Alumna Lauren Brolly graduated in 2020 with a BA in Geography from University of Exeter. She went on to study for her PGDL and LPC at BPP and then spent eight months working as a paralegal at Russells. After completing her training contract at Sinclair Gibson LLP, she qualified into their family department as an Associate in September 2025.

Lauren’s interest in law began early. At just 12 years old, during a ‘take your daughter to work day’, she met an in-house lawyer and decided that this was the career for her.

Today, she works in family law and describes her role as a mix between lawyer and therapist. No two cases are ever the same, reflecting the distinct circumstances and individuals involved. Her days involve client meetings, preparing court documents and handling often emotionally charged cases, particularly those involving children. The needs of her clients and the demands of court schedules mean it’s not a nine-to-five job, but the variety keeps it interesting.

Lauren chose to become a solicitor because she enjoys building long-term relationships with clients and values the deeper client connection her role allows. Getting to know her clients in all their complexity is a central part of what she finds so fulfilling.

She is always struck by barristers’ ability to take in information that might have taken her a year to prepare, and present it eloquently and persuasively, in a matter of minutes. By contrast, her work as a solicitor requires a different set of skills: meticulous preparation and careful analysis to form the foundation of every successful case.

To succeed in the legal profession, certain qualities are prerequisites: resilience, diligence, persuasiveness, critical thinking and a strong work ethic. Above all, good communication and people skills are essential – the ability to connect with others, build trust and convey ideas are fundamental.

For Lauren, building resilience helps deal with the emotional weight of family cases, especially those involving children. She also points out that rejection is part of the journey, particularly when applying for highly competitive training contracts. In her early 20s, she had rarely experienced failure – she’d worked hard, achieved great results and went to the university of her choice – so facing rejection was tough. But those experiences strengthened her resilience, and she now sees setbacks as opportunities for growth.

She also advises whatever you’re doing, throw yourself into it. Even if it’s not where you see yourself long-term, you’ll gain valuable skills, make important connections and often discover unexpected interests along the way.