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A day in the life of an in-house trainee solicitor - Faizan Mahmood
I start my day with a routine that ensures I stay on top of my tasks and maintain open lines of communication with my colleagues. It begins with checking my emails, organising my priorities and catching up with team members. This sets the stage for a productive workday.
My morning typically involves a meeting with my supervisor, where we delve into ongoing tasks and priorities. Today, my focus is on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) consultation paper concerning artificial intelligence (AI). To tackle this task, I start by thoroughly reviewing the consultation document and gathering my thoughts on the matter.
I continue working on this project until it's time for our weekly legal and wordings meeting. This two-year training contract is designed to equip me with the skills necessary to become a proficient wording professional and seasoned solicitor. During the wordings meeting, I have the opportunity to engage in discussions with my experienced colleagues on various wordings related to insurance policies. This week, I was particularly involved in a conversation about an Australian equine wording, which I've been assisting with. Given that disclosure obligations for retail and commercial consumers differ in Australia, I was tasked with ensuring our policy wording aligns with these legal requirements. The meeting, which lasted for an hour, involved extensive discussions and debates on several policy wordings. I value the fact that my opinions are highly regarded, making this part of my role inclusive and rewarding.
Post-meeting, I take a break with a few colleagues at the Lloyd's café to savour the current weekly theme, Mexican cuisine. I eat some tacos, made even better with my 50% LMA discount, before heading back to my desk to continue my work.
I dive back into the AI paper, thoroughly addressing the questions raised by regulatory authorities. In my next meeting, I share my notes as a starting point, and we go through each question, exchanging different viewpoints and reaching a consensus. The fact that, as a trainee, my opinions are valued gives me the confidence to express my views, even in a room full of more experienced legal professionals. We decide to gather feedback from the market before finalising our response to the consultation paper. As such, I am tasked with preparing a document which summarises the material points raised in the consultation paper, as well as the questions upon which feedback is sought. This document will assist our members to provide a well-informed answer, which I will use to formulate our response to the authorities.
Following this meeting, I take a short break to recharge, and grab a few free LMA chocolates, before returning to my desk to complete the summarisation task. To streamline the process, I opt to use Excel, creating a table to categorise and organise the relevant points from the consultation paper. Time is of the essence due to a tight deadline, so I work efficiently yet meticulously to complete the summary table. I promptly email a copy to my manager, who arranges a meeting to discuss our progress and determine the next steps.
With some time before the meeting, I utilise it to make progress on another task. On a daily basis, my fellow trainee and I stay up to date on recent developments in law and regulation relevant to the insurance sector. Currently, my focus is on reviewing the Electronic Trade Document Bill, where I spend the remainder of my day drafting a memo for my supervisor, highlighting key changes and their implications for insurers.
The AI meeting commences, and we dive into our draft responses to the paper while reviewing my summary table. My manager is highly impressed with the table and suggests including it in our document for the market without any amendments. I appreciate the positive feedback and feel that I've made a valuable contribution to the team. As the meeting concludes, I pack my bag, pick up some free LMA chocolates and head home for cricket training.
I had a great day at work – it was both challenging and rewarding. I genuinely enjoy the work I do and appreciate the guidance and mentorship I receive from the LMA. The most gratifying aspect of my role is the recognition of my input. I can see how my efforts benefit the LMA and the insurance market as a whole. I am fortunate to work alongside a talented and friendly group of individuals who are always ready to support me when needed. Working in-house provides me with a wide range of experiences and I've learned a great deal in the time I've been at the LMA. I am confident that in the months to come and throughout the remainder of my training contract, I will continue to evolve into a proficient professional. I wholeheartedly recommend the LMA training scheme to all graduates aspiring to become solicitors.
The LMA's Legal Trainee Wordings Scheme is designed to produce qualified and technically trained solicitors for the London insurance market. We take on new legal trainees every year. To find out more about the two-year scheme, visit the dedicated page on our website.