Reccy Midigo is currently training to qualify as a solicitor at Burley Law Limited, a firm specialising in IP, commercial, tech and employment law. After passing her SQE1 exams in January 2024, she sat the SQE2 exams in August. She prepared for both exams with our prep courses.
Earlier this year, she successfully applied for an opportunity to represent BARBRI at the international LawWithoutWalls (LWOW) 2024 Madrid Sprint. We caught up with her after this exciting trip!
What drew you to apply for the LawWithoutWalls opportunity?
I am passionate about innovation and collaboration. The LWOW Sprint provided the opportunity to work with student and professional hackers from all over the world and design Projects of Worth (POW) for businesses in the legal, banking and commercial sector. As I plan to qualify as an IP and commercial solicitor, the LWOW Sprint provided an opportunity to develop personal and professional skills which will be helpful throughout my career.
How did LWOW prepare you for the Sprint in March?
Before the Sprint, me and the other student hackers took part in a seven-week course where we learned the 3-4-5 Method for developing Projects of Worth for clients. This method, which was created by Michelle DeStefano, founder of LWOW, taught us how to break down problems, understand the key stakeholders and develop client-focused solutions.
This enabled us to learn the background information and skills needed to excel in the intense three-day Sprint once we arrived in Madrid.
How did you find the Sprint? What would one expect attending it?
The Sprint was an amazing experience as I got to meet and work with people from all over the world at different stages of their careers. The first day focused on team building and putting together our problem statement.
Day two focused on breaking down the problem into small bits and identifying the relevant stakeholders and their pain points.
Finally, on day three, we focused on our solution, designing our prototype and presented our solution to a panel of judges and the rest of the Sprint participants.
While it was a fun experience, students taking part should be prepared for an intense weekend packed with 12-hour days of working and socialising.
What skills did you develop during the Sprint? How do you think this would benefit you in your career as a solicitor
Being able to listen to clients and understand their problem is an essential part of a solicitor’s role, which enables them to provide adequate advice and solutions for clients. While I had already developed some of these skills in practice, the Sprint helped me identify areas of improvement – such as active listening, problem-solving, team work and communication skills.
What other benefits did the opportunity bring for you?
The Sprint helped me gain new friends and expand my global network. The attendees of the Sprint represented over 20 different countries. Working with people from different cultures and different stages of life helped me improve my cultural competency and collaboration skills.
Is there anything one needs to know before applying?
While the LWOW Sprint is mostly attended by legal professionals and law students, there were students and professionals from other sectors and disciplines such as banking, marketing, and innovation. I would suggest looking up LWOW and reading the experiences of LWOW alumni to learn more about attendee’s experiences and the opportunities that will be helpful for your own professional and personal development.
Please describe the whole experience in one sentence.
The LWOW 2024 Madrid Sprint was an amazing experience that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to develop personal and professional skills, improve their problem-solving skills and meet students and professionals from all over the world.
What advice would you offer other students interested in applying?
Learn as much as you can during the seven-week Pre-Sprint course and use it as an opportunity to get to know other participants on the Sprint so you know a few familiar faces when you arrive at the in-person Sprint event.
The Pre-Sprint course may coincide with your SQE prep courses and exams so I would advise making sure that you have availability in your schedule to balance the course materials, SQE course and other responsibilities.
Be open minded and creative in your approach to the Sprint application and your projects and use it as an opportunity to showcase your unique skills, interests and passions.
I would highly recommend this opportunity to anyone who has a passion for innovation, law and international collaboration and anyone looking to push themselves out of their personal comfort zone. Regardless of your motivation for applying, the Sprint is a great opportunity for personal and professional growth while working with amazing individuals from around the globe.
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