Commercial Awareness for Solicitor Apprentices Week 7

Commercial Awareness for Solicitor Apprentices

Introduction: This week we interview George Hannah who is a solicitor apprentice at Lewis Silkin, investigate what lawyers think about AI in law and the legal ramifications of Trump winning the US election. At the end I share some advice learnt the hard way that I hope we can all take on board. 

1) Tell us about your background

I am a first-year solicitor apprentice in Lewis Silkin’s Immigration Team. I come from a state school background, which has instilled in me a strong work ethic and a focus on resilience. I live outside of London, my commute is just over an hour from home in South Cambridgeshire.

Outside the office, I am a keen rower - a pursuit that not only keeps me active but also helps me maintain a healthy work-life balance. I find that rowing enhances my mental and physical discipline, qualities I value as I grow within my apprenticeship.

2) What did you look for in a potential law firm when applying?

When choosing a law firm, I focus on three key qualities that I believe are essential for my professional growth as an apprentice.

First, I value firms with a smaller intake. This structure creates an environment where I can gain hands-on experience and a wide breadth of exposure, working closely with various teams and experienced professionals. A smaller intake also means more mentorship and opportunities to develop skills early on in my career.

Secondly, I look for a firm that is forward-thinking and modern. In today’s legal landscape, it’s important to work with a firm that embraces innovation and proactively adapts to industry changes. This kind of mindset allows for more dynamic problem-solving and ensures the firm stays competitive, therefore wins more work that I'll perhaps get to work on!

Most importantly, I seek a firm with a reputation for handling interesting work and prestigious clients, with class-leading practices. Working on high-quality, challenging cases and being part of industry-leading teams motivates me to consistently develop my skills. It’s this combination of exposure, innovation, and exceptional work that led me to Lewis Silkin, a firm that exemplifies all these qualities and provides the ideal environment for my legal career to thrive.

3) What makes immigration law interesting to you?

The work is highly dynamic, with constantly evolving rules and regulations. We have the chance to work with high-profile clients and gain valuable experience communicating with them directly from an early stage. Our clients include footballers, actors, musicians, and other professionals from the creative industries. It’s very real-world and relevant, especially with shifting political landscapes and new promises that come with changes in government.

4) Do you think pro bono work is good or could be developed?( and if so how?)

I believe pro bono work is incredibly valuable and has significant potential for development. It not only benefits individuals and communities in need of legal assistance but also allows lawyers to broaden their skills, take on meaningful cases, and contribute positively to society.

Pro bono work could be further developed by increasing awareness within firms and creating more structured pathways for legal professionals to participate. For example, dedicating specific hours or offering incentives for those who engage in pro bono activities could encourage greater involvement. Additionally, partnering with a wider variety of charities, non-profits, and community organisations would diversify the reach of pro bono services, making legal support more accessible to underserved populations.

5) If you had to pitch LS in one word or sentence what would it be?

Forward-thinking 

Interview takeaway: George clearly shows a great mindset for any aspiring apprentice to adopt. You have to personalise an application to show the values you look for and make sure you are applying for the right reasons. 

Commercial legal explainer: In a recent survey of lawyers, we now have a detailed analysis on what lawyers think about AI. The headline is the ⅔ of lawyers think professional bodies like the law society should play a key part in regulation. This would mean creating legislation as well as enforcing the rules they create, and the prerogative is said to come from the cross-industry wealth of knowledge and experience all the lawyers who are part of the law society have. 

A unique finding is that 40% of lawyers think that whistleblowing for misuse of AI within law firms is a priority. This would obviously be monumental in ensuring the law remains transparent and that real people are delivering justice and acting in the best interests of the people/their clients. 

Lawyers are focused on accountability in a forever dynamic legal world and if there was an issue of competence, they are concerned that AI could jeopardise their licence to practise, with lifelong implications. 

*Interview tip: AI is often talked about, even in previous editions of this newsletter. As aspiring apprentices, we need to know what our future colleagues are thinking. When you can show that you agree with regulation of AI you are showing you are committed to a transparent and ethically strong future. As a young person, some  use AI in our daily life and that can be used to show a fresh and youth focused perspective on the role of AI in the law. 

Worldwide commercial law news: When I started this newsletter, I wrote about Donald Trump. And now he has won the election. In a 1997 Supreme Court ruling stemming from a civil lawsuit then-President Bill Clinton was involved in, the justices unanimously decided that sitting presidents could not invoke presidential immunity to avoid civil litigation while in office. This means that he is still liable in lawsuits etc, which is a sharp contrast to the litany of criminal charges he is facing, which he could theoretically overthrow now he is president (again). The nuance here lies in precedence for presidential immunity, of which there is none, which means that in a novel situation like this jurists are going to have to scrutinise every decision with intense scrutiny to ensure the principles of democracy are upheld. 

The criminal charges Trump faces include election fraud, classified documents, hush money and the riot on january 6th. If he were to be convicted on all charges he could face a very long time in prison, and due to the vague wording of the US constitution he could be a prisoner and still be the president. However, this being Trump he wants to exonerate himself to protect his reputation. However, the pinnacle of modern democracy is all about transparency and honesty, or else risk a regression into corruption and potential dictatorships, which under UN law are only allowed in an emergency. 

*interview tip: Whether you support the democrats like me, or the republicans, It is undeniable that the world's legal future has dramatically changed. Most international law firms are headquartered in either California or New York, which voted democrat, therefore in an interview with an american headquartered law firm you can discuss intra-american legal comparisons to show your geopolitical awareness and show sensitivity to the law reaching beyond political bias. Being able to advocate as a lawyer regardless of political persuasions is vital to ensure the rule of law is carried out with due diligence and scrutiny.  

Advice from someone in the same boat: You are going to get rejected. No matter how much passion you put into an application, if there is a Watson Glaser test, you could get rejected before your application is read due to a low score. I got rejected from a law firm last week and it really affected me, that was a firm I was inspired by and could see myself making a real difference as an advocate for clients and their best interests. However, as someone who struggles with academics a low Watson Glaser test score caused me to get rejected. From this I learnt a crucial lesson I hope to share: know the ins and outs of the academic requirements and adjust your applications accordingly.