The balancing act: Skills I gained from work & study

Ella obtained a first-class Law with Criminology degree from the University of Birmingham before securing a Paralegal role at Shoosmiths. She received her training contract offer in the summer of 2022 and proceeded to achieve a distinction in the LPC at the University of Law. Ella rejoined Shoosmiths in September 2024 and is currently enjoying her first seat in Dispute Resolution and Litigation.

Your law degree and LPC or SQE are undoubtedly very demanding courses. What can make it even more difficult is having to juggle your study alongside work, possibly in a legal role or retail/hospitality. The reality is many students are unable to solely rely on financial support from family or maintenance loans, so working at least part-time becomes essential.

It can become difficult to find motivation to study after a long day at work and vice versa, and you may be concerned that your studies will suffer. However, with your end goal in mind coupled with strong organisational skills and discipline, it is not unrealistic that you will excel in both.

I would certainly say that I developed an array of transferable skills during this time which have well equipped me for my new role as a trainee.

1. Organisation

Firstly, and arguably most importantly, you will learn that having excellent organisational skills is key to success.

I would recommend creating a study schedule, including blocking out time when you are at work and have other commitments, alongside a list of your deadlines. This will ensure that important matters are not missed. Knowing your schedule ahead of time gives you peace of mind, and I find allows you to better focus on the task at hand.

2. Learn when you work your best

Alongside a schedule, it is also important to become attuned to the time of day you perform best. Colleagues at university often preferred to pull all-nighters to complete assignments, whereas I am an early riser and struggle to work late at night. I therefore found it beneficial to complete my chunkier tasks first thing in the morning when I have the most energy. This is something I have implemented so far in my training contract. More difficult and technically challenging tasks initially make their way to the top of my to-do list so I can give them my maximum brain capacity. Having said that, it is also important to adapt to last-minute changes of schedule, something you will frequently encounter during your training contract.

3. Communication and the ability to ask for help

Communication is vital in various ways in a career in law, whether it be speaking with clients, your supervisor or your fellow trainees.

Something which is hugely important when managing work and study is the ability to reach out for help before you get overwhelmed. In turn, this will help you to manage your workload. For example, large research projects can often be shared with colleagues at university which will hold you accountable to each other and lessen your workload.

Similarly, ensure you have regular communication with your team and keep them updated of your capacity which will avoid you getting overwhelmed. Also, something which is encouraged is saying no if you are at capacity. As a junior, you may find it difficult saying no to senior team members and Partners, however they will appreciate this rather than producing a piece of work which doesn’t reflect your capabilities.

As I mentioned, if you have a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed there is nothing to stop you from doing fantastically. The sky is the limit!

You may also be interested to read Misha’s blog where she discusses how to navigate the jump from paralegal to trainee solicitor.

If you have any questions you can email us at [email protected] or have a look at some frequently asked questions here.

To stay up to date with the latest information about the firm, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and sign up to our mailing list.