New trainees: Class of 2024!
We are delighted to introduce our new trainee solicitors Kensey Williams, Francesca Dooley, Isobel Ryan-Dalton, and Abigail Wilkinson.
Introducing Kensey Williams:
Kensey, who has previous paralegal experience, was drawn to Greenwoods to complete her training contract as a result of our values:
“It was important to me that I work for a firm that shares the same values as me. One of the many things I love about the job is building relationships with clients – the Greenwoods brand reflects this in its ‘lawyers you’ll enjoy working with’ approach, and it was clear from the firm’s website that the staff are ‘human, relatable, and approachable”
When asked about the area of law she is looking forward to experiencing the most she said: “I am really open to gaining experience in all departments/sectors as I appreciate that what I have learnt academically can often work differently in practice. I am grateful to be spending time with both the Disputes and Compliance teams to begin with. Understanding all the regulations around confirming client identity and sources of funds is very interesting, and I am eager to learn more.”
Meet Francesca Dooley:
“Having completed a history degree, I enjoy a healthy debate and constructing arguments to be used in persuasive form. Any opportunity I may have to attend hearings or trials will hold great excitement for me, primarily to be a ‘fly on the wall’ and absorb as much as possible!”
Before joining Greenwoods as a trainee solicitor, Francesca worked in both residential and commercial property as a paralegal at two different firms. She has also spent time volunteering at the Citizens Advice, building connections with the community and a greater understanding of the issues people face on the ground. “This experience has been a great introduction to the law in practice. I certainly gained an appreciation for how to provide excellent client service.”
“I hope to become a well-rounded solicitor by the end of my training contract and be a solicitor who clients feel confident employing, but also want to return to time and time again.”
Introducing Isobel Ryan-Dalton
Isobel’s path to Greenwoods was unique; she originally studied Politics at university, but after an internship at the Houses of Parliament, discovered that the political world wasn’t for her. “I realised the parts of politics I had really enjoyed were more evident in law, so I undertook the GDL (law conversion course).”
Isobel started working as a paralegal at Greenwoods in March 2022. “I had already been offered a training contract, but I was asked if I could join the Real Estate team before my training contract began to provide additional support on a number of key client projects. I worked with a wide range of clients, from large corporations to private individuals, and assisted with both freehold and leasehold transactions.”
When asked what area of law interests her the most, she said “I am most looking forward to working with the Corporate and Commercial team. It was the area of law I was most interested in whilst at University and I am excited to see how it works in practice.”
Meet Abigail Wilkinson
After graduating in law at the University of Sussex, Abi completed her LPC part time in Guildford while living and working in Brighton before making her way to London where she is now based. She has worked predominantly in residential property over the last few years, gaining experience in a wide range of environments, from high street to international firms. “I believe that finding the right working environment is just as important as finding your specialty.”
Abi joined Greenwoods in 2019 as a residential property paralegal before moving into Wealth Preservation in late 2020. “Before moving to Greenwoods, my experience had been predominantly in residential property, and I was convinced that would be my forever role. Now that I have had the opportunity to branch out, I am excited to work with teams that I might not have considered previously and to learn as much as possible.”
Abi hopes to gain as much hands-on experience as possible and is looking forward to building relationships both inside and outside of the firm. “I wanted to qualify into a firm with a personal approach, it was clear from the outset that Greenwoods values the individuals within it and strives to create a sense of community across all three offices. I know that training with Greenwoods will offer a high level of exposure which is a great way to learn and build confidence.”
You can find out more about what trainees at Greenwoods get involved in by following @greenwoodstrainees.
We are always on the lookout for new talent to join us. If you’d like to build your career in a law firm far from identikit, check out our join us pages and get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
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