My Week’s Experience at Farleys in Wigan

Clare, aged 15, completed a week of work experience with Farleys. Here’s what she had to say about her experience.

I was fortunate to have secured a work experience placement at Farleys Solicitors, offered to me by Ashlea Thornton, a partner at the firm, during a careers convention at my school in March 2025.

Over the course of the week, I was exposed to the many specialties of law, while observing the dynamic nature of day-to-day practice. Having developed a strong interest in law from the young age of 8, this was continually nurtured through a personal fascination with the work of my family members who are advocates. Seeing their dedication and the real-world impact of their work sparked a lasting passion in me. Therefore, this placement at Farleys not only deepened my understanding of the profession, but also reaffirmed, with clarity and confidence, that a career in law is where I truly belong.

Monday:

The day began with a warm welcome from Ashlea, who showed me around Alker Ball Healds, the Wigan location for Farleys, helping me familiarise myself with the environment. Following this, I settled into my tasks for the day which encompassed a wide range of legal work.

I had the privilege of starting with family law, requiring me to read two detailed case files in preparation for client meetings. I carefully reviewed financial documents, correspondence, court orders and relevant medical and educational records, helping me understand the cases.

I attended these two meetings alongside Andrew Leah, the Department Head of Family Law, which involved conversations about pursuing custody and special guardianship orders, dealing with complex issues such as parental responsibility, alleged substance abuse and domestic violence.

In the afternoon, my focus shifted to Personal Injury, where I read a claim involving a warehouse operative, the client of Farleys, injured due to faulty machinery. I analysed the witness statements from both the defendant and claimant, medical reports, and health and safety policies to assess the strength of the claim. Given the varied and complex nature of legal work, I understood that this career demands strong intellect, unwavering professionalism and the skill of being well-spoken.

Tuesday:

After briefly continuing with the personal injury matter from the day before, I was invited upstairs by Ashlea to shift focus for the day- a change that gave me valuable exposure to commercial property law and administration work.

I began the morning spending my first task with Gillian, the Office Administrator, in which we organised case files and registered where these specific cases were located. This gave me a practical insight into the administrative side of legal work, highlighting how essential well-maintained records and organisation are to supporting effective legal practice.

Later, I was tasked to carefully cross-check a commercial lease document against the Head of Terms, identifying any discrepancies or errors. This required meticulous attention to detail and gave me a deeper understanding of how important consistency is especially when drafting legal documents- as I learnt from the commercial property transaction documents. That day gave me a well-rounded experience; offering a balance of analytical and practical tasks, helping reinforce just how interconnected different roles and responsibilities are within a law firm.

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to work with Sean Devlin, a partner of the firm, focusing on the area of Wills and Probate. This area deals with sensitive yet crucial matter- including helping families manage a loved one’s estate after death. This day allowed me to gain a detailed look at how these cases are handled from start to finish.

I began the day by reading through two case files, which were both similar situations of a deceased individual. This allowed me to explore the full probate process, including looking through key documents like the death certificate, the Last Will and Testament and various supporting materials such as a probate checklist, inheritance tax calculations, asset and liability summaries and communications with third parties like HMRC and banks. It was useful to see how everything ties together in preparing a probate application.

After this, I completed Lasting Power of Attorney forms for a married couple (Health and Welfare and Property and Financial Affairs) where they appointed each other as their attorneys. This involved ensuring accurate completion and understanding the different legal powers each document confers, depending on capacity.

Next, I attended a meeting with Sean about a complex case involving the estate of a deceased individual where the will had allegedly been destroyed. This case raised questions around probate, property and ownership and potential tax consequences. This case had exemplified how the absence of a will or grant of probate can complicate inheritance. Furthermore, I reviewed another case file in regards to intestacy (an occurrence where an individual passes away without a valid will). This reflected how the job of a solicitor isn’t always smooth-sailing and in fact there will be some twists and turns that can be difficult to detangle. However, today, as I’ve observed from solicitors like Sean, these complicated experiences strengthen our capacity and skill in these areas, sharpening our ability to deliver exceptional results. I gained a broader perspective of being a private solicitor and the patience and critical thinking skills that is necessary.

Thursday:

This day offered a meaningful perspective into the areas I concentrated on, which were commercial law and litigation law. I began my morning with the task of reviewing historical paperwork relating to a 1992 sale of property. The client requested clarification on any covenants attached to the original contract, in which I noted the relevant details that would apply as per their request.

Later, I sat in on a client meeting together with Gary Shepherd, Alker Ball Healds’ Partner and Senior Solicitor, with two business clients, having discussions around property boundaries, registration and potential legal considerations. I was able to raise concerns with regards to the property helping in any way I could.

Subsequently, I had to prepare for another meeting alongside Alexa Gorse, a Solicitor in Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution. The client was a landlord seeking to pursue a Section 21 eviction under the Housing Act 1988 on a tenant, in which my role was to research and confirm that they have sent all documentation necessary to make that possession application. Which then, in the meeting, any failures were raised and sought to rectify. Thoughts and opinions were expressed, reaching a conclusion where the client was ultimately pleased with the actions she was going to take from there.

Friday:

This was my last day of my work experience, which was more relaxed compared to my other days being here. I was tasked to write about my experience here at Farleys; which I could continue talking about for ages, because this placement was truly productive, insightful, and rewarding.

It has been a priceless experience. Being trusted to contribute, even in small ways, to real client matters gave me a genuine sense of what it means to work in a legal environment. I appreciated the chance to observe solicitors approaching complex situations with clarity, care, and professionalism.

I could clearly see the dedication towards their jobs which has inspired me. It was both motivating and affirming to see the practical side of law in action, and it’s left me even more certain that this is the path I want to pursue.

If you’re interested in finding our about work experience opportunities across Farleys, please email [email protected]. For information regarding careers at Farleys, please visit our dedicated page or contact Iain Jones – [email protected]