For Bethany Goodwill, studying the CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ) with Law Training Centre has been a major turning point, opening the door to a rewarding new legal career whilst allowing her to learn in a way that truly fits around her lifestyle.
Bethany started off from a non-law background, completing an art degree and going on to do a master’s at the University of Kent. After that, she got a job as a temp at Maidstone’s County Court and discovered that she had a real passion for the legal system, setting her on the path toward qualification.
Today, she works in the family department as a trainee legal executive at Whitehead Monckton, supporting colleagues on a wide range of cases.
When it came to qualification, Bethany chose the CPQ over more traditional routes. “I liked that it was a lot longer than the traditional routes,” she told us. “I could have done the SQE or a Training Contract, but I actually quite like that the CPQ is longer. I feel like I wouldn’t be ready after such a short amount of time.”
The flexibility and pacing of the CPQ were major advantages: “It takes me quite a long time to get to grips with new things. So for me, the length of it appealed, and the fact that I can learn and work at the same time. I’m applying what I’m learning every day at work, which is really useful for me and helps everything sink in a bit better.”
Like many learners, Bethany has had to find a balance between work, study and personal time. “It has been a bit of a steep learning curve in my first year, actually balancing my personal life with my professional life and making sure that I do set aside enough time to study,” she admits.
Over time, she found a rhythm that worked for her: “I’ve found recently that I function better if I study at the weekends because I can wake up earlier. I have a bit of a longer period of time throughout the day to study, and I can take a break for a few hours if I want and come back to it.”
Her advice to others considering studying CPQ? “Make sure you set aside enough time to do what you enjoy doing outside of work, because that’s just as important.”
Talking about support, Bethany credits her firm and Law Training Centre for helping her study successfully. Her firm offers support in a range of ways: “They give me a lot of study leave, which is nice, and exam leave. They are very supportive as a firm when it comes to legal executives.”
When it comes to choosing where to study, the choice was clear. “I think every single one of my colleagues who is a trainee legal executive recommended Law Training Centre when I was looking to begin studying. They specifically said that Law Training Centre are the most helpful, even if you’re just considering it and you don’t want to commit to anything.”
She has particularly enjoyed the learning resources available: “I particularly like making use of the quizzes and the past papers. That just helps me, helps the way that I learn – to go over things again and again. It helps me feel a bit more confident about no, I can do it. I can remember it. I can learn all of this information.”
As she continues her studies, Bethany is excited about the future. “It’s a good match, this course and the place that I’m working. I just hope that I carry on as I am and keep passing the exams.”
Seeing what my colleagues do every day – I’d like to be doing what they’re doing one day, maybe sharing what I’ve learned over the years with somebody else the way my colleagues do for me. That would be nice.
For Bethany, studying the CPQ route represents more than just a qualification. It’s a sustainable path to a fulfilling legal career: “Choosing something that suits the way you learn – I think if you’re not afraid to make time for studying, this is a really good route. The traditional route doesn’t have to be the only route to becoming a lawyer. And I think the quality of the resources and the quality of the course really speak to that.”
