Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.

Advising clients in respect of compliance and regulatory issues, including defence of regulatory criminal prosecutions. We act mainly on behalf of corporate organisations so managing client relationships is very important.

Drafting, document review, meetings with clients, preparing advices and briefs to counsel, business development, involvement in tenders and drafting articles concerning interesting legal developments.

Getting the right result for a client as a result of commercial sensible advice. This allows real world application of the law I learned in university, and balancing academic interest with commercial reality is probably the key skill to develop as a solicitor.

Keeping up to date with the law, awareness of commercial considerations, maintaining a work-life balance, carrying out legal research and managing client relationships.

I enjoy the varied challenges and the incentive to reach creative and practical solutions for clients. Law provides a very rewarding career in which no day is the same.

Excellent communication skills are essential, you also need to be able to act in a client's best interests at all times, which can conflict with your own combative instincts as a litigator! Being personable and approachable is also an underrated skill as all solicitors have some management responsibility. My law degree is very useful and I would say the key things it provides are a broad awareness of the legal framework giving an ability to recognise a variety of issues, and the skill to quickly get to grips with new legal areas to provide expert advice and commentary to clients.

I receive regular training courses as part of my continuing professional development, this includes external training from barristers as well as formal courses on specific skills delivered by external companies. As a trainee I undertook the practical skills course and as a newly qualified solicitor I undertook the stage 1 management course.

I left Sheffield in 2006 and spent a year working for the litigation department at Severn Trent Water to gain legal experience.

I then attended Chester College of Law and completed the LPC in 2007/2008.

I started with DWF in October 2008 as a trainee solicitor. I had seats in Real Estate, Defendant Catastrophic Personal Injury and Regulatory.

I qualified in October 2010 as a solicitor in Catastrophic Personal Injury, this involves assessing liability and quantum in respect of high value Employers Liability and Road Traffic claims, acting on behalf of defendants faced with claims of negligence.

In January 2013 I moved to Cobbetts LLP to practise regulatory law, this involves compliance and defence of prosecutions in respect of "white collar" criminal prosecutions. I was attracted to this area because of the incredible versatility and scope of regulatory liabilities. I moved back to DWF as part of their subsequent acquisition of the Cobbetts practice.

I intend to continue my career in the law and develop my technical and personal skills as a solicitor in my chosen practice area.

Experience is essential as it gives you insight and makes you more attractive to potential employers. Make sure you make contacts at law fairs. Focus on completing a few very good applications rather than hundreds! Law firms want to see that you are proactive and have some commercial awareness so make sure this comes through in your application. Always apply for any associated vacation scheme if you can as it gives you a good sense of the firm and gives the firm an impression of you as a person.