Career Timeline

September 1997 - June 2000
I studied law at Manchester University and during my second year did a vacation scheme at a City law firm and an internship with an investment bank. I ultimately decided to accept a training contract at Lovells - I later qualified as a banking lawyer!

September 2000 - June 2001
I did the LPC at Nottingham law school following the corporate programme and found the practical application of law on the LPC more interesting and commercial than law at university. The LPC was also great for developing a close network of friends from Lovells and other firms who all moved down to the City.

February 2002
After taking nine months out after law school to travel around the world it was hard to get back to reality and start my training contract at Lovells. My training contract gave me a great opportunity to spend time in different practice areas throughout the firm, learn and develop different skills and from this experience I was able to decide where I wanted to qualify.

August 2002
I spent the second seat of my training contract on secondment to the banking team in the Hong Kong office. The secondment was a fantastic opportunity to work overseas. Working in a smaller team also allowed me to have more responsibility than I had working as a trainee in the London office and to work on a more diverse range of banking transactions.

February 2004
I qualified as a lawyer into the acquisition and leveraged finance banking team at Lovells. Whilst at Lovells I have been involved in pro bono for the Princes Trust as a business advisor. This has been very rewarding allowing me to share some of my knowledge with young people setting up businesses in association with the Princes Trust.

April 2006
I went on secondment last year to the leveraged finance deal team at Merrill Lynch. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the commercial mechanics of a leveraged finance transaction and to work closely with the bankers to find out what they really want from their lawyers.

July 2007
I am now just over three years qualified at Lovells and over the last few years have worked on some exciting headline transactions for a range of borrower private equity and bank clients including the buy outs of Fat Face and Fitness First.