Lily Mae Kenney

Skills acquired throughout my time as a bartender will contribute to my success as a solicitor as I believe the ability to communicate professionally in high-pressure, ever-changing environments is something solicitors do on a regular basis

During sixth form, my friends and I began a business called ‘MYLIE' (Making Your Life Instantly Easier) We created a product that assisted with the use of two electronic devices simultaneously We sold our products at many local markets and at the Trafford Centre, and experienced great success Within the first six months of business, we achieved accolades such as Sales and Marketing winners in a Staffordshire and Shropshire enterprise showcase My position as Administration Director allowed me to develop organisational skills through keeping track of orders, documenting meetings, and planning various pop-up events I believe this is an important skill for all solicitors to carry as they will balance various tasks, clients, and cases at once My time within this business will be instrumental in shaping who I am as a solicitor, as many of the skills align An example that I can foresee is my ability to act in clients' best interests, as this is significant to run a successful business, as customers need to remain satisfied Also, avoiding conflicts of interest appears in a solicitor and entrepreneur's role, I believe that in experiencing these conflicts with MYLIE, I should navigate future conflicts to a better standard

I joined my school's Law Society and debated, spoke to guest speakers from different legal professions, took part in numerous mock trials and delivered presentations on matters such as legal aid These experiences improved my public speaking abilities and deepened my understanding of various legal practices I was chosen to lead this society, and through this position, my management skills improved dramatically as I was given free rein to organise events and create an environment that allowed me to share my passion for law with the school and encourage others to participate These skills are instrumental to a solicitor as management opportunities of people, tasks and events will arise

I also understand the importance of establishing a work-life balance and although I am very hardworking, I like to set time aside for relaxation, exercise and social interaction to prevent burn-out Maintaining this balance will help me to handle intense workloads later This can be seen through my role as Welfare and Events Officer for Warwick Girls Who Gym