A Day in the Life of a Trainee Solicitor – Corporate & Commercial

8:30am – A Chai Latte Start

I like to get into the office area a little early, and today I met a few colleagues at the local coffee shop next door for a chai latte. It’s a nice way to ease into the day and catch up with friends before things get busy.

8:50am – Getting Set Up

Once at my desk, I logged in and put together my to‑do list. With so many matters moving at the same time, having a clear plan is essential.

9:00am – 10:30am – Demerger Document Drafting

My morning started with corporate drafting. I worked on a suite of documents for a demerger, making sure everything aligned with the structure agreed between the parties and our client’s objectives.

10:30am – Tea Break

Quick stretch, cup of tea, and some fruit (fuel for the late morning focus session).

10:35am – 12:30pm – Franchise Agreement Review

Next, I reviewed a franchise agreement and drafted amended terms to better suit our client's needs. This involved analysing risk areas holistically, reviewing commercial points, and ensuring the amendments were clear and fair.

12:30pm – 1:00pm – Data Room Set‑Up

Before lunch, I set up a data room for the sale of a company. Organising the structure properly at the outset makes the rest of the transaction run much more smoothly.

1:00pm – 2:00pm – Lunch Break

Lunch was in our building’s basement space - which is kitted out with sofas, TVs, table tennis, a piano, and plenty of places to relax. I ate with a few friends from the office, watched some Judge Judy and recharged for the afternoon

2:00pm – 3:45pm – Data Room Updates & Due Diligence

Back to deal work: I updated another data room for a different company sale and worked through amendments to a legal due diligence questionnaire before sending it back to the other side.

3:45pm – 4:00pm – Team Catch-UpI had a check‑in with my team and my training principal to review my workload and upcoming deadlines. These catch-ups are always helpful for staying on top of things and getting feedback. I also grabbed a slice of cake from the kitchen as an afternoon treat!

4:00pm – 4:15pm – New Enquiry Call

A new commercial enquiry came in for a review of a shareholder’s agreement, so I took the call, gathered the key information, and then caught up with the head of the commercial team to discuss recommended next steps for the potential client.

4:15pm – 4:45pm – Share Charge Review

Next, I reviewed a share charge agreement - checking the security provisions and ensuring the drafting reflected the commercial intentions accurately.

4:45pm – 4:50pm – Charity Event

EmailI organised and sent out an internal email to the firm promoting our latest fundraising event for our charity partner, Helpful Hounds.

4:50pm – 5:00pm – Wrapping Up

To finish the day, I submitted my time recordings, checked in with the team about the plan for tomorrow, and drafted my to‑do list for the next morning, before leaving the office to go out to dinner with friends.

Becky Hobell

Steele Raymond LLP

beckyhobell@steeleraymond.co.uk