Future solicitors start BRM’s highly competitive training programme
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 1 October 2026
The next generation of legal professionals have begun their journey towards qualification after securing places on a highly competitive training programme.
Alec Smith and Emily Froggatt start training contracts this month with leading Sheffield and Chesterfield legal firm BRM – alongside studying for their Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).
Following a competitive application and interview process, the pair were successfully selected for the BRM Futures programme, and have now been promoted from their paralegal roles.
They will undertake two years of training across up to four areas of law, gaining experience in both business and personal legal services.
Having graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with an LLB in 2025, Alec joined BRM shortly afterwards, and signed up for a master’s with the University of Law in December 2025.
Despite being a first-generation prospective lawyer, he was always certain it was the career for him. He said:
“Being a solicitor is the only profession I was ever actually interested in pursuing.
“No one in my family are lawyers. Being on placement and going to events allowed me to meet lawyers and ask questions I couldn’t ask of family members.”
For Emily, who graduated with a degree in law from Newcastle University in 2024 and started a master’s with the University of Law in December 2025, the biggest challenge has been working full time alongside her studies for the SQE.
She said:
“Studying for the SQE exams while working full time has been a massive challenge, but it is incredibly rewarding. It has definitely meant making sacrifices and maintaining a structured study routine, but knowing I will achieve my career goal of becoming a solicitor makes it all worth it.”
Emily has worked as a paralegal in BRM’s real estate team since 2025 and, now on the SQE pathway, her first seat will be in dispute resolution as she works towards becoming a fully qualified solicitor.
She said:
“I feel excited to start my new role. I’ve enjoyed real estate but looking forward to my first seat in dispute resolution and moving to different seats within the firm, as well as joining different teams and getting to know different colleagues better.”
For Alec, his first seat will be in commercial property. He said:
“I’m nervous and excited. It’s a new challenge but also a whole new field to learn. I’m happy to be supported by such phenomenal lawyers who are so well respected in the local legal community. I’ll be learning from the best.”
Claire Mayfield-Tulip, director and head of operations in real estate at BRM, will be Alec’s mentor during his time on the BRM Futures programme.
She said:
“We’re looking forward to welcoming Alec into the real estate team for his first training contract seat and he’s already gearing up to hit the ground running as we’re busy.
“Alec has been a great asset to the firm already in his previous role as a paralegal in our employment law team and we’re excited to help him explore different areas of law within BRM to see what he loves the most.
“This marks the beginning of an exciting but challenging journey for Alec towards qualification as a solicitor and achieving his childhood dream.”
Amy Hallam, director and head of employment law at BRM, will mentor Emily during her two-year training contract.
She said:
“I’m delighted that Emily has been chosen for one of our trainee solicitor roles.
“At BRM, we’re committed to supporting our junior lawyers, and I’m looking forward to seeing Emily’s development in this role. Emily will get to experience different areas of law, whilst supporting our teams and clients.
“It is great to see our trainees grow over the two-year period and mentoring is an important part of that. Our Futures programme aids individual development for our junior lawyers as well as the continued growth for the firm.”
BRM Futures is a dedicated early careers programme designed to nurture the next generation of legal talent across Sheffield and Chesterfield, offering pathways into qualification through training contracts (SQE and LPC qualifications), CILEx and paralegal roles. For further information visit https://www.brmlaw.co.uk/brm-futures/.
