
Billy develops his legal and professional skills with B&Q


Throughout my training contract at Foot Anstey, I was fortunate to take part in the firm's Virtual Trainee Programme which pairs each trainee with a client to provide up to five hours per week of additional legal support. The client I chose to work with was B&Q, the multinational retailer and long-standing client of the firm.
Gaining exposure to client work
During my placement, I worked closely with B&Q's Commercial legal team on a wide range of GNFR (goods not for resale) matters. It was great to have exposure to the team at B&Q, which included very experienced in-house lawyers, as I had the opportunity to ask questions and refine my legal knowledge through working directly with them.
For example, I was able to get involved with an exciting variety of work which ranged from drafting numerous commercial contracts and conducting research to advising the B&Q team on various legal risks, including environmental, employment and regulatory issues. This has improved my practical understanding of the law, as well as my knowledge of how the solutions we offer clients can support their commercial needs and goals.
The highlight of my experience was visiting B&Q's head office near Southampton on a couple of occasions where I was able to meet the team in-person and understand more about how the wider business operates.
Developing wider business skills
As well as the benefits that came from the work experience itself, I developed wider business skills such as stakeholder management and business development skills through having weekly calls with the B&Q team, helping to build the firm's relationship with a key retail sector client. At the same time, given that the Virtual Trainee Programme ran alongside each of my seats, I had to learn how to manage and prioritise my day-to-day workload effectively without being afraid to reach out when extra support was needed.
I would highly recommend the Virtual Trainee Programme to incoming trainees as it is a unique way of gaining client exposure whilst developing wider business skills that are needed to be a successful lawyer.
Billy studied law at the University of Exeter and completed his LPC at the University of Law before starting his training contract with Foot Anstey in 2022.