Law student, Juanita, undertook a placement at the West Brom Building Society as a Paralegal. She tells us about her experience in the role and what she learnt.
A day in the life on placement
As an undergraduate paralegal, I begin my day at 9am. I will review the legal inbox, I then allocate each query to myself and my senior colleagues. I would also make a note of any queries in my digital diary on Outlook to ensure that all queries had been addressed. Every Tuesday, we have a ‘huddle’ where Human Resources and Legal meet to discuss any updates for upcoming projects.
My responsibilities include drafting and reviewing legal documentation, liaising with internal stakeholders such as the mortgage administration department, undertaking legal research, and supporting with the management of a legal queries inbox. Additionally, assisting the team in meeting Service Level Agreements for the timely delivery of support to other Society teams, supporting with the provision of secretariat and governance support to the Society.
Highlights of the placement
Volunteering at the annual general meetings (AGM)
I volunteered at the society’s annual general meeting, where I helped prepare the space and support the event throughout the day. I helped set up food and beverages for the members, welcoming them into the venue and ensuring they felt comfortable. It was a great opportunity to be a part of a professional event and witness the amount of time, effort and organisation that took place to create this event.
An annual general meeting is an event for members of the society to observe how the society is performing, ensuring the society is being accountable to its members. This includes a review of financial performance, strategy, and outlook, members vote on who sits on the board, members officially accept the annual financial statements, which can include changes to rules, remuneration policies, or major decisions, and members can ask the board and executives about the society’s operations.
Helping with work experience students
I helped arrange work experience sessions for students alongside my colleagues. I had the chance to discuss my current role with the students, how I gained the opportunity, and took them on a tour of the office whilst giving them the chance to gain insight into different departments and what their role entails. I collated materials, such as power of attorney and lease extension articles, to inform the students of the type of work I have undertaken (I conducted these shadowing sessions on three occasions).
175th work event
I had the pleasure of attending the society’s 175th anniversary celebration, where both head office and branch staff came to celebrate this amazing milestone. The event was filled with a positive atmosphere, with live music, refreshments, and a wide range of activities, from car racing simulators to retro arcade games. To see colleagues from across the organisation coming together to celebrate the society’s rich legacy was inspiring – reinforcing the unity that is present throughout the workplace.
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The experience overall
Overall, the West Brom Building Society has been a positive environment where I have been given support to flourish professionally through engaging in legal tasks, such as reviewing a Power of Attorney correspondence. I had the opportunity to participate in work events, which allowed me to connect with a diverse pool of colleagues. This experience has shaped me both professionally and personally, giving me the tools to be a competent working professional.
Comments from employer
As well as Juanita gaining varied and valuable workplace experience, she, in turn, brings up to date thinking and fresh perspective to our environment. Being able to support students and younger people as they complete their studies and embark upon their working lives is hugely important to us at the West Brom, it is part of engaging with, and giving back to, all of our stakeholders and communities. Juanita has been superb throughout her placement - she has demonstrated professionalism and initiative and it has been a pleasure to watch her grow and develop. A true embodiment of how valuable work experience within academia is.
Advice for future students
I would say be resilient and preserve.It’s normal to face rejection, but the key is to not take it personally and to keep going. Law is competitive but when you’re determined and motivated enough you will see results.
