We caught up with Freya Piper, solicitor in the Commercial Disputes team at Capital Law, as part of a spotlight series* featuring former Ƶ student campus ambassadors, to hear about her career in law so far. Discover Freya’s tips on learning, adapting, and finding confidence in your own journey.
For me, law was always about aligning my career with my values. I’ve always believed in justice and fairness – those principles really matter to me. When I started thinking about what kind of work would suit my personality, law stood out as the perfect fit.
I was drawn to the solicitor route because I enjoy the strategic, analytical side of legal work. I’ve always been interested in the preparation and problem-solving that happens behind the scenes: reading documents, building arguments, and supporting clients through complex legal issues. That’s where I feel I can make the biggest impact.
The main thing I noticed was my grades went up almost a month after I received training. All my grades went up, and not by a small percentage: I went from a 2:2 to a first-class student, which was very surprising to me. I received feedback on my work commenting on how well researched it was.
What made the difference was understanding how to use legal research tools properly. The training run by Ƶ didn't just show me how to find sources; it taught me how to evaluate them. I learned when to use Halsbury’s Laws of England for definitions and when to cite cases to support arguments.
Talking to people and teaching also helped. Running certifications for students not only helped them but also helped me to further my understanding. By the end, I knew how to find anything, which was amazing when writing my dissertation. To this day, if someone asks me a research question, I'm straight on to Lexis+ to find the answer.
Explore our Law Student Hub for free training, certifications and resources crafted specifically for aspiring legal professionals.
I didn’t study law at A-level so when I started university I felt like I was already behind. Everyone else seemed to know the basics – terms like actus reus and mens rea – and I was just trying to keep up. I also hadn’t done any legal work experience so I felt completely out of my depth.
But through hard work and extra reading, slowly things started to click and it became less daunting. One of the biggest challenges was learning how to apply the law. University teaches you the theory but not always how to use it in real-world scenarios. That’s where work experience helped. It bridged the gap between academic knowledge and practical application.
The main thing I took out of it is that you can learn. You don't have to go into law knowing everything and you don’t have to remember everything. I think there's a stereotypical picture of a lawyer that can recite a statute from memory, in seconds, and that's not the reality. That's definitely not what being a lawyer is about.
AI hasn't affected my role yet, but I am hyper-aware that the legal market is changing and more firms are adapting to AI. I was at a conference recently and something one of the speakers said really stuck with me: "If you're passionate about what you do, you don't need to panic. AI is coming for the jobs people don't want to do, not the jobs people enjoy." It’s not here to take away the parts of the job we love – it’s here to help with the repetitive, mundane tasks.
It's easy to get on the panic train about AI, but it's important to see how amazing it could be. It could free up so much more time so you can focus on the important bits. AI can't do everything. It's not human. It can't sit with a client who's struggling and provide the empathy they need. It can't do the most amazing aspects of being a lawyer but it can assist us. Be open to it, take the opportunity to try it and see what it can do.
Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Learn to accept rejection but don't take it personally. When you're applying for training contracts, you are going to get rejected. It's such a competitive field and it's just part of it. Take feedback on board, apply it to your next application, and keep trying.
Also, don’t overlook in-house roles. I worked in-house at Southern Co-op and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had. It gave me exposure to all areas of law and helped me understand how a business actually runs. Plus, there was no time recording – what’s not to love?
Keep your LinkedIn up to date, be open to different paths, and don’t feel like you have to follow the traditional route. There are so many ways to qualify now, especially with the SQE and qualifying work experience. You don’t have to wait for the perfect training contract to start your legal career. Keep your options open and don't be discouraged by setbacks.
* denotes a required field
0330 161 1234