Moving  back to her home town as a fully-qualified solicitor was a dream come true for Shelley Cumbers.

 

The newly-appointed solicitor with the family team at Thompson Smith and Puxon, in Colchester, spent six years studying and training, and several years working in London before bringing her experience and talent back home.

 

Shelley, 31, says: “I knew it was the right move for me.

 

The long-term idea was always to move back home and apply my knowledge in an area I know really well. I’m so glad I did.

 

Shelley, a former pupil at the Gilberd School, never really knew what she wanted to do until she took law at A Level at Colchester Sixth Form.

 

She says: “I was just good at it and I was able to get my teeth into the subject. I had a great tutor too, which helped, but I knew this was it.”

 

After studying for a law degree at Essex University and gaining a First Class Honours, Shelley, who opted to stay close to home to save money, completed her yearlong Legal Practice Course at Anglia Ruskin University, in Chelmsford.

 

It was while she was studying there in 2007 that she received the offer of a two year training contract with a London law firm.

 

Shelley says: “It sounds funny, but I thrive on adrenalin so as much as I probably said I hated my exams at the time, I actually enjoyed all the preparation for them.

 

“But what I love about my job now is helping people to move on to the next chapter of their lives.

 

“Working in the family team means I can help people plan their futures. I have helped a mum and her children relocate to a different country, which was amazing.

 

“One thing the job does do is keep you on your toes.”

 

Shelley says the learning does not stop once a solicitor is qualified.

 

In fact the reading, training and education continues throughout the career as the law changes, which is quite often.

 

She says: “If anyone is interested in law then the best thing to do is do some work experience, even if it’s just for a week or two.

 

“It will give you a good idea about what goes on at a law firm, the different areas of law and how it works.

 

“After that it’s important to have the right A-Levels to apply for a law degree. There is also the Legal Practice course and the two years training with a law firm before you can be qualified.

 

“It takes a while and you have to love the job to be able to do it.”

 

As well as the academic qualifications, solicitors need to be approachable and be able to listen, particularly in areas such as family law.

 

Shelley says: “You have to be able to listen to your clients, their stories and their needs, and what they want to achieve in the long term.

 

“That’s the only way to advise them on the law and work towards a solution that works for everyone involved.

 

“But you also have to be organised and trustworthy so clients feel comfortable telling you what you need to know.

 

“You also need to be professional.

 

Shelley adds: “For students who may not have spent time in the workplace, work experience will offer them the chance to learn all about how people conduct themselves at work, which may give them a head start when it comes to finding a training position.”