Case studies: Solicitor and notary public: Peter Alderdice

Peter is a recently qualified solicitor and notary public at Tods Murray LLP. He studied for an LLB (Hons) in Law and German at the University of Edinburgh. He also obtained his Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the same institution.

During my university studies, I was awarded a scholarship for achieving top marks in two subjects, commercial law and property law. The scholarship was sponsored by a law firm (my current employer). The firm offered me the chance to do an internship with them for two months in the summer between the second and third years of my undergraduate course.

At the end of the internship, I was invited to an interview for a traineeship with the firm. As a result of the interview, I was offered a two-year training contract, which was conditional on passing the LLB with a 2:1 or higher - I passed with first class honours - and passing the Diploma in Legal Practice.

During my time as a trainee solicitor, I worked in four different departments within the firm, spending six months in each. At the end of the two-year traineeship, I was offered a permanent position as a qualified solicitor in the firm's banking department.

Completing the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and then the Diploma in Legal Practice is by far the most common way of securing a job as a trainee solicitor (and, thereafter, a job as a qualified solicitor). The content of both of those courses is very relevant to the daily tasks which a solicitor performs.

Much of my day-to-day job involves working with legal documents in the context of banking and finance.

Typical tasks include:

• interpreting the meaning of a written loan agreement and explaining to a business what its rights and responsibilities are under the agreement;
• drafting a security document, such as a mortgage, for a bank or a financial institution;
• negotiating the terms of a legal document with a solicitor who is representing another party; and
• providing advice on a legal issue to a client by telephone, email and letter.

The law is always changing and developing, as new cases are decided by courts and new legislation is passed by parliament. A small part of my day, therefore, is spent keeping up to date with the latest developments in the law.

I intend to continue practising as a solicitor. My ambition is to be promoted to positions of greater responsibility where I will be asked to advise on more complex transactions and more difficult legal issues. Eventually, I would hope to become a partner of a law firm.

My job is intellectually stimulating; often I have to analyse complex legal issues. I enjoy finding the solution to difficult problems.

I also enjoy helping two people or businesses to reach an agreement. It is rewarding, after a long period of negotiation, to produce a written document which embodies that agreement, because it is a tangible end result.

The most challenging aspect of my work is managing relationships with other people, such as managing a client's expectations about how long a task will take, or maintaining a professional relationship with another solicitor when negotiations are proving difficult.

As a solicitor, one is entrusted with responsibility for issues which can have a large impact on the lives of many people. The legal advice which solicitors provide is highly valued and it is rewarding to be able to assist people who have difficult legal problems.

A career as a solicitor can be very rewarding. It can be difficult to get started on that career path, however, because there is a lot of competition for jobs. When applying for a position as a trainee or qualified solicitor, it is important to set oneself apart from other applicants by putting together a good CV which demonstrates an excellent academic ability and plenty of relevant work experience. Law firms look for well-rounded individuals, so it is necessary to show an interest in hobbies and activities beyond the realm of law.