Dentons Day: Professional Skills Day at International Law Firm in Central Milton Keynes

A group of eight law undergraduates attended Dentons Solicitors on 9 March 2016 for a professional skills workshop day, supported by academic lead, Professor Judith Bray and Street Legal Administrator, Julie O’Shea.

The day began with an introduction from Peter Cox, Partner in corporate practice. This gave the students an ideal opportunity to introduce themselves to the Denton’s team.

Life as a Trainee Solicitor

Helena Rozman, a trainee solicitor, talked the group through her journey to receiving her training contract. The students listened with interest about her choice of seats & her advice on how to improve your appeal to law firms.

How to become a Dentons trainee

One of the most beneficial parts of the day was the presentation given by Rob Wyatt, Training Partner for Denton’s. Rob gave a detailed explanation of the route from application to offer & provided valuable advice on what an interviewer looks for in C.V.s & how to prepare for interviews. He also suggested example questions which any applicant should expect to face at interview.

The office tour

The students visited several departments at the Pinnacle in order to gain a better understanding of what the structure of a modern law firm actually looks like & how the different teams interact. It was particularly interesting to witness the new open plan office style and compare it to the more traditional layout, familiar to some students having done previous work experience.

How a law firm works

Liz Harris, Practice Manager for Dentons gave a unique insight into the incredible amount of work which goes into the day to day running of a large office; from making sure the layout is optimized for productivity to the world of chargeable hours & time recording!

Real life case studies & negotiation

After lunch the students took part in a real life case study, led by trainee, Matt Exton. This involved undertaking computer based research to determine if a client could recover damages under the terms of the contract. It was interesting to see how lecture skills are applied in practice & emphasized how beneficial Westlaw is for prospective practitioners! The negotiation exercise was challenging and encouraged the group to think outside the box! The students gained some great tips from Rob Francis, as Associate in the Dispute Resolution team, which boosted their understanding of negotiation.

Law students feedback

Buckingham Law undergraduates: Maha Jamal, Dhairya Patel, Sabrina Kon, Wilfred Ferguson, Minal Naseem, William Neil, James Hughes & Murdoch Thomson pictured with Liz Harris, Practice Manager for Dentons LLP & Academic lead Professor Judith Bray at Dentons Milton Keynes office.

“The experience made me realise that with all the hard work we put in at The University of Buckingham & all the opportunities the Law School gives us to participate in professional skills projects like Dentons Day & Street Legal are vital. These activities help strengthen various skills for life after law school – public speaking, team working, advocacy, event organization & article writing/publications.”
Minal Naseem

“As a preliminary student yet to undertake the Legal Skills and Procedure module, I found the negotiation exercise particularly beneficial & it has certainly motivated me to explore the Law School’s negotiation and mooting opportunities! Overall I found the experience highly informative & it will surely be of benefit to my degree studies as well as an impressive addition to my C.V.”
James Hughes

“The Denton’s Day experience was an immersion into the real world of legal practice. I received a wealth of practical knowledge to bridge the gap between studying law and becoming a lawyer. The staff at Denton’s law firm were welcoming and prepared a full day of activities. I was able to network with solicitors and receive candid feedback about a legal career. Overall the day provided invaluable experience to aid in becoming a lawyer.“
Wilfred Ferguson