Will is our most recently qualified solicitor which makes him an excellent choice as the interview candidate for our first Spotlight.
View or download our pdf here.
Tell us about your early life. Are you Cardiff born and bred?
I am indeed.
I am one of three siblings with a brother and sister.
I went to school in Cardiff and College in Filton, Bristol. I then came back to South Wales to study my LLB and LPC at the University of South Wales and I qualified as a Solicitor on 17th August this year.
How did it feel when you qualified?
It felt amazing; like I had finally achieved my dream. It took me 6 years of practising law to qualify. Because I combined my LPC with my training contract, it was really difficult to manage my time and I had to make a lot of sacrifices. I’m
delighted that the time and effort I’ve put in has finally paid off.
Just how tough was it?
Very! The exam season lasts for two months during which I used to get up every morning at 6 am for a gym workout, be at work from
9 am until 5 pm and then go home and study until 10 pm every night. To cap it all off, there is no guarantee that after you complete your training contract that you will be given a job with your firm. I’m delighted to have been given a full-time position so that I can continue my career with Robertsons.
Was the legal sector your career destiny?
Not at all.
When I left college I became a full-time rugby player at the Cardiff Blues Academy. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be.
Leaving the Academy was very difficult for me. I needed to find something that I loved doing and I always had an interest in politics. Politics and law are very interlinked and so the move into law was a natural one to make.
It was quite a change from rugby to law, but after my first few weeks in university, I knew that I had made the right choice.
What led you to your particular area of law?
I was assigned to the Litigation and Employment department at Robertsons during my second seat. After finding my feet, I felt that this was an area I could enjoy, excel and specialise in.
What are the highs and lows of your job?
The best part of the job is obtaining a good result for my clients. At all times, I act in their best interests and there’s no better feeling than when a client is happy with the service I’ve delivered.
The job comes with a certain amount of pressure though. As a solicitor, you are only usually required when someone believes they have been wronged.
If I do not secure a good outcome for the client, their life may be detrimentally impacted. Therefore, the job comes with a substantial amount of pressure.
Tell us a Will story.
Because I’d studied at university before, I had to pay for the first year of my LLB Law degree. It was a lot of money for a 21-year-old to find, but not wanting to give up, I asked my brother if there were any vacancies in his company.
Luckily, there were and I spent the entire summer working 12-hour shifts, 6 days a week which enabled me to afford my fees for the year.
What does your spare time look like?
Work, gym, walking my dog and renovating my first house. I don’t have much spare time at the moment! However, I am partial to a few beers on a Friday.
