After six months of hard work, persistence, and the occasional bout of imposter syndrome, you finally find your footing. You’ve developed a strong foundation in the law, settled into the team, and maybe, just maybe, started to feel like you know what you’re doing.
But just as you hit your stride, it’s time to move on. Congratulations! You’ve survived another seat on your journey to qualification.
Now comes the ritual: clearing your desk and finally turning your attention to those matters that have been sitting at the bottom of your to-do list. You carefully prepare a handover note for the next trainee and soak up those final words of wisdom from your supervisor.
It’s a bittersweet moment, reflecting on lessons learned, accomplishments, and wondering where the last six months went.
New Beginnings
As one chapter closes, another begins… it’s seat rotation time. I arrive early on my first day in Corporate—wide-eyed, eager, and armed with a crisp new Pukka Pad and ballpoint pen, reminiscent of the first day back at school.
I step into my first team meeting, and it quickly becomes clear that transitioning from Insolvency to Corporate won’t involve any respite—you’re back in the deep end.
The first week is a whirlwind of tight deadlines and quick turnarounds on supporting completion documents. The work is dynamic and fast-paced, and the acronyms? Endless. But with each new task, I’m building on the foundations laid in my previous seat, proving that starting fresh doesn’t mean starting from scratch.
Reflection
With the reset button now firmly pressed, I reflect on everything I’ve learned while adjusting to a transactional seat.
In Insolvency, I was immersed in contentious work—handling distressed assets, preparing hearing bundles, and regularly attending court. I worked closely with Insolvency Practitioners, gaining hands-on experience in liquidations, administrations, and negotiating settlements with distressed company directors.
While Insolvency is typically reactive, assisting Insolvency Practitioners, Corporate takes a more proactive approach.
The focus shifts: instead of managing crises or working within tight court-imposed timelines, the emphasis is now on creating opportunities and meeting client-driven deadlines.
Carrying Lessons Forward
One of the best parts of moving seats is realising just how much you’ve absorbed without even noticing. From Insolvency, I’ve gained a solid understanding of company structures, creditor priorities, and what it takes to unravel a business (and sometimes, what makes a good deal fall apart). That “red flag radar” has already come in handy during early-stage due diligence in Corporate.
Insolvency has also taught me how to stay calm under pressure, communicate clearly, and read between the lines of the numbers, all while managing a high workload.
I’ve developed client-facing skills, learning to navigate challenging situations with a thoughtful approach—skills that prove just as useful when working on an acquisition as they did when preparing a winding-up petition.
Looking Ahead
If Insolvency showed me what happens when things go wrong, Corporate is teaching me how to get them right from the start. Both seats require strong commercial awareness, the ability to stay two steps ahead, and an unwavering focus on people.
While the subject matter differs, the core trainee skills—attention to detail, communication, organisation, and adaptability—carry across. Each seat shapes how I view the law, the client, and myself as a legal professional.
As I settle into my new seat, I’m looking forward to embracing fresh challenges, gaining new insights, and continuing to grow both personally and professionally, while taking on as much feedback as possible to improve along the way.
