Jenny Purdie, a newly qualified Solicitor in our Private Client team tells us more about her Gillespie Macandrew experience, from Trainee to Solicitor.
What were your first impressions of GM?
I was really struck by how approachable everyone in the firm is. Starting a traineeship can be very daunting, but I quickly learned just how eager to help everyone was. The people here are genuinely invested in making sure that you get the most out of your traineeship.
What is the best thing about working at GM?
My colleagues and mentors at GM did a really good job in supporting me to learn and develop as a trainee, whilst also recognising areas where I was capable of taking the lead. Whether this was drafting complex documents, taking the lead in client meetings, or dealing with solicitors on the other side of a transaction, people always pushed me to take responsibility for my own work, whilst still providing the right support when I needed it.
What inspired you to become a lawyer?
I was involved in debating at secondary school and loved being able to break down the prompt and construct of an argument around it to support my position. At that time, all I thought about when I pictured being a lawyer was going to court, but this was what drove me to study law. When I began my law degree, I found myself drawn to succession and trusts as well as property law, which are two key areas of work at GM.
I was really glad to experience a seat in our Dispute Resolution team. This allowed me to get exposure to court work that had first drawn me to law. Now that I have qualified as a Private Client Solicitor, I realise how invaluable it is to be able to apply logic and reasoning to any situation your client may be in – so in a way I have kept true to my teenage self who enjoyed debating!
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of applying?
I recommend looking into the core practice areas we focus on here at GM and really think about how these align with your goals. Read through our social media channels and ESG pillars on the website to try to tailor your application to GM as much as possible. And to just go for it – it is a great place to train!
How did you feel when you qualified?
I felt proud of myself for getting to this stage – from my first year at university, I’ve spent seven years working towards this goal. It’s amazing to see it pay off! Knowing that I was staying at GM helped, as all of the support I received as a trainee is still here now that I’m qualified. Knowing that I still have a team around me who support me professionally and look out for me personally helped me to feel like nothing much would change when I qualified, other than the change in title and business card.
