Strong female representation, and in an area traditionally dominated by men, Dominika tells us why you should consider a career in Law at Trinity.
Can you tell us about a day in the life of a Paralegal at Trinity?
I typically start my morning with a cup of tea and a to-do list. My days vary depending on the amount of projects and deadlines in the pipeline but I always begin by jotting down my daily tasks. I try to keep my days flexible as tasks do spring out of nowhere so having the flexibility to move my day around helps me be prepared when new urgent tasks arise. A key focus is monitoring the legal department inbox - answering all queries, engaging with external platforms to issue contracts and preparing for upcoming contract roll outs. Additionally, a big part of my role is assisting the Data Protection Officer which means I can expect to engage in tasks related to data protection throughout the day. Personally, my role is all about learning and my tasks are tailored to helping me develop my transferrable skills. For example, drafting or reviewing documents and contracts, and researching legal questions are frequent tasks I will engage with. I might also hop on a call to discuss my performance on a specific task and gain feedback as to how I can improve.
Can you tell us about any exciting projects that you’re currently working on or have recently worked on in the past? What is your involvement in it?
Last year we launched our new Consultancy Authorisation Form process on our project management platform which has helped us streamline the procedure for reviewing and issuing consultancy agreements. This was legal team’s first big project on the platform which meant there was a lot of learning to do! Having the full process now in full use, my role is managing the requests by making sure the right individuals are assigned to tasks, answering any queries and updating the automatic functions when change is needed. I also deal with the administrative side of the process through managing necessary documentation including signed contracts and conflict of interests forms.
Why should someone consider a career in Law at Trinity?
I highly recommend exploring a legal career at Trinity. Working within Trinity’s legal team you engage in a wide range of tasks spanning across various areas of law from charity and company law to intellectual property, Commercial law and data protection. As you grow more confident in your role, you’ll find yourself entrusted with increasing responsibility and ownership of your own tasks. This is super important when starting your legal career as it allows you to develop your transferrable skills including organisational, drafting and time management skills. You will also find yourself working with great colleagues who are super supportive and are interested in helping you improve in your role. I’m really grateful for all the time and effort my team spends discussing my work with me and the feedback has been very important for my development.
We have strong female representation within our Legal team. How important is it have women and female leaders in this space?
It is a well-known fact that the legal sector has always been a male dominated profession and it’s very comforting to see the sector become more diverse. Having women in leadership position within the legal sector serves as motivation for other aspiring female professionals and offers a more inclusive and supportive work environment. This means aspiring women can feel more confident and at ease when tackling challenges at work. It also increases mentorship opportunities for younger women embarking on their careers.
When you first joined us, you were a trainee studying for your legal qualification. How did Trinity support you in doing so?
When I began working at Trinity, I was already a few months into my Legal Practice Course (LPC), which I pursued part-time over two years. Trinity was very understanding of my commitments and accommodated my schedule where necessary. Trinity offered flexibility, allowing me to rearrange my working days as needed and easily take time off for university commitments or exams. This support made balancing work and studies much more manageable.
You’ve began working on a part-time basis before moving into a full-time hours more recently. How do you rate Trinity’s approach to flexible working?
In my personal experience, I’ve found Trinity to be great with flexible working arrangements. The transition from part-time to full-time was seamless, and within a short period of completing the LPC, I transitioned to full-time work and was immediately given more responsibility and new variety of tasks.
What is the best part about working for Trinity?
The best part about working for Trinity is being able to work with wonderful teams who are super supportive and understanding. I feel very welcomed and valued, with plenty of opportunities to share my thoughts and ideas. There is a strong sense of teamwork not only within my team but also throughout the whole company. Knowing I can count on my colleagues whenever I face challenges or need 1:1 guidance helps me become better at my job. I also think Trinity has great networks you can get involved with and works hard to ensure inclusion and diversity. I am part of the Women’s Network and it has been a pleasure to engage in discussions with like-minded women and work on making Trinity more inclusive.
“The best part about working for Trinity is being able to work with wonderful teams who are super supportive and understanding. I feel very welcomed and valued, with plenty of opportunities to share my thoughts and ideas.”