Chloe Daley

Chloe is an Associate in our TTE team. She started her training in 2021 and qualified in 2023.

Why did you choose a career in law?

At the age of 15 I decided that I wanted to become a solicitor. The initial catalyst of my decision was reading ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, where the character of Atticus Finch became a symbol to me of selflessness, conviction and justice. The law has the potential to change lives, and I wanted the opportunity to work on cases that could affect legislative, social and political change. As a compassionate and ethically minded individual, I would like to make an impact on someone else’s life for the better.

I knew that I need an intellectually stimulating career that would challenge me to develop both professionally and personally. Moreover, a career in law offers longevity and stability, and the chance for me to use my strong teamwork skills to ensure I achieve positive results for my clients and the firm. The more knowledge I acquired about the legal field, the more I realised that skillset and ambitions aligned with a career in law.

Have the skills you learnt during your degree been useful to you training contract?

I completed a law degree with a professional placement year, and I think it was the professional placement year that was the most beneficial to my work as a trainee. There I learnt the importance of being organised- I was given around 50 matters to deal with in my second week of work! I have always been an organised person, but I think that my skills in prioritisation and effective note taking were greatly improved by my placement year.

Aside from this, my law degree introduced me to legal research databases and how to formulate arguments.

What was a typical day as a vacation scheme student like?

I spent my first week in the commercial real estate (CRE) department and my second week in the private client department. During my time in CRE I completed a variety of different tasks. One of my most interesting tasks was to research the principle of easements of necessity and how it applied to an issue that had arisen for one of the firm’s clients. Land law had not been one of my favourite modules in my undergraduate degree but conducting this research showed that real estate issues are much more interesting in practice. Moreover, I have always enjoyed conducting research and was pleased that my work was of benefit to the client.

During my time in the Private Client team, I was fortunate enough to be asked by the head of the department to sit in on a series of client meetings and take notes. Many of these clients had both domestic and international assets, which highlighted the diversity of work available at the firm. I prepared attendance notes following these calls and was grateful that the partner took the time to give me feedback on my notes and discuss the calls with me.

Looking back, was the vacation scheme an authentic representation for life at Forsters?

Yes, it was an authentic representation. Everyone from the reception staff to the heads of departments was friendly and welcoming. The fee earners that I completed tasks for really did want me to succeed in obtaining a training contract, and I felt very supported throughout. I had plenty of opportunity to complete trainee tasks and receive feedback on my work, which meant that when I began working as a trainee I had a rough idea of what sort of things I would be doing. At the end of my vacation scheme, I truly believed that I would be a good fit at the firm and was ecstatic when I received confirmation that I had secured the training contract!

What made you want to train at Forsters over other firms and has reality lived up to your expectations?

When I first researched the firm, I was very impressed by the number of female partners. I know that female representation at the highest levels are often low within law firms, so to have so many female partners, including a female Managing Partner and Senior Partner, was incredibly inspiring.

Secondly, the work available and the diversity of the clients attracted me to the firm. This is also facilitated by the 6 four-month long seat process as part of the training contract. I enjoyed working as a trusts and estates administration paralegal in my placement year during my undergraduate degree, and I knew that Forsters’ private client team is held in high esteem.

Finally, Forsters is a modern and progressive firm in so many ways. The firm actively promotes a culture of having a work life balance and repeatedly demonstrates its commitment to sustainability. I am very pleased that the firm has celebrated Black History Month and particularly enjoyed the Caribbean food from Jerk Village and the presentation by Khareem Jamal discussing forgotten black figures in history and the importance of Black History Month.

The reality has lived up to my expectations.

What are the people and the culture like at Forsters?

The people are very friendly! The firm want everyone’s individuality to be valued and respected, which I think is very important for the diverse society in which we live and operate in.

What is your no. 1 tip for someone who wants to be a trainee at Forsters?

Be proactive! Do thorough research on the firm and attend open days and apply for the vacation scheme, as the placement really helped me to decide that I wanted to work at the firm above all others. Forsters wants to hear from people who have a passion not only for the work that they do, but for what the firm represents. If you do attend any graduate recruitment events, go prepared with questions and speak to as many people as you can to get a feel for the firm and whether you would be the right fit.

Meet the trainees – past and present

Here is your chance to get to know some of our people and find out what they think life is like working at Forsters.