My first two months as a trainee at Gilson Gray

Having spent four years doing an undergraduate degree and one year doing a postgraduate Diploma to prepare me for this, I am delighted to say that I am now two months into my traineeship with Gilson Gray.

The first thing that struck me about the firm on day one as an employee was the dedication of the firm to culture. Between the Marketing Director and the HR Director and throughout the firm there is a clear and palpable culture that Gilson Gray operates on, based on the fundamental principles of commerciality, professionalism, approachability, and a dedication to offering a personalised service to clients. This is clear from the Managing Partner, through Senior and Junior Solicitors, and reflected in support staff and both the Financial Management and Property teams. It is truly impressive that a firm that has grown so much in the last three years has been able to implement and manage the culture so well through this growth.

Outside of the office, there is a clear dedication to building relationships within the firm. My first weekend as a trainee solicitor involved the firm’s annual Rutland Square garden party, with the member of the firm, their better halves and children all enjoying barbeque and drinks in the sun and activities aplenty for the children (and less mature adults). There is also a weekly game of five-a-side with members of the firm, clients, and friends. This has been a great way to get to know clients in a less professional environment as well as socialising with colleagues who quickly become friends. On top of this, the firm’s flagship event at the Prestonfield, the GRACE Banquet was a great fundraiser and again outlined another important element of the firm’s culture: a dedication to charity. £82,450 raised in one night for Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, as well as a great night enjoyed by all.

In terms of working life, my traineeship has thus far been spent in the Conveyancing Department in Edinburgh. In all honesty, Conveyancing was one of my least favourite subjects during my studies, but working in the department has given me a much different take on it. Because of the fast-paced and transactional nature of the work, I feel very trusted in the department and am being given work of real value and a lot of client contact. I was worried prior to commencing the traineeship that the first few months would be a hand holding exercise where my work would be under constant and stringent review, but our conveyancing Partner Debbie McCathie has been very supportive in allowing me to manage my own clients and my own cases. Support is always on hand and work is reviewed but it has not been a handholding exercise at all, she and the other members of the team have made me truly feel like a valued member of the Conveyancing department.

Reflecting on my first two months at Gilson Gray I can sincerely say that I am delighted to be a member of the firm and a member of the Conveyancing department. It has exceeded expectations in terms of how enjoyable it has been, the value of work I am doing, and the social aspect to being part of the firm. Having worked throughout my University career, I have had many jobs in the recruitment industry, financial services, retail and the hospitality industry which I greatly enjoyed, but I have never felt at home or professionally fulfilled in the way that I do at Gilson Gray. I could not recommend working with the firm highly enough and thank everyone here for giving me the opportunity.

The information and opinions contained in this blog are for information only. They are not intended to constitute advice and should not be relied upon or considered as a replacement for advice. Before acting on any of the information contained in this blog, please seek specific advice from Gilson Gray.