Becoming a solicitor brings about many challenges. That is a given. However, regardless of your journey to date the jump to solicitor is likely to shape the rest of your career. Generally as a paralegal, trainee, apprentice or otherwise the focus is to gather a much experience in an array of areas to increase your knowledge and understanding. But as an NQ, and I speak generally and from my experience, you are focusing on specialising in one or two areas.

There will be very few junctures in your professional career where you will do this again unless you re-train into a different area of law or an alternative career. From my experience these are a couple of suggestions which may help to ease the transition:

1. Think longer term

So why is this important? I was fortunate enough very early in my career to know exactly what area I wanted to practise in. However, if you are a trainee approaching qualification you may fall into the position where you either a) do not know which area you wish to specialise in or b) there may not be a position for you in your preferred role.

This will be a challenge which you will face before you become an NQ and if you fall into this scenario, why specialise in a singular area? Realise that you are not an expert (yet) and that there will always be room for improvement. The focus at this stage (if you are in this position) should be what you wish to do long term. If you know this already, great, but if you are still finding this out speak with colleagues, friends with the relevant experience or better still find a mentor who has a couple more years’ experience.

2. Stand out

Standing out while having extra responsibilities is one of the many challenges you may face on becoming an NQ. While it may sound cliché, it is true. Standing out does not mean that you need to be in the office from dawn until dusk. It could be building a client base in the geographical area you are working in, investing time in researching a particular area or even offering support to more junior members in your office.

Being proactive and seeking out networking opportunities will only ever help your transition as an NQ. Building a client base is something that is expected of a solicitor as opposed to a trainee where there is not as much reliance.

Adapt your work

As a trainee you are understandably supervised more closely than when you become an NQ. You should adapt your work accordingly and take some time to familiarise yourself with your new team and the needs of the team, if you have moved, or your new role if you have just qualified where you trained. You will have a new role with greater responsibilities and almost certainly a bigger caseload.

New ways of working may take time to get used to. From my experience having the ability to dictate emails and letters took a little bit of getting used to but can be incorporated into your routine quickly. This is the same for delegating work to more junior members of the team.

4. Ask for help

However, one of the biggest mistakes I have come across as a mentor is people being opposed to asking for help. On paper you will have the brand-new title of solicitor but in reality you have (and I give this example to stress the point) an extra 24 hours experience.

You will no longer have that ‘hand holding’ but the closer you get towards qualification this should be incorporated gradually anyway. Regardless of your level of qualification you will always need to ask for help. Battling imposter syndrome may be a challenge but asking someone to review your work will not harm your progression at all.

Qualifying as a solicitor should be celebrated and there is no script to follow. There will be good days and bad days. Enjoy both.

Daniel George Peacock is an NQ solicitor and a member of the Junior Lawyer Division Executive Committee.