Clockwise from left: Samantha Brown, Amy Leyland, Emma Peacock, Star Sen, Tori Evans, Raluca Popu
Bristol-based law firm DAS Law has unveiled the first successful graduates from its Graduate Academy.
Raluca Popu, Amy Leyland, Star Sen, Tori Evans, and Emma Peacock have all completed the two-year course which recruited a number of university graduates or postgraduates into the company’s Personal Injury (PI) department.
The course, which was launched in 2016, began with a comprehensive overview of personal injury claims which gave the graduates an introduction to the types of claims they will experience and a basic understanding of the relevant law.
The graduates then rotated around different teams within the department, gaining experience in handling claims arising from road traffic accidents, injuries at work, assaults, slips or trips, and faulty products.
The graduates also gained experience of running cases using the Ministry of Justice’s Personal Injury Portal for undisputed lower value claims, before moving on to cases involving more significant disputes where court proceedings needed to be issued.
In addition, they had the opportunity to work alongside experienced solicitors in DAS Law’s Multi-Track Claims Unit where compensation awards range from £25,000 up to multi-million pound sums where those involved face catastrophic, life-changing injuries.
Alongside learning about the law and how to apply it, the course also covered the additional skills that the graduates will require including communications, drafting, dispute resolution, negotiation, legal research, advocacy and customer care.
Of the five graduates, four – Raluca Popu, Star Sen, Tori Evans, and Emma Peacock – will be starting new roles at DAS Law as paralegals, while the fifth – Amy Leyland – will be taking the opportunity to go travelling.
The graduate scheme has been a great first stepping stone in my legal career
Emma Peacock, graduate
Five other graduates will shortly complete their first year of training while recruitment is also taking place for a new intake of graduates for a revamped and extended Graduate Academy course commencing in September.
Formed in 2013, DAS Law is part of the DAS UK Group, the UK’s leading provider of legal expenses insurance. DAS Law, which now employs over 250 people, provides legal advice and support across a wide spectrum of issues, ranging from employment matters and personal injury litigation to commercial disputes.
Samantha Brown, Head of Personal Injury, DAS Law, said: “Our focus as a law firm is about providing the best possible service to our customers, and that means investing in training and development.
“The academy gives young people an opportunity to develop and apply legal practice skills in a busy working environment, and I am delighted that we were able to offer permanent roles to our graduates so that we can continue to invest in their future development.”
Emma Peacock, Graduate Academy, DAS Law, said: “During my two years of training I was given the chance to work across three different teams, handling my own case load and also developing my advocacy and presentation skills.
“The graduate scheme has been a great first stepping stone in my legal career, and I know that the skills and knowledge I have accumulated during these two years will be invaluable as I (hopefully!) progress through the challenging and highly competitive legal world.”