Get to Know Us | Legal Assistant Trainees, Autumn 2022, Helsinki

Juulia Kärkkäinen, Hannariikka Laaksonen, Hanna Lehtonen, Anni Nohteri, and Vilma Tanskanen have been working as legal assistant trainees at Hannes Snellman’s Helsinki office since August 2022. They are all studying in undergraduate programmes in business administration: Juulia, Hannariikka, Anni, and Vilma at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and Hanna at Laurea University of Applied Sciences. Since their traineeship at Hannes is coming to its end, we asked them a few questions about their time here.

How are you? How was your autumn?

Juulia: I’m fine, thank you! My autumn was quite hectic but truly rewarding.

Hannariikka: I feel like autumn just flew by and I am feeling a bit wistful about the traineeship coming to its end.

Hanna: I've had a nice autumn and the traineeship has gone by really fast! In addition to work, I’ve spent a lot of time on my thesis.

Anni: Great! This fall has been full of learning new skills and of course getting to know many new people.

Vilma: I’m good, thank you! Autumn went by very fast, and it was a very memorable one. I got the chance to meet new people and got to develop myself professionally.

What is included in a “normal” working day of a legal assistant trainee?

Juulia: A normal working day of a legal assistant trainee includes different kinds of tasks from administrative tasks to helping lawyers and assistant colleagues in project-related matters. Every day is different from the other with different tasks each day.

Hannariikka: Assisting the members of your own team with various document management and administrative tasks. The tasks and workload may vary a lot, which requires calendar management and prioritisation skills.

Hanna: The days are very variable and there aren't really any similar days, but mainly the days are spent assisting lawyers in handling various assignments, which includes editing and managing documents and also investigative work, for instance.

Anni: I work in both of our M&A teams, and since I get most of my work tasks from assistants and lawyers, I rarely have the same kind of day twice. Some of my day-to-day tasks include managing document indexes, submitting our teams’ associate trainees’ working hours to our system, and managing calendars and e-mails. On top of these, I get different kinds of project-related and administrative tasks from my team members.

Vilma: It’s a cliché but there really isn’t a “normal working day” of a legal assistant trainee. There are some routine things we do each day but other than that it depends very much on the day. Some days I could be proofreading and scanning documents, and other days I could be hosting a student visit.

Looking back at your traineeship, what has been the most memorable experience or learning from Hannes Snellman?

Juulia: At the beginning of my traineeship, I had the opportunity to attend the office summer party, and there I was impressed by the people and culture of Hannes.

Hannariikka: I have learned that in this job you can never be too precise. The most memorable experiences are probably the summer party and the Christmas party.

Hanna: The work culture and people are a really valuable resource at Hannes, and it shows in my everyday work. The most memorable things during the traineeship have been the various nice events that I have been able to participate in, as well as the various Hannes Academy lectures in terms of learning. I really appreciate all the skills and knowledge I have gained during the traineeship, especially from the interesting projects of the Real Assets Team!

Anni: The most memorable experiences must be the get-togethers with my teams and getting to know my colleagues. The greatest learning experience for me has been the importance of communicating with your team, and the Hannes Academy lectures have been a great opportunity to learn about different subjects and tools.

Vilma: I think the most memorable experience was the Hannes Christmas party. It was great to see so many colleagues having fun with each other, and you could really feel the warm atmosphere of Hannes.

Do you have any advice for students applying to traineeships?

Juulia: Dare to step outside your comfort zone, stay open-minded and active. Remember that the traineeship is for learning.

Hannariikka: A bit of a cliché but be yourself and trust your skills.

Hanna: As a trainee, you have the opportunity to influence what you learn during the traineeship, so be yourself and bring out your own interests, your views, and what motivates you at work!

Anni: Don’t hesitate to apply even if you don’t have any legal knowledge, it is not needed! Be active, ask questions, and try to put emphasis on your willingness to learn new things and skills.

Vilma: Bring out your personality in the job interview and don’t hesitate to ask questions before or during the traineeship.

One theme popping up in working life discussions is purpose at work. To conclude this interview, we would like to ask you what the things are that keep you going and motivated in your work — what is the purpose of your work?

Juulia: Being able to work with great people, getting new challenges and achievements, and of course learning new things constantly.

Hannariikka: I find purpose in working as part of a team and helping others to succeed. Developing my own skills also motivates me.

Hanna: Feeling like a part of a team, a good working community, and responsibility and colleagues' trust in work tasks.

Anni: For me, the biggest motivation comes from exceeding myself and realising the progress I have made and how much I have learned. On top of that, my teams’ and the whole workplace’s atmosphere is really motivating since everyone is always trying to give their best. 

Vilma: The number one thing keeping me motivated is my teams that I work in. I am a team player so for me the purpose of work comes from working hard together towards our goals and helping each other.

FAVOURITE | Way of Commuting: Juulia: Train; Hannariikka: Train; Hanna: Train; Anni: The bus; Vilma: Train. Book: Juulia: About a Boy by Nick Hornby; Hannariikka: The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb; Hanna: Camilla Läckberg – Silver Tears; Anni: Lesser-Known Monsters of the 21st Century; Vilma: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Lunch: Juulia: Salad; Hannariikka: Sushi; Hanna: PokeBowl; Anni: Asian food; Vilma: Ramen. Podcast: Juulia: Jäljillä; Hannariikka: Armchair Expert; Hanna: Wilenius & Hulkki Podcast; Anni: Auta Antti; Vilma: The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett. Work Equipment: Juulia: Multi-port hub; Hannariikka: Extra monitor; Hanna: Electric desk; Anni: Electric desk; Vilma: Chair. Afternoon Routine: Juulia: Next day scheduling; Hannariikka: Caffeine; Hanna: Long walk with my dog; Anni: Coffee break; Vilma: Gym. Mobile Application: Juulia: WhatsApp; Hannariikka: WhatsApp; Hanna: Spotify; Anni: Podme; Vilma: Spotify. Relaxation method: Juulia: Nature, sports or Netflix – depends on the day; Hannariikka: Going for a walk with a friend; Hanna: Spinning and swimming; Anni: Reading; Vilma: Watching Netflix. Work Outfit: Juulia: Blazer; Hannariikka: Black jeans and blouse; Hanna: Long sweater and leggings; Anni: A knitted dress; Vilma: Dress and a blouse. Power Song: Juulia: Good as Hell – Lizzo; Hannariikka: On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons; Hanna: Avicii – The Nights; Anni: Last Last; Vilma: It’s All Coming Back to Me Now – Céline Dion. Social Media Channel: Juulia: LinkedIn; Hannariikka: Instagram; Hanna: Instagram; Anni: Instagram; Vilma: Instagram. Drink: Juulia: Water; Hannariikka: Iced tea; Hanna: Nocco; Anni: Iced tea; Vilma: Redbull Sugarfree. Weekday: Juulia: Saturday; Hannariikka: Saturday; Hanna: Saturday; Anni: Saturday; Vilma: Thursday. Leisure Activity: Juulia: Walking in the nature or playing board games with kids; Hannariikka: Jogging; Hanna: Any sport, spending time at the summer cottage or boating in the summer; Anni: Weight training; Vilma: Plane spotting.