Life at Foot Anstey
Michael Seddon – first year trainee
Having always lived in the south west remaining in the region was paramount to me when considering where to apply for a training contract. I felt it was important that my career and my life had balance in terms of the challenges within the workplace, and the quality of life outside of it. Foot Anstey stood out as the ideal place in which to work and pursue a career as it seemed to offer that balance.
I was impressed by the way in which Foot Anstey marketed itself as a progressive firm whose aim was to be the best in the region, and a little further research revealed that within the firm there was a wealth of expertise and a multitude of high profile clients. I knew I had to work extremely hard to get the job and the interview day was slightly daunting, but I steeled myself and having negotiated a nervous morning interview, my confidence grew in the afternoon and I felt that I did myself justice. At interview I was informed that Foot Anstey had a pretty aggressive growth strategy, and two years on, the rate at which the firm is growing and developing is startling to say the least.
As a trainee, my experience so far has been diverse and involved, and has certainly lived up to expectations. In my first seat in commercial property, I have had the chance to become involved in some major deals and undertake important jobs within these deals, which shows the trust and confidence that Foot Anstey has in their trainees. I very quickly became settled within my department. Even though I had a couple of years of experience as a paralegal behind me, there is so much to learn, and having staff of all levels close by and willing to lend a hand or an ear has certainly helped me acclimatise to this.
Already I have had the opportunity to be involved in various activities including attending law fairs, meeting with potential employees and even playing football for the Foot Anstey 5-a-side team (who are the newly crowned Plymouth Law Society Champions!). There are various dinners, quiz evenings, charity and community events in which Foot Anstey regularly participates and often sponsors, as well as regular drinks evenings for staff and the annual Christmas Party extravaganza, all of which make for an fun, interesting and busy social scene.
For those who strive towards a challenging career, but who also want to be able to enjoy life and the fruits of your hard work, then Foot Anstey is the place to be. I realised this early on, and I’m sure that anyone else who comes here will find the same.
