Spotlight On... Abigail Shortte
Job Title: Trainee Solicitor
Lives: Crookes, Sheffield
Education: I grew up in a little village on the Norfolk Broads (attending schools nobody will have heard of) and then moved to Sheffield in 2008 for my Law degree and LPC at the University of Sheffield.
Work History: After University I worked at Sheffield City Council for a short time assisting with public child care proceedings and then worked at Trade Union Legal LLP for a year dealing mostly with wills and probate matters. In August 2016 I joined Wake Smith as the firm’s Trainee.
What was your first job? Cleaning boats-for-hire on the Broads.
What did you think you would be when you grew up? I used to really want to be a surgeon. There are a few people in my family in the medical field and it has always fascinated me.
Where is the best place to go for office gossip? The second floor kitchen.
What is the best thing about your job? The variety of work I get to undertake as a Trainee.
What is the worst thing about your job? Disappointing a client when transactions are delayed.
What and where is your favourite restaurant? San Lorenzo in Crookes. It’s a little family run Italian restaurant just around the corner from where I live and it never disappoints. You can bring your own wine too.
What book are you reading? The Island, by Victoria Hislop. I don’t normally read a book more than once but it’s my favourite summer read and I love it every time- set in Greece in the 1930-1940s with a good mix of history, romance and travelling.
If you were stranded on a desert island, which two luxury items would you take? A giant bottle of sun cream and some sort of device to make salt water drinkable…although I’m not sure if anything portable like that exists.
If a film was being made of your life, who would you want to play you and why? Rachel McAdams – I love her in films.
Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with? Judge Rinder – I’m a fairly easy going person but I find him so irritating; it would be awful.
Which 3 celebrities would you invite to your perfect dinner party (alive or dead)? Jamie Oliver for the cooking, John Legend for the entertainment and Lionel Messi to keep my husband happy!
What do you enjoy in your spare time? I really enjoy baking and trying new recipes in my spare time. I also love going to visit my family as often as I can and spoiling all my nieces and nephews.
Who is your hero and why? My all-time hero would have to be my Mum. She is very wise, always supportive and really funny – I want to be like her when I grow up.
