Profile (as at March 2008)

I chose to work for Lovells because it seemed to have exactly the right balance between top quality, cutting edge work and a down-to-earth atmosphere. I also liked the fact that alongside the big name deals and international perspective, unlike other City Law firms there was a real opportunity to get involved in well established niche practice areas and interesting pro-bono work.

Another selling point for me was Lovells' international influence. During my first two seats, I was given the opportunity to work on deals involving several jurisdictions and this enabled me to gain first hand experience of the legal systems and practices of other countries.

I have found that Lovells sets itself apart from its competitors by providing a comfortable working culture with an effective support structure. I genuinely like and respect my colleagues which makes a huge difference. When you are doing something tricky or have to work a long night, group morale is important and so far, I have always felt appreciated. In my first week at Lovells, I wrongly interpreted a partner's instructions which resulted in a few red-faced calls to clients. I was terrified that he would think I was incompetent and never give me any work again but to my surprise he put me at ease and even apologised to me for not being clearer. It goes to show that even the partners are friendly and approachable here which makes learning and working that much easier and dare I say — fun.

I am currently on secondment with our Dubai office. It is a small office which affords me the opportunity to take on much more responsibility and there is a lot more client contact on offer. Knowing that you play an integral role in making a deal come together is very satisfying and although the learning curve is steep, the hands-on experience is second to none.

My tip for those applying to law firms is that there is no 'type.' Don't assume that law firms are looking for a particular character or that there is a checklist of achievements that you have to have under your belt. When making applications, I wish I had known what a difference it makes to really find out what the law firm is like. All the firms seem to look the same on paper and the only way to effectively distinguish between them is to find out what goes on behind the PR blurb. A good way to try to judge whether you will like a firm is to try to gain experience there through vac schemes/open days or to talk to as many people who work there as you can.

I have been pleasantly surprised by what I have found at Lovells. The work, although challenging, is intellectually stimulating. In addition, the experience and exposure you will get whilst working here will be both exciting and useful in your career development. Yes, there will be dark times but as clichéd as it may sound, the atmosphere created by everyone here (from partners to your fellow trainees) makes it all the more bearable.