Kasia Lebiecki
You studied Law at Manchester University. Was Halliwells a natural choice?
Yes. The firm was certainly a front-runner in my mind. I knew that I wanted to work for a Manchester firm, and because of their reputation in the city Halliwells appealed to me instantly. I wouldn’t say they were a natural choice because there are so many firms to choose from and you don’t really know which firm would suit you best. From my research I was drawn to Halliwells and I knew that I wanted to find out if I was well suited to the firm’s people and culture.
Was attending the Halliwells summer placement scheme instrumental in your decision making?
Definitely! Mainly because I had such a great time! I was so apprehensive about the placement, as probably everyone would be, but it made me realise that I’d be very happy to work at Halliwells. I felt comfortable straight away. The people that I met in the different departments went out of their way to make me feel comfortable. You really get to grips with the role that you would play as a trainee and you are very hands-on throughout the placement. I think that the summer placement is the best way to see if the firm is right for you. You get to work and socialise with current trainees and solicitors which is really great.
You have met other trainee solicitors from your intake. Do Halliwells have a type?
Not a “type” as such, but there certainly seems to be something about the trainees. When I first met the other trainees in my intake I have found them so easy to get on with – I suppose everybody has something about them, other than academic achievement. Everybody has charisma and personality, and seems to be easy-going. I think that everyone from our intake bonded instantly and we all noticed how much everyone seemed to get along.
Did you have any reservations about enrolling on the Halliwells LPC+?
Not at all! In fact, it was something that attracted me to Halliwells even more. I thought that it would be a great opportunity for everyone in the intake to be able to get to know one another before the actual training contract began. Plus, you get the opportunity to work with Halliwells’ precedents in the electives, and you’re exposed to a solid support network from day one, which helps to incorporate you into the firm.
Are you able to meet other students outside the Halliwells circle?
Absolutely! At first I was apprehensive of whether I would only be integrated with Halliwells’ trainees, but this wasn’t what happened at all. You have classes with other students for the first half of the LPC so you get a well-rounded experience. Plus there are events organised for all LPC students so you’re mixing with everyone most of the time – it seems to work really well!
Any tips for the assessment day?
Be yourself, which is obvious enough, and let your personality shine. Don’t try to say or do things which you think the assessors want to see/hear – they meet new candidates every year so I’m pretty sure they can see straight through anybody who’s putting on an act. Just act as you normally would, and don’t be too scared. It’s obviously nerve-wracking but everyone is in the same position, so don’t let the situation quash your personality.
What was the topic of your presentation?
Well, the presentation was actually the part that I was most nervous about as it’s a key aspect of the assessment day. I didn’t want to choose a generic topic that would risk boring my audience so I researched lots of ideas and in the end I came up with the topic of prunes! I think it went down quite well really as it was something quite different. It’s always good to steer clear of standard topics as there’s the risk that someone else will have the same presentation!
What was the most difficult question you were asked at interview?
I actually don’t recall having any tricky or difficult questions at interview. The assessors are not there to try and catch you out, they want you to be yourself and let your personality shine. The questions I was asked were centred around my experiences with the firm and why I felt that Halliwells would be the right firm for me. At the end of the day they want to find out if you’re enthusiastic about working there and whether you’d fit in.