Introducing Amy
Amy Law is an LPC/LLM student at Northumbria University and a corporate paralegal in a magic circle firm.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in law?
I always loved watching court room dramas growing up – Law & Order was a favourite in my household.
As cliché as it sounds, that is what initially sparked my interest – standing in court and arguing for a living definitely appealed to my stubborn 14-year-old self.
However, studying law at university made me realise how broad the law really is and how different types of law are applied in everyday situations. Something that really grabbed my interest was intellectual property law, this is mainly because with the increase and development of new software and technology, the opportunities for IP rights to emerge grows.
What path have you taken to become a corporate paralegal?
I graduated with a first-class law degree from Leeds Beckett University in July 2021. I then completed a 3-month placement as a Conveyancing Paralegal at Browell Smith & Co Solicitors. This was my first legal job, and it gave me a real insight into how private client firms operate. I gained such valuable experience there and it was a great start to my legal career.
I started as a corporate paralegal at the end of September once my placement finished. I work 4 days a week and have 1 day for my LPC classes – although balancing this workload is difficult, it allows me to gain experience in a magic circle firm whilst completing my studies.
Give us an overview of a day at a magic circle law firm?
A typical day for me would look like:
5:50am – 3 or 4 times a week, I go to the gym for an hour in the morning. Although this has no relevance to my role or being a paralegal in general, I find myself getting quite restless sitting at a desk all day. Going to the gym in the morning helps me focus whilst I’m working and often prevents that mid-afternoon slump.
9:00am – I get to the office and the first thing I do is check my emails. This sets me up for the day, allows me to see my workload and helps when I plan my day.
10:45am – Every morning the corporate team has a 15-minute meeting. This is always super casual and allows everyone to explain their workload and reallocate tasks if needed. It’s also an opportunity to see who is in the office that day and ask any questions I may have about the work.
11:00am – After the meeting, the next few hours are spent working on tasks. In the corporate team, my main role is to review non-disclosure agreements that our clients want to enter. Whilst we can all happily accept the terms and conditions of the new iOS update, businesses don’t have that luxury – that is where I come in.
13:00 – Lunch time! As trivial as it sounds, lunch time is a great opportunity to meet new people and build your network. Never underestimate the significance of having a good network; not only does this allow you to always have a lunch buddy, it gives you access to a range of different people with different knowledge and experience.
13:30 – Back to work, I usually continue with whatever tasks I was working on before lunch. As well as reviewing the NDAs sent to me, I amend them in line with the guidance provided by our clients.
17:00 – I finish up for the day and head home. I usually spend between an hour to two hours a night going through university work and making sure I am prepared for my classes.
Photo by All Bong on Unsplash – Follow Amy on LinkedIn for more legal industry insights.
