Full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau has welcomed its latest group of trainees and graduate apprentices. This cohort includes Freya Whiteside, Justin Clegg, Afrin Nanavatti, Jakub Mikulecky, Govind Johal, Jonah Cooke, Lisa Bauroth, Maria Sharpe, Rebecca Sault, and Sinead Pow. They will complete four six-month placements across a range of specialist areas, such as education, insolvency, dispute resolution, infrastructure, and contentious probate. Additionally, Emily Labbate and Eleanor White have joined the firm’s SQE Graduate Apprenticeship programme in partnership with the University of Law.
Emily Cupi, the firm’s early ambitions development adviser, expressed excitement about the new arrivals, stating: “We are thrilled to welcome this talented cohort of trainees and apprentices. They are the future of our firm and play a key role in its continued growth. We are committed to supporting them as they embark on their journey to becoming qualified solicitors, and I have no doubt that they will be assets to their respective teams.”
In August, six of Shakespeare Martineau’s trainees officially became qualified solicitors. Helen Rowland and Tait Grundy joined the litigation and restructuring team, Katie Parker entered the commercial property and development team, Lucy Feghhi qualified into the commercial and IP team, Sophie Plant joined the education team, and Abigail Lynch joined the medical negligence team. Other recent qualifiers include Sophie Baker, who joined the employment team in July, Camilla Uppal who will qualify into the tax team in August, and Emily Sleight, who became a solicitor via the CILEx route.
Many of the firm’s current partners, including Lisa Botterill and Andrew Wilkinson, started their legal careers as trainees at Shakespeare Martineau. Lisa, now a corporate partner, reflected on her journey, noting: “I received an excellent foundation in the area I wanted to qualify into and have had the privilege of continuing to work with many of the same clients I started with over two decades ago.”
Andrew Wilkinson, now a contentious probate partner, added: “I’ve witnessed incredible change, but throughout my time here, the firm has supported my development, and I’m proud to call it home.”
Shakespeare Martineau has also launched a two-year early careers development programme, designed to provide a support network, foster collaboration, and enhance skills such as commercial awareness, time management, communication, and legal research for those on their path to legal qualification.