Harrowells offers practical support to the next generation of aspiring lawyers

Nicole Dawson, commercial property lawyer at Harrowells, assisted York St John University with its most recent mock assessment centre. The extensive full day programme, which involved input from a range of law firms, was designed to prepare students for the recruitment processes they may face when venturing out into the world of work. 

Nicole undertook her own solicitor training at Harrowells Solicitors, successfully qualifying in 2021 and now directly advises and leads day-to-day relationship management with a range of commercial clients across Yorkshire.

Observing a group exercise which tested commercial awareness, teamwork, problem solving, listening, communication and presentation skills, Nicole drew on her own recent experiences as a trainee solicitor to give students practical guidance on how to prepare for assessment centres and tips on the most effective ways to present their capabilities during exercises and interviews.

Clare Brown, Head of HR at Harrowells, also attended the day as part of a wider initiative to build and strengthen relationships with key universities and specialist providers in the legal sector. Clare attended a mock interview process, part of which involved giving valuable feedback on CVs, covering letters and interview style. Clare also took part in an informal networking event towards the end of the day and was able to offer tailored advice and insights to support students as they prepare for the next stage of their careers.

Nicole commented on the day: ‘The legal sector offers huge variety in terms of roles, work culture and organisational structures but this breadth of choice, coupled with often highly competitive recruitment processes, can also seem daunting to law students. York St John’s mock assessment centre was a brilliant opportunity for students to practise skills and think about important next steps. I thoroughly enjoyed assisting the York St John team and hope that sharing my own experiences will have helped students on their career journey!’

York St John University runs both LLB Law and LLM Legal Practice (LPC) programmes and established its dedicated LLB course in 2018 and the initial LLB cohort has recently graduated; one of the students of that cohort has successfully participated in our innovative Summer Vacation Scheme and will be joining Harrowells as a trainee solicitor in early 2023, as part of a series of phased inductions.