Great Importance is Attached to Pupillage Training
· April 3rd, 2007
This article appeared in the Summer 2007 issue of Your Future
After finishing academic law qualifications the next step to becoming a lawyer is to choose a law firm that provides quality tuition. All law students must undergo one year pupillage in order to become a qualified lawyer in Bermuda. This is a system of one-on-one training in which a mentor (a senior lawyer) provides feedback, advice and guidance on a myriad of situations that will confront a young lawyer.
Not only does the law firm select a pupil of the requisite intelligence, personality and all round ability to contribute to the firm, it is also up to the law student to choose a firm that he/she feels will best allow him/her to grow and develop into a successful practitioner.
After doing summer placements at a number of law firms and researching and meeting with others, I was able to use those experiences to assist in making my decision as to which law firm would best suit me. I chose Mello Jones & Martin.
The firm offers a highly organized pupillage program which entails working alongside some of Bermuda’s most highly respected lawyers and QCs. The essential aspects and areas of law to be covered during the pupillage are carefully laid out and progress is monitored regularly. As a mid-sized firm, MJM offers the same level of work and type of experience as larger firms, at the same time as offering a culture that allows me to interact on a personal level with all of the lawyers in every practice group and learn from their strengths and experiences. My experience at Mello Jones & Martin thus far has been invaluable. It has involved scaling a very steep learning curve (which seems to have no apex!) and it has allowed me to gain a comfort level from lessons learned which will hold me in good stead for years to come.