Paralegal Joshua Hayes joined CooperBurnett LLP recently, as part of the new Masters of Law (M-Law) paralegal scheme at Kent Law School (University of Kent) which we are proud to be supporting from its inception. Here he talks about his first few weeks with our firm.
By Joshua Hayes, Paralegal
“Having embarked upon the M-Law at the University of Kent, I have had the greatest opportunity to complete my Master’s qualification, alongside gaining qualifying work experience at CooperBurnett LLP, for my eventual SQE route to qualification.
My first few weeks at CooperBurnett have been invaluable. Currently I am working within the Corporate and Commercial department of the firm. From learning the new case management system to interacting with various fee earners over live matters, it has all been an amazing part of gaining the practical experience, which can arguably be missing from purely studying the black letter reading of the law.
This is where I feel that the M-Law truly offers a unique opportunity to students, as within the reading and studying of the law, the commercial and practical considerations of a transaction can at times be missed. Completing my Masters, alongside working at CooperBurnett, has offered me this crucial insight - ensuring a professional legal service is provided to each client but also that this is done in light of the commercial viability of the transaction itself.
I feel very fortunate to be working at CooperBurnett. The closeknit approach the firm takes to training is particularly present through working in a smaller team and I am glad to say this is a firm where I feel I can grow as an aspiring solicitor.
During my time here, I have been enjoying taking part in some events, including the Kent Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) Summer Party. This was extremely helpful, as a way of not only speaking to other like-minded individuals but also helping to establish and strengthen my network within the legal sphere in Tunbridge Wells.
I’m also taking part in this year’s Walk Tonbridge Marathon – part of the Walk Tonbridge Festival which CooperBurnett is supporting. It’s a 26-mile walk through the countryside around Tonbridge and we’re raising funds for Sustain, the local foodbank.
Having worked at CooperBurnett for a month now, I am due to begin my studies on the M-Law next month in Canterbury and am excited to see my training progress both at CooperBurnett and at university.”
