Louis Brown

After finishing University, I had an idea, of course, that I wanted to qualify as a solicitor; however, not long after finishing University, COVID-19 hit and put a halt on looking for a job in law. As the Covid restrictions slowly lifted, I managed to secure a job in a local law firm. Not long after an opportunity came up with Nash & Co. From the offset, Nash & Co really cared about me, my ambitions and what I wanted to do in my career, so I joined Nash & Co as a paralegal – with the agreement that I would transition into a Trainee Solicitor role shortly after. 

The ability to start my exams quickly was a huge selling point in joining Nash & Co and I didn’t have to wait long – around two months after I joined, I enrolled in the SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Exams). The flexibility in being able to complete the Qualifying Work Experience element of the SQE alongside my studies and working, was a huge plus. I also wasn’t a big fan of the traditional training contract, in that I wanted to get my teeth stuck in and four six-month placements in different departments, just wasn’t how I wanted to do it.

As anyone who has gone through, or is in the process of going through, the SQE will tell you it’s not easy – the study workload is not light (!) – however, I always felt supported at Nash & Co. I knew who I could speak to, who had recently completed the SQE and might be able to provide some words of wisdom, and I was also given time off around my exams to help me focus my last-minute revision.

My first seat as a trainee solicitor was in the Conveyancing team, where I spent around a year. Conveyancing was new territory for me, and I found it very different to Land Law at University (which had almost bored me to tears on occasion), and I found the work engaging. The variety of clients we worked with, from first-time homebuyers to experienced property developers, made every day different. The team was brilliant at giving me hands-on experience while also supporting my learning curve – I quickly learnt that there was a lot more that went into buying and selling houses than I had thought! The time in the conveyancing team was great to build my functional understanding of property law, client management, and the intricate process of property transactions.

As much as I enjoyed conveyancing, my heart had always been set on Employment Law, which was my favourite module at University. Employment law is always evolving with new case law and legislation continuously shaping the landscape and I knew this was where I wanted to be so, when I has the chance to move into the Employment team, I jumped at it and have been here ever since. I qualified into the Employment Team and find the varied day-to-day work to be an exciting challenge – one moment you are supporting a client in defending a claim in the Employment Tribunal and the next, supporting a nationwide business with their day-to-day needs.

One of the standout features of Nash & Co, and something that I often find myself telling peers at other firms, is the culture here. From day one, I felt that I was part of a team that truly values its people. It’s not just about hitting billable targets (though those are important, of course) – there’s a genuine focus on professional development and well-being. Whether it’s the regular team-building events or the open-door policy with senior partners, the culture at Nash & Co is something I’ve grown to appreciate deeply. I’ve found that everyone is approachable, and there’s a real emphasis on collaboration, not competition.