By Mariah Harrold
Upon starting my Internship at Gedling Legal I’ve undertook a variety of tasks from; drafting legal documents such as licence agreements, admin tasks, legal research and taking part in the tea cycle! Which have all given me valuable transferrable skills which I look forward to using in the future in both legal and non legal settings alike.
I have found that by being within a practical legal environment has changed how I evaluate and think about problems. It has also opened my eyes to issues that I’d never previously considered such as data protection and the attention to detail needed to avoid breaches. Alongside this, it has been refreshing to work in such a different and more formal environment compared to what I am used to as a barmaid. One of my main goals was to develop my weaker skills whilst being here, so far I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my time management and my IT skills. Possibly the biggest thing I’ve learnt since being here is an understanding of how a Local Government works and how the law is integrated into all the aspects of our lives.
Working with the Gedling Legal team has made me feel so at ease and able to ask for help when I’ve needed. The team have also given me a lot of independence by trusting me to draft various legal documents such as licences. In addition to this, they have also helped me to render any mistakes calmly and efficiently which then helped me to come to a reasonable solution. I’ve found that this has improved my problem solving skills by teaching me how to remain calm when things go wrong.
Overall my experience as an intern for Gedling Legal has been overwhelmingly positive and has opened my eyes to an alternative career path in Law which I’d previously not considered.