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Trainee Legal Secretarial Programme

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Professional development at Addleshaw Goddard

Jo McFadden Podcast

Please listen to the podcast by Jo McFadden, Secretarial Resources Manager

Jo McFadden, Secretarial Resources Manager, London

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Paula Bruton, Secretarial Resources Manager, Manchester

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Jayne Barton, Secretarial Resources Manager, Leeds

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Find out what its really like to work at Addleshaw Goddard on the Trainee Legal Secretarial Programme. Hear it straight from the horse's mouth as current trainees talk about their induction, first year with the firm and adapting to life in a professional services environment.

Trainee Legal Secretarial Programme Overview

The Addleshaw Goddard Trainee Legal Secretarial Programme was first launched in August 2007 and has been a great success in finding a new innovative way of improving the support that secretaries provide to the firm.

The Programme has been developed by fostering close links with the best schools/colleges in the local community. It provides an excellent entry opportunity for candidates to secure a role within a top law firm.

Successful trainees complete a structured 12 month programme which includes quarterly placements in each Divisional practice area, as well as time in our Word Processing Centre of Excellence. It is designed to give successful candidates the necessary knowledge and skills so they are able to apply for a permanent legal secretary position anywhere in the business*. (*please note a full time position can not be guaranteed at the end of the 12 months)

Trainee Profiles

Read about how our first Trainee Secretaries have been doing at Addleshaw Goddard and their reasons for joining.


Roxanne Shorey	Clare McKechnie	Claire Stanley	Susan Townley	Jackie Cantrell	Lauren Morrissey

Support

You will receive continuous support via informal, individual meetings with your supervisors and Secretarial Resources Manager. There will also be more formal handover reviews at the end of each placement where you will discuss your performance and development needs. You will also have a minder/buddy who you can go to on a day to day basis with any queries, as well as a Mentor - someone who has the skills and knowledge to offer support and guidance, if you need it.

Training

We appreciate you will have a lot to learn in your first year and it may feel daunting coming into a new professional environment or starting full time work for the first time. That is why we invest heavily in your development and encourage continuous learning as soon as you join the firm.

You will receive an intensive, but fun, induction where you will meet the other trainee secretaries and get to meet key people from across the business.

Your training calendar for the first 12 months will be mapped out for you and tailored to meet your individual needs. Your development continues with on-the-job training, completing task books and regular learning and development meetings with the Secretarial Resources Managers, Secretarial Coordinators and the Learning and Development team.

When to Apply

The deadline for the 2010 intake has now passed. If you wish to apply for the 2011 intake, we will be posting further details in April 2011.

How to Apply

If successful at the application form stage, you would then be invited to an afternoon's assessment centre at one of our offices. These will be held in July. Each assessment centre will consist of an interview, group exercise and individual competency exercises such as spelling and grammar. After the assessment centre, we will let you know whether or not we are able to offer you a place on the TSP.

In 2008, over 60 candidates who had successfully attained their ILEX legal secretarial qualification applied for a place and the top six candidates were recruited.

To hear more about the application process and the support you'll receive, please listen to the podcast on the right-hand side by Jo McFadden, Secretarial Resources Manager at Addleshaw Goddard.