A Day in the Life of a Trainee Solicitor

No two days in conveyancing are the same, so I have rounded up an average day based on a typical week in the firm. 

I start my day at 9am after a short walk from my car to ensure I get my steps in for the day. I will start by checking any emails that have come in overnight and actioning any that I am able to, with the remaining emails in my inbox, I sort these into tasks and prioritise based on importance. 

Next is COMPLETIONS! 🎉

I check to see if the completions for the day are sales or purchases; if we have any sales, I will ask our accounts team to notify me as soon as funds have been received. If they are purchases, I ensure all funds are sent promptly with the help of our amazing accounts team (because conveyancing wouldn’t work without them)! And let the solicitors know that they are on the way. 

Completions are always a rewarding part of the day so getting them done early sets the day off to a good start. 

Completions can be stressful but they’re also exciting. Once all our clients are happy and on the way to collecting their keys, I ensure all the post completion steps are carried out and liaise with my team, Solicitor April Ford and Paralegal Ellie Martin. Being in such a strong team really makes the whole process so seamless. 

The late morning is usually filled with communication, conveyancing is very people focused so I spend a lot of time: 

• Calling clients to update them on progress
• Responding to questions they may have about the process
• Liaising with and updating agents
• Chasing management packs or documents 

Lunch time…

Being in Leamington Spa I have a variety of options for my lunch break, but you will usually find me walking around Victoria Park (trying to get more steps in) or having a mooch about the shops. 

After lunch I will focus on general file work, making sure they are compliant and up to date. This can include: 

• Carrying our ID checks
• Carrying our necessary conflict checks
• Ordering searches
• Responding to enquiries 

I’ve learnt how important it is to spot red flags early. 

Afternoons can include drafting work. I might:

• Draft a transfer deed
• Draft enquiries on a purchase for my supervisor to check
• Put together a search report
• Review and draft mortgage offer reports

This is where I gain hands on experience and where I develop skills I’ll need as a solicitor. 

Conveyancing involves a lot of admin so before the end of the day I will: 

• Ensure all file notes are up to date
• Prepare any outgoing post
• Record key dates
• Ensure all clients are up to date
• Scan in any paper documents received

Before heading home I close down all my files, tidy up my to do list for tomorrow and ensure any emails dealt with are filed away accordingly. Conveyancing moves so quickly so staying organised is crucial. 

Working in conveyancing has opened my eyes to the house moving process. No two cases are the same, every client is different and each situation unique. There is something so rewarding about being involved in such an important milestone in someone’s life. 

Being an apprentice means I’m not just learning the law - I’m seeing it in action every single day. And at Thomas Flavell & Sons, I’m surrounded by a team who actually takes the time to teach me, support me, and guide me through the journey to qualification. National Conveyancing Month really outlines the importance of all the people I work with and what amazing work they do.