I’m Grace Pickersgill and I work as a Paralegal in the Clinical Negligence department at Hudgell Solicitors.
I graduated from the University of Hull with Law degree in July 2021 and joined Hudgell Solicitors later that year.
I saw the role advertised on social media and I thought that it would be a fantastic opportunity for me to start my legal career as the firm is highly respected.
In 2022 I started the Solicitors Qualifying Examination course part-time alongside working as a Paralegal and I am looking forward to continuing with my studies.
I started in the Clinical Negligence department where we represent clients seeking compensation arising from negligence that has occurred in a medical/clinical setting.
This could include a hospital, nursing home or GP surgery. We look at the treatment provided and whether it satisfies the legal test of negligence.
Part of my working week involves liaising with independent medical experts who will assess evidence. I’ll also support my colleagues by drafting letters, attending meetings with clients, and taking new enquiries calls.
Many of these conversations are about sensitive issues and empathy is important to understand what people are going through.
In these conversations I also have to apply my law skills, thinking about breach of duty and causation.
As a Paralegal no two days are the same and my tasks are incredibly varied.
I tend to make phone calls in a morning so that I can get on with more complex tasks later in the day.
There are usually urgent tasks too, such as chasing defendant for limitation extension when limitation is due to expire and taking papers to the court to comply with deadlines.
The more complex tasks involve reading through a file, preparing chronologies of the treatment provided and having to consider what the appropriate medical experts would be required to consider the claim further.
I speak with clients daily on anything from an update on their case to taking a witness statement. I also contact GP surgeries and hospitals regarding medical records.
A lot of my work as a Paralegal includes drafting a review of medical records or drafting a Letter of Instruction to a medical expert – here we ask them to prepare a report to be used in the course of court proceedings. It sets out the facts of the case and the questions we feel need answering to substantiate the legal test.
Working with three solicitors gives me the opportunity to learn and be supported every day. My colleagues have a variety of different cases which allows me to work on anything from a dental claim resulting in the loss of a tooth or a complex birth injury claim which has left a client with life changing injuries.
Working for different members of the team means that I am constantly learning new skills from each of them, and they support me by positively assessing my work and encouraging me to push myself to take on tasks that are new to me.
I feel like a valued member of the team and I am always keen to assist with the progression of cases. It is a very satisfying feeling when I see that a case I have been working on has been settled and the client has received compensation that will change their lives and help with their future treatment.
Usually there’s time for lunch and the office is in a prime Hull location, a few moments away from Humber Street and the Marina, so I am always spoiled for choice for places to eat and I also try and get at least 30 minutes of exercise, normally doing around 5,000 steps.
In the afternoon there are usually more urgent tasks such as taking a bundle of documents to Hull County Court or looking for documents that need sending to a Defendant’s Insurer.
What the difference now to the day I first started in 2021? Well, my legal knowledge has expanded vastly, and I’ve had plenty of opportunities to consider the law in a more practical sense.
I did find it very different going from uni to working in a law firm, but I am relishing the opportunity to put my legal knowledge into practice
Once work is done, my evenings can be as varied as my days; normally I get home at around 6pm and there might be a gym or weight training session, spinning or even badminton.
Read more: Working With Hudgells