Meet Desiree

Name: Desiree Obioma
Job title: Trainee Solicitor / 5th year Solicitor Apprentice at Addleshaw Goddard

Why did you opt for an apprenticeship over other qualification routes?

I was at college during the pandemic, when there was a lot of uncertainty, and I realised that I did not want to continue with traditional learning by spending another three or four years mainly in a lecture hall. I wanted to get my foot in the door as early as possible, start building practical experience and learn by actually doing the job.

Once I discovered legal apprenticeships, it felt like a no-brainer. I knew it was an opportunity I could not let pass me by, so I put most of my effort into securing an apprenticeship rather than focusing on my university applications.

The apprenticeship also gave me a route into the career I wanted without taking on the financial burden of university, while still allowing me to work towards a degree and qualification as a solicitor.

Tell us about your apprenticeship.

I started at Addleshaw Goddard on the two-year Paralegal Apprenticeship. During that time, I completed four six-month seats across different groups of the firm and received a Certificate of Higher Education alongside a Level 3 CILEX qualification.

I then progressed onto the Solicitor Apprenticeship, which incorporates the training contract. I completed two year-long seats before moving onto the training contract, where I now rotate every six months. I am currently completing my second seat in the Real Estate Finance team.

I have recently submitted my final university coursework and passed my final module exams, so I should receive my law degree later this year. I am due to sit SQE1 in January 2027 and, all going to plan, SQE2 next spring before qualifying next summer.

Five years down, one more to go in a six-year journey!

What kind of tasks do you complete on a typical day?

I my current seat, a lot of my day-to-day work revolves around managing property conditions precedent, essentially making sure the documents and requirements needed from a property perspective are in place before the financing can proceed.

My tasks can include reviewing Certificates of Title and Reports on Title, checking Land Registry forms, drafting undertakings and reviewing or preparing other transaction documents.

Although the overall process can be similar deal to deal, no two transactions are exactly the same. The properties, parties and issues involved are always different, which keeps the work interesting.

I also communicate with clients, provide updates, and join calls with the different parties involved in transactions. As a trainee, you are given a lot of responsibility and trusted to get involved. That is something I have experienced from my very first days as a paralegal apprentice.

How do you balance working with studying?

I don't!

I think pretending that balancing the two is easy would be misleading to anyone considering an apprenticeship. It is difficult, and I suppose it is meant to be. You are effectively working full time while completing a full academic programme alongside it.

There have definitely been evenings and weekends that I have had to give up to catch up on assignments or revision. You have to be a good employee and trainee while also being a good student because the two go hand in hand.

The support of family, friends, colleagues and other apprentices makes a huge difference. My A-level law teacher always used to say “short term sacrifice for long term gain”, and that has stuck with me throughout the apprenticeship. It has been challenging, but I would not have chosen a different route.

Can you debunk a myth about working in law?

One myth is that you have to be argumentative to be a lawyer, or that everyone spends their days fighting cases in court.

Admittedly, I may be the wrong person to debunk the first part because I am argumentative! However, I actually prefer transactional work, where the different parties are generally working towards getting a deal over the line rather than arguing against one another.

I am approaching qualification, although I have not yet set foot in a courtroom in a professional capacity. 

You also do not need to have studied Law at A-level or completed a traditional law degree. I know excellent solicitors who studied completely different subjects before entering the profession.

What advice would you give to aspiring apprentices?

Do not underestimate experience you already have. Retail, hospitality and other customer-facing jobs can teach you communication, teamwork, resilience, time management and client service. Those are all skills that translate directly into a legal career.

You do not need to arrive knowing everything. You just need to be willing to learn!