Sam Packwood, Solicitor
I graduated from the University of Manchester with a 2:1 honours degree in LLB Law. During that time, I had completed various vacation schemes with city law firms in England and one regional firm in Spain. Most of that experience wasn’t the best and actually dissuaded me from becoming a lawyer for a while.
I set out to complete the LPC with a master's in law and business to finish what I started, and I enjoyed the litigation/dispute resolution modules the most.
During this time, I also went for a couple of interviews, one with Helix Law.
It sounds cliché, but I felt it was an immediate fit. Both Alex and Jonathan (the Partners/Directors at Helix Law, and who I initially interviewed with) were ‘normal’ people (something not all lawyers are), but also had an ambition for the firm that I thought matched my own. Helix was incorporated in 2011 but it was clear in 2019 that the technology led mindset Helix have was beginning to make a real difference.
I completed my training contract in 2019 and, through a lot of hard work, late nights and the right support, I was promoted to Partner in 2024. The working environment at Helix is flexible and is the epitome of ‘you get out what you put in’. Put simply, you have to be ready and willing to put in some (very) hard work. In exchange, you’re likely to have a more real experience as a trainee/paralegal (i.e. managing your own case load and the pressures that come with that) but also know there’s a clear path to progress as far as you want to progress (as long as you’re willing to put in the hard work).
Helix continues to be a disruptor, taking on bigger cases against bigger ‘city’ firms and winning. We’re continuing to expand (having only recently opened a bigger, new office in the heart of Brighton) and continue to look for future partners at the paralegal and trainee level.
As I’m likely to say – the work continues!