Our new Lighthouse Academy students share their experience so far

5 April 2019

Our second group of students joined the Lighthouse Academy in January this year, and, after a whirlwind first quarter, we’ve asked them for their reflections on the experience so far.  Driven by one of our core values, “Be a Force for Good”, the Academy is an extension of our aim to provide better service and greater value not only to our clients, but to the community around us.  

As a paid 12-month training and skills development program for BBBEE law graduates, the Lighthouse Academy provides students with an excellent grounding in the work we do for our clients. Our three new recruits: Liezl Hendricks, Sinoxolo Ndlumbini and Judith Samuels share their thoughts:

Sinoxolo Ndlumbini

My experience at Lighthouse in these first few months has been a steep learning curve. I have been introduced to areas and aspects of law I never imagined I would be working on. Lighthouse has challenged me to broaden my knowledge on contract law. I am gaining skills which I know will help me succeed in my career and one of those skills is being able to think critically. I value the exposure I have gained since I joined Lighthouse - from doing red flag reviews to attending client meetings and drafting legal documents. The office environment is invigorating and very open as I can approach any of the attorneys when I need assistance on the work I am doing.

Liezl Hendricks

My experience at Lighthouse so far has been a pleasure, yet also a challenge. As a legal trainee I have learned so much more than I expected in a short period of time. This has come from getting involved in as much as possible and having the privilege to work with, and learn from, attorneys who are always willing to teach us as much as they can. I have learned the importance of attention to detail and always striving for excellence - two qualities which make for a great lawyer.

Judy Samuels

I think that it is important to not just aspire to earn a good living as an attorney, but to also aspire to make a difference where I can. Something I value about the culture here at Lighthouse is that they aim to make a difference not just through making opportunities available to people through the Academy, but also by pulling people together. The culture at the firm is very inclusive and there is a strong sense of not only having goals and aspirations, but also focusing on how to actually achieve them. I see that every goal that is achieved here is through consistency, hard work, discipline and team effort. Working really hard is what successful people do – and I am proud to be part of this successful team of people.