Qualifying as a Commercial Property Associate
Finishing the qualification process is an exciting milestone in any legal career and I am thrilled to now be one of the 213,874 solicitors on the roll in England and Wales.
The transition from trainee to associate has been an interesting one. It feels like everything changes overnight, but in terms of knowledge level, obviously nothing does. For a while, I thought it would be helpful if my email signature was updated daily with how long I had been qualified, just as a reminder to anyone who assumed I was particularly experienced.
My commercial property seat was my second seat. At Hunters, there is a significant amount of responsibility and client involvement early on, and I found three and a half months into the 6 month seat was the sweet spot where confidence starts to build. Now at the four (ish) months qualified mark, I am looking forward to establishing myself further in the area.
What stands out about the change from trainee to associate is that there is a distinct difference in exposure to all elements of the file. Rather than mainly helping with discrete tasks, I am more often trusted to be responsible for the progress of the matter and to ask the supervising partner for input where required.
At Hunters, commercial property encompasses such a wide range of practice areas (sales and purchases, landlord and tenant work, refinancing, rural land, and development to name a few) and what I most enjoy is the sheer variety of work that comes across my desk. I feel like I am always learning more about the legal processes and concepts, but also case management. Commercial property is a field defined by constant movement and no two matters are the same. Working with landowners, occupiers, developers, and charities has given me valuable insight into the commercial realities behind the law. Many clients come with unique objectives that influence how we advise them and helping them navigate a challenging market or achieve a long‑planned expansion is incredibly fulfilling.
In terms of support and development, one of the most distinctive aspects of working at Hunters is the opportunity to work so closely with partners. The department’s culture is genuinely open and collaborative. I continue to feel like I might find the exception to the rule of “there is no such thing as a stupid question”, but I have found that it is always better to ask. Being able to do so is truly one of the benefits of working so closely with partners; having direct access to their experience, discussing drafting approaches, and reviewing tailored feedback feels like it has accelerated my confidence and competence.
The result is, I feel that I can take on more complex matters with full assurance that I will be able to go through the amendments with a partner as an effective part of the learning process. Having an environment that encourages curiosity and transparency has made the transition into my new role feel both supported and exciting.