A Sandwich Year at Hassans: What 5 Months as a Paralegal Has Taught Me.

I’m currently just under halfway through my sandwich year as a paralegal at Hassans International Law Firm Limited, and I thought this was a good time to pause and reflect on the experience so far.

This is not intended to be taken as advice, nor as a clear key for all to decide whether a Sandwich year is for them. My intention with this article is simply to provide some insight into the thoughts of a student on a legal sandwich year placement, whilst in the middle of it.

Exposure to practice comes quickly.

One of the biggest surprises was how quickly I was exposed to real, practical client work. From drafting and reviewing documents, to legal research and supporting ongoing matters, the work felt meaningful from the outset.

That level of responsibility can be intimidating at first, but it also reflects the trust practitioners place in you. Importantly, that responsibility comes with support. Questions are encouraged and mistakes are treated as part of the learning process rather than something to be avoided at all costs.

What practice develops that university doesn’t always teach.

I have found that my university experience thus far helped build a strong foundation in legal language and statutory interpretation, and that has been fundamental to my development. However, practice exposes skills that are harder (or even impossible) to learn at university.

For me, one of the biggest has been prioritisation - managing multiple tasks from different practitioners, all with varying urgency and importance. Similarly, time management is also a fundamental part of work life. In client work, deadlines matter, so managing your time effectively to ensure such deadlines can be met is vital.

I’ve also become far more comfortable handling and drafting documents and using formal legal language with care. This confidence developed through repeated exposure to such documents, combined with practice and, honestly (but not unexpectedly), correction of errors and feedback. While universities (credit to them), do strive to provide students with as best a sense for workplace tasks as they can, obtaining a real grip on real work-like tasks can, in many ways, only come from work experience.

Making mistakes (and why that matters).

There have been moments where I’ve been asked to review something that seemed straightforward in concept, only to realise how complex the underlying agreement actually was. On more than one occasion, I’ve produced findings that were simply wrong.

There is one phrase which comes to mind as I've had it said to me multiple times in my time here so far. Within the context of tackling a complex task unlike any others you have been exposed to prior; it is easy to feel like you are "banging your head against a wall".  Thankfully, I am not highlighting this phrase to give the impression that legal work experience is painfully akin to banging your head against a wall, but rather to highlight that struggling with a complex task and, at times, feeling like you're not getting anywhere is normal. More than this, to highlight that the most senior practitioners in the industry will be the first to tell you this.

During the times where I have struggled with a particular task and produced incorrect findings, the response from more senior members at Hassans has been consistent: correction, explanation, and reassurance that this is normal. Those moments have been some of the most instructive so far. They highlight that competence in practice is built incrementally, and that being wrong - provided you’re willing to learn - is part of the process.

Law school vs legal work.

One of the clearest shifts in perspective has been understanding the difference between being a strong law student and being useful in practice.

Black-letter law and case theory matter, but day to day, effectiveness comes far more from attitude: willingness to take on work, openness to feedback, and reliability. I’ve been repeatedly reminded that intelligence alone isn’t what makes a good trainee or prospective lawyer - it’s how you approach the role and the people around you.

The real cost of a sandwich year.

A sandwich year isn’t without trade-offs. For some, the trade-offs may not work, which include deferring studies, often relocating, and stepping out of the typical student way of life for a year. 

As well as this, in my experience, finding a placement was something that took a lot more time and effort than most might think. Thankfully, Hassans offered me a year-long placement as a paralegal, a firm which I had been to on a summer student programme a year prior, in the place where I have lived my whole life (outside of university time, Gibraltar). If this were not an option (as may be the case for many individuals living and pursuing a legal career in the UK), I would have had to spend a lot longer searching, as unique opportunities like this can, at times, be few and far between. All this is to say that the sandwich year experience also entails much time and work in sourcing the placement to begin with.

That said, I can say with absolute certainty that, so far, the experience has been worth it. Even within five months, the exposure to real legal work, the learning curve, and the professional connections made have been significant

Who it’s for - and who it isn’t.

A sandwich year isn’t for everyone. In my view, the key factor isn’t academic ability, but readiness to spend a year in a professional environment. If someone doesn’t feel prepared - mentally or otherwise - for that shift, it may not be the right time.

That doesn’t mean the end of student life; it’s a temporary change of pace, but one that those who opt to undertake it, should be ready for.

Final thoughts.

The Sandwich year is something which can be hugely beneficial to individuals like myself, who are early on in their legal careers.  For this reason, I would encourage all to at least give the opportunity some thought and consideration, where their course allows for it.  Though it is an opportunity which can be difficult to find, it is important that those who are keen on the idea do not shy away from reaching out and contacting potential employers as there will be firms like Hassans where this opportunity is available.

At the halfway point, what’s been most valuable is clarity - about how legal work functions, what skills matter most, and what type of work I see myself doing in the future.

I’m still very much learning, and I expect my perspective will evolve further by the end of the year. For now, though, this experience has already reshaped how I view both practice and my place within it.