Thirteen trainees start their legal career with Thorntons from home

Full service Scottish law firm Thorntons has swelled its ranks with thirteen new trainee solicitors.

Three of the new recruits started their traineeship in September but, this month, ten others have joined them. All thirteen will undertake a two year traineeship across the firm’s network of offices and will develop their skills and knowledge working across a variety of legal disciplines. 

All trainees will adopt a blended work approach, initially based remotely at home, before moving into the Thorntons offices in Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Perth, Cupar and St Andrews once current restrictions allow.

The trainees are Maryam Abdel-Razik from Dunfermline, Emma Alderson, Rebecca Argo, Laoibhse Griffin and Eve McBride from Edinburgh, Anzal Baig, Iain Buchan, Baktosch Gillan, Rory Mellis, Sophie Kirk and Kiran Bahia from Dundee, Lucy Henderson from Perth and Matthew McAnaw from St Andrews.

Structured round four six-month department rotations, the trainees will gain hands-on experience, complete practical work and have direct client contact from early on. The group will also benefit from Thorntons’ diverse learning and development programmes, mentoring scheme and internal virtual networking opportunities which are all designed to further advance skills and knowledge.

Colin Graham, Chair of Thorntons, (above) said: “It’s fantastic to welcome a further ten trainees from our 2020 intake as we know that our trainees are the key to the future success of our business.

“Circumstances are different for our new trainees as they start from a remote working environment but we have established protocols to ensure their learning and development is not restricted. We wish our new colleagues the very best of luck with this exciting stage of their legal career.” 

New Trainee, Kiran Bahia, added: “I was a Paralegal in the firm in the personal injury team for over five years before starting my traineeship, so I already knew the firm and its culture and believed I associated with its values of doing what’s right for their colleagues, their clients and the community.

“I admire these commitments and the friendly atmosphere that you encounter when you are chatting to people in the firm. Starting as a paralegal has provided a great foundation ahead of my traineeship. I started my traineeship a little earlier, back in September, and  I am currently finishing my first seat in the Corporate team in Dundee and moving on to my second seat in Commercial Property in Edinburgh, albeit virtually for the foreseeable future.

“Being a virtual trainee can be challenging but I have embraced it and I am grateful to my colleagues for being so kind and approachable. I look forward gaining further knowledge of the firm and the journey that lies ahead.”

For more details on Thorntons traineeships visit: 

www.thorntons-law.co.uk/careers/legal-traineeships