My name is George Yabsley and I am currently a second-year trainee solicitor at WBW Solicitors in the Dispute Resolution team. I grew up here in Devon, going to school locally before spending 3 years in Reading where I studied for my undergraduate degree in History and Politics. I then returned to Devon where I completed a further 2 years with the University of Law before starting at WBW in the Dispute Resolution team as a Legal Assistant. I then spent a year in this position before starting my training contract in the Employment team at the beginning of last year.

I decided on a legal career when I was at university. I knew I liked to talk, debate and problem-solve from a fairly early age, but I was never quite sure about which career path to go down. I discovered I enjoyed interacting with the public after stints in hospitality and in sales, but I knew that I wanted a more commercially focused position. I also knew that Devon was where I truly belonged and felt that there was a lot to gain from building a career here.

I was lucky enough to obtain work experience at WBW in the middle of my studies at university, and so I already knew the firm fairly well before joining in a full-time role. What attracted me to WBW was that they had offices right across the South West. They had a diverse offering, ranging from more traditional areas such as private client and residential property, but was able to boast growing commercial and dispute resolution outfits.

The support I have received since joining WBW – and even since I started work experience – has been excellent. The most valuable gift you can give to someone is your time, and what is striking about the lawyers here is how willing they are to give you theirs. Whenever you have a question, you never feel like you are being rushed or that you are irritating anybody. There is a real sense that everyone is passionate about what they do here and that they are only too happy to share their knowledge with you. When I moved on from my first and second seats, I wondered if this would change as I began to work in other departments. It didn’t. It is the same right across the firm. It’s a real stand-out feature at WBW and one that isn’t necessarily replicated elsewhere.

I am currently 4 months away from qualifying as a solicitor, having completed other seats in Employment, Corporate Commercial and Commercial Property. Imposter syndrome is real and it never goes away! My advice to prospective trainees would be to make the most of every seat as it can provide you with a lot of choice when you come to qualify. Make the most of networking opportunities, and don’t miss out on the free bar at the Christmas party!

For information on the current vacancies and roles at WBW Solicitors, please visit our careers page. Discover exciting opportunities to grow and develop your legal career with a supportive and diverse team.

WBW has offices in Torquay, Paignton, Newton Abbot, Exeter, Bovey Tracey,  Exmouth,  Honiton,  Sidmouth,  Launceston,  Axminster, Chard and Seaton.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.