Right from the start, TLT stood out as a firm that had a very clear understanding of its own position in the legal marketplace - and an equally clear idea of where it wanted to be in the future. It sold itself as a young and forward-thinking law firm which was unconstrained by the conventions of the profession, and was well-positioned to adapt to the new challenges that the Legal Services Act would bring to the industry. Amongst the variety of guides and information I found myself confronted with when applying, TLT's clear sense of identity and refreshing set of brand values struck a chord with me.

I've been at TLT for just over a year now and despite dealing with very different areas of law and facing unique challenges in each seat, I have experienced a consistency and continuity in my training that has enabled me to develop skills and gain valuable experience more quickly than I would have imagined. The firm operates a 'one firm' approach which encourages a high degree of collaboration and communication between teams across both its Bristol and London offices. This means that as a trainee I've been able to utilise the contacts and relationships I have formed in one seat to assist me in others. It's a subtle difference, but the start of each new seat feels like a natural progression rather than a daunting leap into the unknown.

TLT's training strategy focuses on developing its trainees into lawyers capable of taking leading roles within the firm. Each of the three teams I have worked in at the firm have contained a partner that trained with the firm and TLT's trainee retention rate remains excellent year-on-year. It's encouraging to see evidence on a daily basis that all the hard work you put in over the course of your training contract will be recognised and rewarded. It means that even your most senior colleagues are sympathetic to the challenges of being a trainee at the firm and, as a result, trainees get excellent access to partners.

The atmosphere at the firm benefits from its strong commitment to training and investment in people. Across the board, people are friendly, approachable and helpful, and this all helps to create a supportive training environment. It also means that there are plenty of opportunities to socialise with colleagues outside work. As important as atmosphere and ethos are in deciding which firm to train with, the nature and quality of the work that you carry out on a day-to-day basis will ultimately determine how you develop as a lawyer. For trainees, TLT strikes an excellent balance between assisting senior colleagues with high-quality, high-value work, and giving you, where appropriate, a high-degree of responsibility and client contact. For me, this balance in my workload means that I receive a variety of work from different colleagues within my team and it ensures that each day is different and challenging. In my current seat I have particularly enjoyed running my own dispute files. Although the learning curve has been steep, I've been forced to look beyond the legal aspects of a matter and develop skills that enable me to think on my feet and plan strategically.

The impression that TLT gave when I was applying to train at the firm has been vindicated by my experience of working here over the last year. You can read TLT's promotional material and believe it. From what I've experienced TLT really is doing things differently. The firm uniquely provides exposure to high-profile work and quality training in an open and supportive atmosphere which enables its trainees to realise their full potential. Apply to TLT to see the difference for yourself.