A Volunteers Tale

I am currently a volunteer at Wyre Forest Citizens Advice Bureau and have been volunteering for 18 months. My role as a gateway assessor is to advise on issues such as family law, employment law and welfare benefits. As well as volunteering at Citizens Advice Bureau, I also study the legal practice course at the University of Law in Birmingham after graduating with a 2:1 from the University of Birmingham.

Volunteering at Citizens Advice Bureau has allowed me to gain invaluable work experience in the legal sector. So much so, I was offered a training contract to become a solicitor in February 2016 from Hine Solicitors. The firm specialises in criminal law and private client work and I will be working in these sectors in their Buckinghamshire office from July 2016.

The volunteer work that I have conducted at Citizens advice bureau was highly valued by Hine solicitors and they were very interested in what my role is. It has allowed me to put legal experience on my CV. This has been attractive to many other firms such as Mills and Reeve and Quality Solicitor Talbots who have offered me further working experience. As well as helping me in my career path, I have made many friends who will I stay in touch with when I leave.

Therefore, volunteering at Wyre Forest Citizens Advice has given me the opportunity to be offered a training contract at one of the leading criminal law firms. I will be able to leave Citizens Advice Bureau with invaluable legal experience in advising clients on the phone and in face to face appointments which will be extremely helpful in my new job.