We consider on the job training to be crucial to a trainee’s development and therefore you will sit with a trained seat supervisor. Your seat supervisor is responsible for providing you with work during your seat, providing regular feedback and conducting your appraisals.
You should also expect to work in a team, usually working alongside a Partner and Assistant Solicitor – this provides autonomy, responsibility and the potential for fast development.
“It’s clear since I joined Withers that this is a firm which wants you to learn. Yes, it is often very daunting because you don’t trust yourself to know what you are doing all the time, but there are people to ask for help. Getting thrown in at the deep end is infinitely more interesting and useful than staying within an existing boundary of knowledge. I would recommend Withers to anyone who relishes the thought of responsibility!” Manori de Silva – newly qualified lawyer
When you begin at Withers you will be given a comprehensive induction to the firm and external lecturers will come in-house to teach you the core modules for the Professional Skills Course (PSC). Throughout your training you will also attend a mixture of internal soft skills sessions and external 'black letter law' training to ensure you receive a rounded off the job training experience.
You are assigned a seat supervisor for each seat who will provide you with work and be responsible for providing training, monitoring your performance and offering feedback. You will have two appraisals in each seat: a mid-seat and an end-seat where objectives are set, and evaluated.
Training and Development is high on the agenda for all our staff and we have a comprehensive training programme to share information and develop skills across the Firm. Training courses and updates are often run on a global basis via the use of videoconferencing. You will also have the opportunity to attend our frequent in-house lectures for clients and contacts and specialist external sessions.