As part of National Careers Week, 4th - 9th March 2024, we are introducing you to our Trainee Solicitors. Please meet Peter.
Peter joined GWCA in November 2022 as part of our prestigious Training Contract programme.
Peter studied Law at Sussex University between 2014 – 2017. After graduating, he joined the Police as a response officer in Brighton and served during the pandemic in 2020. Although he had built a respect and love for the world of Law, he decided to hang up his police uniform in favour of a suit!
After leaving the police he completed his Legal Practice Course (LPC) online through The University of Law (London). With his new qualification, Peter was looking for his next step; finding a law firm which could offer him a training contract. In November 2021, Peter decided to move permanently to the seaside town of Worthing and gained office-based experience within other law firms, however no-one was looking for a trainee solicitor having just come out of the pandemic.
Peter saw an opportunity with GWCA as a trainee solicitor, applied, and interviewed with two of the Firm’s Partners, starting in November 2022!
Peter is currently gaining experience as part of the Litigation team in Worthing. In March, Peter’s final transition of his training contract will have him heading to our Rustington office to gain experience as part of our Probate team.
In his spare time, Peter likes to disconnect from technology by going for walks across the South Downs and is a member of Worthing Musical Comedy Society. He starred in their production of Legally Blonde in 2023 and will also be in the upcoming ‘This is our Show’.
Peter always wanted a career in law. He was always told that law was one of the hardest degrees and he wanted to prove those people wrong! Peter really enjoys the history side of law, centuries of how law has been constructed and refined, people sitting down and building upon the importance and necessity.
Within his time at GWCA he understands how different it is studying law verses applying it to everyday matters. Learning how law is applied and different people work, he gets to experience both sides.
When Peter first started, he was worried he wouldn’t remember parts from his studies, however Jon Rogers, Partner of GWCA, was open and honest with him from the start. Jon took things back to basics and mentored Peter to ensure things were done correctly.
Peter found that learning the fundamentals is key. Once he understood these fundamentals, he had the knowledge of how the law works and how to piece everything together.
Peter had to bring a sense of discipline into his role. He knew that if he missed or forgot something, the implications could be detrimental to him and the Firm.He felt that he needed to keep track of his work and be organised as he could find himself working on multiple cases at any one time.
From his time in the Police force, he also realised that knowing how to communicate with people and reading body language is a very important skill.
In the first year of his Training Contract, he completed nine months in with the Conveyancing team in Arundel. He then moved on to the Litigation team in Worthing where he has been for the last six months. In March, Peter will be finishing his training contract with the Probate team in Rustington. He has always found that no matter who he asks there are always people to help him and talk through things to get the best results for the Client.
Having worked in different seats across the GWCA offices, Peter is still considering which area in law he would like to focus on once he qualifies in November 2024.
Advice from Peter: “Go above and beyond, make that first impression last. It’s easier to make a good first impression than to turn around somebody’s bad perception of you. Throw yourself into it, you are testing this job out to see if it is a good fit for you as much as the company is doing the same – find your purpose.”