Criminal Injury Interview – Work Experience Student

Home » News & Knowledge » Criminal Injury Interview – Work Experience Student

Our work experience student, Yvonne Owusu, was tasked with interviewing a department in the Firm to find out more about it and the day-to-day responsibilities of the team.

Yvonne chose Criminal Injury and interviewed both members of the team, Gabrielle and Millie. Read on for the Work Experience Criminal Injury interview in full!

Criminal Injury Interview

What are your names?

Gabrielle Henry and Millie Swaby-Pritchard.

What do you do at Oakwood Solicitors?

They are paralegals.

How long have you been here?

Gabby has been here for 7 months, and Millie has been here for almost two years.

What is your least and most favourite thing about working in a law firm?

Gabrielle’s favourite thing in the firm is her colleagues, as they are helpful and caring. The attitudes of a small number of callers was her least favourite thing due to rudeness.

How are you finding Oakwood Solicitors so far?

So far gabby finds Oakwood Solicitors good, since it here first real job and the first law firm that she has worked in. Millie loves it! she believes it’s nice and that her colleagues are also lovely. This is because they are willingly helpful and can ask any question without judgement, with no pressure.

What did you do before joining Oakwood Solicitors?

Gabby was working full-time in hospitality throughout her university days and beyond. She got work experience which inspired her to become a lawyer. Millie was already studying for her LPC at university, which lead her straight to Oakwood Solicitors.

What is the biggest challenge that you have set for yourself now?

The biggest achievement that Millie has yet to achieve is becoming solicitor, as she is currently applying for her training contract.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Both agreed that their strength were organising themselves to be fully ready for anything coming their way. Gabby said that her weakness is stress. There are some days she feels overwhelmed, but she can de-stress afterwards.

Millie stated that maths is her weakness because she doesn’t understand figures. Quite frankly, who does?

Can you describe a day-to-day responsibility of this role?

Gabby starts to listen to voicemails to begin her day-to-day routine, then she requests information from the CICA with the live chat function. She is mainly chasing down the CICA for any information they need to give. Millie processes claims for people’s compensation, does a little bit of marketing also tries get new clients in.

Why law?

Millie chose law because her headteacher suggested it to her and her parents. She thought about it and made it a reality. She started working in a law firm where she knew she wanted to become a solicitor. Gabrielle’s goal is to become a solicitor.

How do you approach clients and what is your relationship with them?

Millie approaches clients with honesty and compassion for their cases, with maturity and a degree of strength to get the job done. Gabrielle said it’s the way she presents herself and speak to her clients in order to gain a good reputation.

Gabrielle also makes sure she has all the information to know what to say without stumbling, which personally think is great because it shows preparation and seriousness.

Describe yourself or your personal life in about 5 words

Millie: Social, active, badminton, digital art, going out, food and films/movies.

Gabrielle: Friendly, calm, interesting.

What are your hobbies, and do they link to your job?

Gabrielle: Mindset, reading, going out and netball games.

Millie: Creating digital art, drawing fridges and tables, the elements of creativity, and thinking outside the box.

What does the future hold in your perspective? (Are you still going to be here?)

Millie’s future goal is to become a qualified solicitors which may happen sooner than later, and she hopes she’ll still be here at Oakwood after training. Gabby wants to become a solicitor and remain here as well, as this opens new routes.

How do you handle stress at work?

They both have some tactics to handle stress, which is talking to each other for moral support or have a laugh. Taking a break to relax from work by eating food and switching off.

How would you describe your approach in the courtroom?

Neither of them have been to court in a professional capacity, but Millie has gone to the Crown court for a case during her time as a fellow work experience. Other that they haven’t really been to court, so they look forward to it.

How do you stay involved within the legal community?

Gabby uses LinkedIn to be involved in the legal community. She also goes to networking programmes as well as Millie, where she meets other colleagues from other firms to be connected within the community.