In this article we shine the spotlight on Adrianna Koscielniak, a Trainee Solicitor at Lamb Brooks who has worked at the firm since April 2022.
Adrianna started her legal journey by obtaining a Training Contract at Lamb Brooks. She has completed a seat in Residential Property and is currently in the Family Department.
Adrianna is due to qualify as a Solicitor in 2024.
Adrianna graduated from the University of Reading in July 2022 with her Law Degree. She is currently completing her Legal Practice Course and Master of Laws with the University of Law on a part-time basis whilst working full time at Lamb Brooks.
What a Typical Day Might Look Like for Adrianna
Morning
In the morning, the first thing I do is check my emails, my to do list and my diary. This helps me organise my day around any meetings I have. It also helps me time manage effectively.
Late Morning
I try to get the biggest or most urgent jobs done first. This usually includes, preparing a Form E and supporting documents, creating a brief to counsel, writing client care letters, drafting consent orders, drafting threshold statements and many other things. This sets me up for the rest of the day and I feel on top of my work. If there are any new enquiries for me to deal with, I also like to deal with them as soon as possible.
Lunch Time
There are several things that I tend to do during my lunch. I try to go to the gym three times a week and I find that going during lunch is working quite well for me. On other days I will stay at my desk and get through some LPC reading. Usually once a month we get together with colleagues and go for a pub lunch which is really nice. I also like being close to town, if I need anything I go shopping on my lunch.
Afternoon
I usually attend meetings in the afternoon. I take detailed notes so that I can do follow up work. If I am not in meetings, I carry on working through my to do list. This usually includes, drafting letters, checking if pension sharing orders have been implemented, replying to emails, researching, archiving files and many other things.
Late Afternoon
I tend to leave the simpler administrative tasks for the late afternoon, so I will usually be dealing with those, unless I am still working on the above. I also always go through my to do list and my inbox again to ensure that I have completed all the tasks for that day. I also like to use this part of the day to complete my training record.
Evening
I leave the office at around 17:30. Now that the evenings are getting lighter and warmer, I like to play tennis. I sometimes go out for dinner which I really enjoy. I also study for my LPC.
What is it like to be a Trainee Solicitor?
Being a Trainee Solicitor has been my favourite part of my journey to qualifying. I enjoy coming to work every day as I feel like I am developing my knowledge day by day. My work colleagues are great as well, they offer me support when I need it. My supervisors have always been incredibly supportive and patient with me, I can always rely on them to help me if I get stuck.
Have you known from a young age that you wanted to become a solicitor?
No. I chose to study Law in my A levels purely because I enjoyed the taster day. It ended up being my favourite subject. This was when I decided I wanted to become a solicitor. My parents were my rock right from the beginning, they always picked me up when I started losing confidence and encouraged me to keep going. I also had two very supportive teachers, Alex Searby from Cranbourne and Jordan Renault from Queen Mary’s College who made me feel like I could achieve anything if I worked hard enough, they really opened my eyes and made me focus on achieving my goals.
Before your Training Contract did you have an idea of which area of law you would like to qualify into?
I initially thought I wanted to qualify into Family Law, which I think is a great area of law. I still have a year to decide where I want to qualify, and it is difficult to say where I will be but at this moment, I can see myself in the Residential Property team.
How much interaction do you have with clients?
I get a lot of interaction with clients working in the family department. I deal with several new enquiries and often join in on their first appointment and any follow up meetings. I often consult with them via email and telephone calls as well.
What kind of legal matters are you working on at the moment?
Currently, I am working on divorce and financial matters. There are also some children matters in which I am involved.
What is the most challenging aspect about being a trainee solicitor?
I think the most challenging part of being a trainee solicitor is moving seats. I found that after 6 months in the Residential Property department I really started to understand it. When I moved to the Family department it felt like I started a new job. It was quite challenging because there were so many new things to learn. But I also think it is great because my legal knowledge has now developed so much more over this past year, and I love learning something new every day.
What have you enjoyed the most about your experience so far?
I have really enjoyed being a trainee at Lamb Brooks. I have enjoyed having the opportunity to develop both in the Residential Property team and in the Family Law team and I am looking forward to my next seats. When I moved to the family department, I had a very warm welcome and it made me feel at ease. I also enjoy going to networking events at which I have already met a lovely bunch of people who I keep in touch with.
What 3 skills do you think are needed to shine as a trainee solicitor?
Time management, organisation and communication skills.
What advice would you give to someone applying for Training Contracts?
I would say do not compare yourself to others and make yourself feel inadequate. Personally, when I was in the process of applying for a training contract, I was not feeling confident at all. I spoke with careers advisers who told me that it is very rare for graduates to get training contracts, firms usually look for individuals with legal work experience etc. It can be very discouraging and at one point I was debating whether to even try. It is difficult but do not give up and keep trying, aspiring solicitors are welcome to message me for any advice, I will do my best to help!
How will you celebrate when you qualify?
I have always wanted to go to Bali. I think after I qualify, I will try to organise a trip there! I also want to organise something so that I can celebrate with my family and friends.
What’s next? Do you have any future career plans or goals once you have qualified?
I would love to continue developing my knowledge. Once I know which area of law I want to qualify in I will take part in various training courses available to help develop my understanding of the area.