24 April 2019

By Trainee Solicitor Katie Hayes

Life as a trainee isn’t all work and no play. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in some of the more social aspects the firm.

I thought that it was a joke when I was first approached by a colleague to play in the firm’s netball team. Standing at 5 foot and with my netball experience limited to Year 11 PE, I was far from what you might call a ‘typical’ netball player. However, on the assurance that the team welcomed all abilities and on the promise that the minimum I would need to do was to turn up and prevent a forfeit, I reluctantly agreed to play. I am so glad I did.

Now, 1 year on, I am on the firm’s netball committee and help to captain the Burges Salmon netball team alongside two other trainees. Together we are responsible for running a Winter League, a league made up of law firms across Bristol and which runs from September through to January. We also organise a mixed tournament in the Spring and one-off friendlies in the Summer. Last year we also put forward a team as part of a Rugby/Netball 7s tournament in London. All in all its great fun and a fantastic way to get to know not only your colleagues but other lawyers from across Bristol. Despite the odds - and thanks to a gargantuan group effort - we even managed to win this year’s league!

Of course, life at Burges Salmon isn’t all about netball. However, the firm is really supportive of the team, providing us with the budget we need to run the club successfully. Far from detracting from my work as a trainee, I have been actively encouraged by supervisors and colleagues to keep it up as much as possible.

If netball isn’t your game then there are plenty of other sports clubs to get involved with including football, hockey, rugby, cricket, pilates and yoga to name a few. I’d thoroughly recommend getting involved to any incoming or existing trainee.

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