Three Bermudians have joined Appleby’s two-year legal trainee programme.

Arielle DeSilva, Zantae Dill and Kaisha Wilson have joined the programme which involves being called to the Bermuda Bar and completing four six-month seats in various practice groups including the corporate, dispute resolution and private client and trusts departments in Bermuda.

The goal is to provide trainees with a thorough legal foundation and expose them to a variety of practice areas, helping them identify the areas they may wish to specialise in the future. Each trainee is assigned a senior attorney, often a partner, as a mentor in every seat throughout the two years.

Tim Faries, Bermuda managing partner, said: “Our trainee programme has proven to be highly successful over the years with attorneys going on to practice in all areas of the firm, in a variety of different specialisms. During their time at Appleby, we aim to provide the trainees with real life experience and mentoring to assist them with their careers upon completion. We are delighted to have Arielle, Zantae and Kaisha join our team and look forward to watching them grow.”

Ms DeSilva received a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Drama and Theatre studies from the University of Kent in 2015. After receiving her BA she went on to complete both the graduate diploma in law from BPP University in London Waterloo and the legal practice course from BPP University in London Holborn.

When asked what the deciding factors were for her in choosing where to commence her training contract, she said: "I was committed to joining a firm that would offer Tier-1 training within a collegiate environment. Appleby, by far, had the best reputation for meeting these requirements and I didn't hesitate in accepting their offer. I am thrilled to be training at such a renowned firm and learning from lawyers who are experts in their respective fields. I intend to go into each seat with an open mind and allow my experiences in each department to aid in determining which area I will ultimately specialise in."

Ms Dill received a Bachelor of Law and Psychology from the University of the West of England in 2019 and completed the legal practice course at the University of Law in Bristol.

She was a summer student at Appleby in both 2018 and 2019 before starting the Appleby legal trainee programme in 2020. She was also a two-time recipient of Appleby’s Legal Education Bursary. Ms Dill found the summer programme “rewarding and enjoyable”. She said: “My two experiences at Appleby were crucial in my development as I was able to learn from some of the best in the industry. I felt welcomed among my colleagues, which ultimately led me to the decision to do my training at the firm. My goal for the next year is to learn as much as I can from every seat so that I can gather the skills necessary to be able to effectively contribute to Bermuda’s legal market.”

Ms Wilson obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL. B) at De Montfort University in Leicester in 2019, graduating with first class honours. After receiving her LL. B, she completed the legal practice course at BPP University in Manchester with a distinction.

In 2018 and 2019, she was a recipient of Appleby’s Legal Education Bursary. Ms Wilson said: “I was a summer student at Appleby in 2019 and during that time, I was pleased by the diverse and welcoming working community. Therefore, when I was invited to take part in an interview, which if successful, I would receive financial support to complete my LPC and a position in the Appleby legal trainee programme, I did not hesitate. The exceptional reputation of the firm made my decision that much easier. My goal for the next two years in the programme is to embrace each seat and opportunity. Although I am interested in the corporate practice, I endeavour to keep an open-mind and absorb as much knowledge as I can from the professionals around me.”