Lily Simpkin is the latest addition to our Beverley office team.
Originally from the east Hull village of Brandesburton, she completed her Law degree at the University of Northumbria in May and joined us in August, as an admin assistant.
And she is quickly becoming a vital part of our busy Beverley office operation.
“I greet clients, grab them a cuppa and show them into the meeting room before they meet with one of our lawyers,” explains Lily.
“I really enjoy being that friendly face and making sure people get the help they need.”
And this is a great way for Lily to gain an introduction to the real world of law practice, so that she can learn to put her recent education to good use.
“I’m getting a really good idea of what it’s like to work in a real law firm, and this will give me a strong grounding for my future career in Law,” she said.
“As well as building on my academic training, it will help me decide which areas of law I am most interested in specialising in, in the future.”
Perfectly placed
And Lily says she can think of no better firm to ‘cut her legal teeth’ with, than James Legal.
“The thing that stood out for me about this firm, when I was applying for roles after university, was how friendly everyone is. It is like a family and everyone’s made me feel so welcome. It’s better than I could have expected – a really nice and friendly place, and everyone wants to help each other.”
She recognises that James Legal is a great environment in which to go through a journey of discovery, given we specialise in a wide array of different areas, from matrimonial to probate and estate planning, business law, family matters and litigation, to name just a few.
“Above all, I just got a really good feeling about the place when I came for my interview and knew I’d love to work here.”
So, what do the next few months, and years, have in store for Lily?
“I’m happy in this role for a while. Having studied for my masters degree in law for four years, and completed my Legal Practice Course, it’s nice to get stuck in and build my practical skills, learning on the job. If I can demonstrate my potential now I’m here, I hope it might lead to a training contract, giving me everything I need to become a fully-fledged lawyer. However, I’m not in a rush for that and am just enjoying things on a day-to-day basis in the meantime.”
Her work ethic stood Lily in good stead when it came to securing the trainee role at James Legal, and is continuing to serve her well when it comes to delivering on her new-found responsibilities.
She worked in various call centres during her time at university, and even spent a period of time as a security guard, patrolling the university’s various sites. Before heading to university, during her sixth-form studies, she even did a stint helping out on a farm near her local home village.
“Looking back, those experiences gave me a bit of worldly insight, and I’ve built my confidence and got used to meeting different kinds of people, which is doing me no harm at all now,” she explained.
“It’s also helping me to understand where people are coming from, and support them in dealing with different situations, which is an essential part of the job.”
In terms of hobbies, now back at home in East Yorkshire, Lily is simply enjoying a little downtime after the intensity of her studies. “I enjoy going for countryside walks with my boyfriend, and sometimes go to the gym,” says Lily.
“But, given my four years of study and all the learning I’m continuing to absorb while working, it’s nice to just be able to relax and enjoy some down time in the evenings with the people I care about.”
James Legal MD Simon Young said of Lily’s appointment: “We love nothing more than recruiting new talent and helping people reach their potential. We look for that spark, as well as a friendly, kind outlook, and these are things Lily has plenty of, so we are looking forward to seeing her do very well as her career evolves with James Legal.”
If you are considering a career in law and think you have what it takes, why not get in touch with us via info@jameslegal.co.uk or (01482) 225566 to find out what opportunities we have available?
