How would you describe the culture at Hunters in three words?
Friendly, supportive and collaborative. We all know that when you’re researching firms, every firm will say they have a friendly culture with an open-door policy – at Hunters, this is actually true.
Hunters is the type of firm where you genuinely know everyone you work with. As a trainee you move seats, but you will also encounter people in other departments. On my first day, people stopped to speak to me as the “new trainee”, whether passing in the corridor or whilst making a cup of tea in the kitchen. It was nice to know that people in the firm want to get to know me. As a trainee this was also refreshing because it can feel daunting enough starting at a new firm, let alone having to go up and introduce yourself to so many new people.
What seats have you been in so far?
Private Client, Corporate Commercial/Litigation/Charities and Family. I am now in my final seat which is with the Commercial Property and Residential Property departments.
I have had a range of experience in each seat but one thing which has remained consistent throughout them all has been the opportunity to have a high level of responsibility. This did seem slightly daunting at first, especially when moving to a department such as Corporate Commercial, in which I had no prior experience. However, the team was always on hand to answer any questions I had, which was reassuring.
What lessons have you learnt from your experience?
I think the key lessons are to not be afraid to ask questions and remembering that I am here to learn. There is a reason that it is called a training contract; as the name suggests, we are here for training – no one expects us to have all the answers.
Before I began my training contract, I was working as a Family Paralegal, so moving away from the Family world and starting in the Private Client department felt a bit like a jump in the deep end, as I had to think back to my undergraduate and LPC days about wills and trusts.
I quickly realised how supportive the teams can be, as the culture really is that there is no silly question, and whether it was an associate or a partner, people were happy to answer any questions.
Equally, I have been encouraged throughout each of my seats to voice my thoughts on the cases I am working on too, which really helps in getting me into the mindset of thinking “like a solicitor” because, when junior, it can be very easy to fall into just doing the tasks you’re given, as you’re not always given the opportunity to take the lead or express your opinion.
This support is definitely standing me in good stead as I am moving through my final seat and towards qualification.
What is one piece of advice you would give to applicants?
Be yourself. It sounds clichéd but it is true. Making sure that your personality comes through in your application is key to making you stand out, because at the end of the day, there is no one else like you.
This will also help those reviewing your application or interviewing you to see how you would fit into Hunters and how Hunters can benefit you in terms of your progression. Make sure you include elements in your application that showcase your interests and who you are, beyond the academics and work experience.
There are quite a few partners at Hunters who trained here (which in itself says something about the firm), so they have been in your shoes of going through the application process. They know that there will be nerves but try to let your personality shine through those nerves.