I joined the Real Estate (ReFlex) team in July 2022 and with training and guidance, I have progressed within my role and continue to take more responsibility. I did not have a traditional educational background and I thought this would be a limiting factor when it came to starting my legal career.
However, this did not impact me at DWF because of the business's encouragement of inclusivity and social mobility. During my first interview, I was able to discuss and rely on my experience, knowledge and interests and in my role I am able to use my strengths to deliver excellent service to my colleagues and our clients.
The ReFlex team consists of paralegals across eight offices with various levels of experience, we are a large and growing team and we work with Real Estate departments across the country. This is one of the best things about my role because it allows us to work with fee earners on a broader scale and helps us gain exposure to different work streams. I've had the opportunity to work with Real Estate's biggest clients which have large portfolios and complex work. This has really helped me become a confident and well-rounded Paralegal.
I also appreciate the progression opportunities and events which everyone can get involved with at DWF. I am part of the LINK steering committee which is DWF's early careers network. LINK provides access to training and development and allows us to develop professional relationships with clients and members of LINK across the business. My experience of LINK has been great, as I've really enjoyed networking with colleagues. Also, being part of the committee has allowed me to explore my other skills in the planning and delivering of events.
At DWF we are also encouraged to engage in corporate social responsibility events as employees get two days a year to commit to CSR events. I had a great time at The Canal Trust's plastic clean-up with the Leeds Real Estate team and look forward to the upcoming events such as the bake sale for the DWF Foundation. I think the foundation is a commendable initiative from the firm because it helps provide resources and support local communities across five areas, one of them being education which is important to me.
My career aim is to qualify as a solicitor at DWF. I have discussed career progression with my colleagues who are at various stages of their careers. I have gained positive insight into what it is like to progress here and many trainees wish to practise at the firm after qualifying which demonstrates the business's ability to earn its employees' commitment. I am thoroughly enjoying my journey here so far at DWF and I am excited to see my career development and also the progress of the ReFlex team!
