A Week of Work Experience at Farleys Solicitors

Ally Holmes completed a week of work experience at Farleys’ East Lancashire office in July 2026. Here’s what she got up to and how she found the experience…

During my week of work experience at Farleys I worked in a variety of departments and gained valuable insight into the work solicitors complete on a day-to-day basis.

On my first day I was placed in the Wills and Probate department where I was introduced to some of the different tasks that members of the department undertake on a regular basis, such as completing Lasting Power of Attorney documents regarding both financial and health decisions. In the afternoon of my first day I was able to sit in on a meeting with two clients who were in the process of finalising and signing their wills. This was an interesting experience as I got to see how solicitors interact with their clients and just how thorough the process of finalising a will is.

On my second day I worked in the Insolvency department. I completed a task that required me to research the process of insolvency and apply my knowledge to answer some exam-style questions based on real-world examples. I learnt about when and why a winding up petition can be presented, the approach that courts take to disputed debts, and what actions creditors can take if they are owed money. This was a very helpful experience as it gave me valuable understanding of insolvency which I had very limited knowledge of beforehand. I also sat in on some phone calls with clients who had contacted Farleys for advice regarding personal bankruptcy and researched some of the client’s options regarding their bankruptcy going forward.

On my third day I was working in the Personal Injury department. My first task was to compare medical reports from four different medical specialists and check there were no inconsistencies between them that could weaken the case in preparation for a conference with the client and the barrister the following day. I then wrote up a Letter of Notification and Letter of Claim for an interesting case that had two defendants that were being claimed against. I found this insightful as I was able to read through a real case and familiarise myself with the process of beginning a claim.

On my fourth day I started the day in the Personal Injury department where I wrote out a Particulars of Claim form which involved using a book to research similar cases and using this to help decide what the Particulars of Claim should be. I then used a different book to price up the injuries of the Claimant. I found this a challenging task as it is difficult to gauge the amount that should be claimed as there are so many different factors to take into consideration and no two cases are the same so it can be difficult to find a reference point. I then was able to sit in on the conference with the client whose case I had been working on the day before. This was a valuable experience as I gained some understanding of how the process between the client, solicitor, and barrister works. Furthermore, I was able to hear firsthand from the barrister exactly how much he would be looking to claim from the defendant and why, and what he thought the defendant’s legal team would contest and why.

In the afternoon of my fourth day, I completed a review for the Abuse and Inquests department. This involved me reading over all the notes that had been sent from the client in relation to the case and condensing them into a review that will be used as evidence as to why the client should seek compensation in the case. These notes included documents such as medical records and witness statements. I also was shown how to complete a review record which is part of the billing process that the solicitors in the department use.

Overall, I have found my week of work experience at Farleys extremely beneficial for me as an aspiring solicitor. I was grateful for the insight it gave me into how the departments operate, and the type of work that the solicitors undertake on a day-to-day basis.

If you’re interested in completing work experience at Farleys, please reach out to our team on [email protected].