We recently caught up with Rachel, a trainee at FA, to hear more about her recent career change...
I was really attracted to the firm's culture, its openness, its inclusivity, its warmth. And I feel as though it's a place where I'm allowed to be myself and actively encouraged to be myself. And it's a firm that's flexible, it adapts to the individual needs of its colleagues.
Rachel joined Foot Anstey as a Trainee Solicitor in May 2021, a career change from her previous trajectory working in museums. It’s not easy to make the change, but at Foot Anstey Rachel was delighted to find a firm where she could succeed as a lawyer and be herself.
The firm is so responsive to the needs of its individuals and all my colleagues are such diverse and unique individuals. I really feel as though the firm has allowed room for me to not only become a part of its culture, but to bring part of myself and my culture to the firm as well.
What has been a highlight since joining?
A real highlight since I joined was when I visited Spaceport Cornwall for the first time to see the first orbital launch from UK soil, something I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would ever do as a Trainee Solicitor.
What is the support like during training?
The support at Foot Anstey as a Trainee is unparalleled. My supervisors have not only supervised me, they've been my teachers, my mentors, my sponsors. They put me forward for every opportunity, at every opportunity, and they give me the space to try and fail and also to learn through that failure.
I also feel the firm is a place where you can discuss your mental health quite openly, which has been a big relief to me because I think for a lot of people, mental health is part of their identity and you can't necessarily separate that part of yourself out from your work self. So, it's been very comforting to know that I can be at home at work in that way.
Looking forward, what excites you?
I'm really excited about the firm’s malleability, how it's constantly adapting and changing to meet with the shifting nature of the markets and clients’ expectations of us; and I'm excited to be helping the firm take that shape.