Curious about what a day in the life of a marine trainee solicitor looks like? Below, first seat trainee Ellena Baker shares a candid look at the variety, responsibility and unique opportunities that come with working in our marine team.
I arrive at the office and start my day by checking my inbox and preparing my ‘to-do’ list for the day. Every task I am set is written down in my trusty planner, which I then work through in order of priority – I cannot overstate how important organisation is as a trainee!
I spent the morning running checks on one of the Harbour Revision Orders we have drafted. As these Orders will eventually be laid in Parliament and made into law, it is important that we complete thorough reviews. I have found attention to detail to be a really important skill in this seat, which I hope will serve me well throughout the rest of my training contract.
Fun fact: many harbour laws from the 1800s and 1900s are still in force today and still bind our clients! Reviewing this dated legislation is a typical marine trainee task, and it still surprises me how much the law has changed in the last few decades (both in terms of drafting and subject matter!).
I then spent some time reviewing the status of our Harbour Works Licence matters and updating the progress tracker we keep. Alongside the team’s harbour legislation work, we also get to support our clients with the projects they or others are completing at their ports and harbours. Often, a Harbour Works Licence (which I would describe as similar to a planning permission, but within the marine environment in ports) is needed to authorise the work required at the site. As a trainee, I have also had the opportunity to have a go at drafting these licences.
The firm is very supportive of trainee’s engaging in business development opportunities. During this time, I liaised with my fellow Devon and Somerset Junior Lawyer’s Division committee members to discuss securing a sponsorship arrangement for the 2025/26 year.
Lunch started slightly early for me today as I knew I would be leaving the office soon to take a site visit. I spent some time getting myself ready to leave the office and grabbing a bite to eat with other trainees.
My supervisor and I spent this time travelling to Cornwall and catching up on firm life. Having been in the firm for nearly 6 months now, I can completely see why we have won the Legal Cheek ‘best law firm for partner approachability’ award – no question is too silly and that shows in Ashfords’ culture.
I was very lucky to get the opportunity to take a boat trip around one of our client’s harbours, learning about both their commercial and leisure operations. If you had told me before starting my training contract that I would be spending afternoons on boat trips around a harbour, I wouldn’t have believed you! But I am very grateful to have had the opportunity and would say this was a highlight of my marine seat.
We had another client meeting whilst down in Cornwall, so we grabbed some dinner from a fish and chip shop and prepared ourselves for the next meeting.
We attended our client’s Board meeting, where I captured an attendance note. As marine law can be so niche, I have found the opportunities to listen in on meetings invaluable in helping me get up to speed with the marine sector and all of its terminology.
Most days do not end quite so late, but given all the travelling around, I got back to the office around 20:45 and went home for the day. This was a particularly long day, but the experience I gained made it absolutely worth it!
Being a trainee in the marine team brings a wide variety of work and opportunities which you wouldn’t necessarily experience elsewhere. I have loved my time in the team and look forward to seeing what the rest of my training contract at Ashfords brings!
Applications for 2028 training contracts are now open. If you're interested in finding out more about trainee life at the firm and the application process, visit our trainee opportunities page. You can also listen to our trainee podcast, Take a Seat, where we provide a detailed look at what it's like to train in different teams across the firm.
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