“No two days are the same. I am still settling into the role and learning all the time, but I am really enjoying it.”
From starting her career on the first day of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, to qualifying as a Solicitor in 2025 with Warwickshire Legal Services (WLS), Katrina Pinfold has made the most of the professional development and support opportunities available through WLS’ trainee scheme.
Katrina originally attended school in Warwick before moving to the University of Sheffield to study law. After graduating, she returned to Warwickshire and joined Warwickshire County Council just as the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. Katrina explains “A lot of the beginning of my role had to be done virtually, which was challenging, but it also taught me a lot very quickly.”
Katrina began in the Council as a part of the Warwickshire Pension Fund, initially working as a Pensions Assistant before progressing into a Pensions Officer role. The work involved liaising with employers about their participation in the pension fund, helping to resolve pension-related issues and developing a strong understanding of the Local Government Pension Scheme and its regulations.
Despite the unusual circumstances of starting work remotely, this role gave Katrina valuable experience and confidence. “It was a really good foundation,” she says. “I gained a broad overview of pensions and working closely with both employers and members, which proved really useful for when I later started to work amongst the teams in WLS.”
In June 2023, Katrina joined WLS with a two-year training contract. She started by working as a Legal Assistant in the Children and Families team, where she gained early exposure to local authority legal work.
However, her first formal training seat was in WLS’ Governance and Employment teams, where she developed a strong understanding of how the Council operates at a strategic level. This included attending cabinet and committee meetings, drafting key policies and protocols and attending Tribunal hearings, providing valuable insight into governance, decision-making and the practical realities of working as a lawyer. “It gave me a really useful overview of the Council and how the different parts work together,” she said.
Katrina’s second seat for her training was in the Property team, an area she had identified as a potential long-term career interest. She found the work varied, engaging and rewarding. During this time, she worked on the Council’s Annual Governance Statement which is published each year alongside the Statement of Accounts and provides assurance over the Council's governance arrangements. The project involved close collaboration with colleagues in finance, finding out key information from directors and senior officers, and presenting the final work to the Audit and Standards Committee and Corporate Board. “It was challenging but really enjoyable,” Katrina explains. “Delivering it on time and getting everything approved felt like a real achievement.” The work was so successful that she was asked to help again the following year.
Her third training seat was in the Commercial and Contracts team, where Katrina was able to draw on her earlier experience within the Warwickshire Pension Fund when dealing with commercial matters, disputes and agreements. “It was interesting seeing the other side of it,” she says. “I had previously been in the Pensions team providing information and instructions to solicitors, and now I was the one advising. It all came together and was really fun.”
Katrina’s fourth and final seat as part of the trainee scheme was in the Education team, where she gained responsibility for managing tribunal matters and responding to a wide range of ad hoc and unusual requests through the team’s hotline. The trainee scheme experience helped to build Katrina’s confidence and develop her practical skills, particularly through having greater control over cases and managing them from start to finish.
Katrina qualified as a Solicitor in July 2025 and is now practicing as a newly qualified Solicitor in the Property team. She describes the role as varied and constantly interesting, covering work across farms, nurseries, schools, commercial business centres and country parks. “No two days are the same,” she said. “I am still settling into the role and learning all the time, but I am really enjoying it.”
She also highlights the supportive culture within Warwickshire Legal Services as one of the biggest benefits of the trainee scheme. “Everyone works together to find solutions and achieve a common goal. You are kept informed about wider Council matters, which really helps you to understand the context of the legal work. There is also a strong focus on learning and development, with access to tools like Practical Law Company, MBL Seminars and Lexis Nexis to really make the most of ongoing training opportunities.”
Reflecting on her journey, Katrina believes that WLS’ trainee scheme offers a unique and supportive route into the legal profession. “You get exposure to so many different areas of law with real responsibility, and with support from people who genuinely want you to succeed,” she says. “It is a great place to train and grow as a Solicitor.”
There are a variety of training and job opportunities available at Warwickshire. If you're someone who is prepared to get stuck in, who wants to do the best job possible, who approaches everything with passion and purpose, then we want you to work for us! Find out more about joining us at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/jobs
To find out more about Warwickshire Legal Services, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wls