my department.
Where’s the best place to go to get your office’s gossip?
The other trainees.
Describe your training partner in three words.
Impressive, fun, successful.
Tell us two truths and one lie about yourself (in any order).
- I am an identical twin
- I am the same height as the Queen
- I hate goat’s cheese
If you had not decided to become a lawyer, what career would you have chosen?
Perhaps doing something in the foreign office.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a career in law?
Make sure you think about what kind of firm you want to work at and only apply to ones that suit you – don’t just apply to as many as possible in the hope that this will increase your chances of getting a job.
