Isabelle W

Profile:

After moving across the country and starting a new secondary school in Newbury, I achieved disappointing A Level grades and missed out on my first choice university. This led me to study Law at UWE in Bristol. Throughout my time at UWE I worked odd jobs at Wetherspoons and the Student Union kitchen and would work throughout the summer printing name labels. I also tried to fit in volunteering when I could, helping out at a local homeless shelter.

After graduating it dawned on me how difficult it was to get legal work experience without a connection to the firm so instead turned my attention to gaining office experience and worked in sales and marketing for a family run roasted seed company. After applying to VWV I worked as a paralegal in Bristol and two years after graduating, it was my first legal job. Once I had been offered my Training Contract I took the opportunity to work in the Magistrates Court as an Usher. This was throughout Covid and so although it was a challenging time, I was able to gain real exposure to Law from a different perspective and I was able to see the impact a good lawyer can have.

Although this wasn’t a traditional route to a Training Contract, having worked consistently since I was 17 I had developed a wide range of skills which eventually helped my Training Contract application stand out. I also believe I am a more well-rounded lawyer because of the variety of jobs I have worked. I really believe that every job is valuable and I would love to help aspiring solicitors to realise that your grades and university choice does not define your legal career.

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