University: University of York
Degree: Law
Year of qualification: 2022
Position: Associate
Department: Corporate finance

What attracted you to a career in law?

Law appealed to me for many reasons, but principally because I knew it’d provide a great deal of job satisfaction. I believed it would be a challenging and intellectually stimulating career that would require me to constantly develop my own knowledge, particularly given the regular legal updates and changes in market practice. Another reason I was attracted to the law was the variety that it offers– there are lots of different firms and specialisms, which means you can really tailor your career to your interests.

Plus, some deals you work on feature in the news, which adds an element of excitement!

Why did you decide to apply to Baker McKenzie?

I applied to Baker McKenzie for several reasons but its global presence was the biggest appeal. Most of the transactions that I work on are multi-jurisdictional and allow for collaboration with overseas offices.

I was also excited by the potential secondment opportunities or the chance to participate in an associate transfer programme. It’s this global presence, along with its local expertise, that attracts clients and really appealed to me as an aspiring solicitor.

On top of this, the firm has a very friendly and inclusive culture. During university, I attended lots of networking events and got to meet people from Baker McKenzie. They were all friendly and happy to answer my questions. Now that I’ve been at the firm for a number of years, this still holds true.

How much work experience had you had? Why is it so important?

Before I applied to Baker McKenzie, I’d completed two separate weeks of work experience at local high-street law firms and several one-off days at other law firms, just to get a sense of the work done day to day. I also attended Baker McKenzie’s vacation scheme.

Outside of law, I worked at a local bakery and in hospitality. One thing I’d stress to aspiring solicitors is that most law firms, including Baker McKenzie, don’t expect applicants to have a large amount of legal work experience. Primarily, you need to show that you’ve got transferable skills, such as good communication, leadership and problem-solving.

Which departments did you train in?

My first seat was in corporate reorganisations, which focuses on intra-group restructurings typically involving a number of corporate actions, such as distributions, contributions and asset transfers. My second seat was corporate finance, which involved a great variety of work. This department focuses mainly on public M&A, capital markets and public company advisory, but we also work on private M&A and reorganisations. I then completed a seat in IP tech, where I primarily focused on commercial contracts, data protection and IP due diligence, before ending my training contract with a secondment at BP – this was great chance to get more insights into the client perspective.

Please outline your area of expertise. What might you do in a typical day?

Every day has a great deal of variety and no two days are the same. That said, I’d typically start the day by checking my inbox and identifying the emails that I can action straightaway. For the emails that require action, I might liaise with overseas offices or senior team members on how to progress the matters. I’ll then assess whether I have any discreet tasks that need completing, such as document drafting, a piece of research or reviewing drafts prepared by trainees.

I’m the pro bono coordinator for corporate finance, so I also like to do some pro bono work and try to get the rest of the team involved. To cap off the day, there might be a team social or a corporate client event that I can attend.

Please discuss a current/recent specific deal/case, outlining your role in the matter.

A recent deal I worked on was Carlsberg’s £3.3 billion recommended acquisition of the international soft drinks business Britvic Plc. This was a complex and high-profile deal, which really was the firm’s sweet spot. As part of the deal, I led the preparation of the announcement of the intention to make a firm offer, known as the 2.7 announcement. I prepared key legal documents and coordinated the verification process of the 2.7 announcement and the scheme document. I also assisted with the board approval process and advised the client when it had any queries on the UK takeover code and the takeover process. It was featured in the press recently, which was very exciting! The deal is still ongoing, as there are several conditions that must be satisfied.

How involved are you with business development and promoting the firm?

As you become more senior in the firm, you’re expected to get more involved in business development. As a junior, you can promote the firm through graduate recruitment events, like supervising a vacation scheme student or helping at open days. As you become more senior, you’ll be able to join firm and client networking events, and will also be expected to reach out to clients to improve your own profile as well as the law firm’s.

What makes your firm stand out from the rest?

While other firms are international, Baker McKenzie was the first truly global law firm. No other firm has the same global footprint and connectivity that we have. This puts the firm in a unique position, allowing it to help clients to navigate the increasingly complicated geopolitical landscape and support their needs across the globe.

When it comes to our corporate work, Baker McKenzie is a transactional powerhouse – with more than 2,500 deal practitioners in over 45 countries offering leading expertise in the areas most critical for our clients. More than 65% of our deals are multi-jurisdictional, so this is really where our area of expertise lies.

What advice do you have for budding solicitors who are contemplating a career in law?

Be proactive! There are lots of different types of law firms and many areas of law that you can go into. You need to attend events and speak to people to work out where you’ll fit best and what areas will interest you the most.

What is the work/life balance like at your firm? How often do you have late nights/work at weekends?

The work/life balance is very good. Given the high-performance nature of the work and the speed of transactions, there might be times when you have to work a bit later than usual or, more rarely, at the weekend. However, it’s important to stress that there’s no face-time culture at Baker McKenzie. So, if you’re completing your work and meeting deadlines, there’s really no requirement that you work late or over the weekend.

Does your department largely work independently, in support of another dept or is it routinely supported by other depts?

On large transactions, we typically work with overseas offices and other departments in the London office. As an example, on the Carlsberg deal we worked with a range of teams, such as corporate, banking and finance, employment, pensions and commercial contracts, among others. It’s very much a team event.

What’s the biggest opportunity you’ve been given since joining the firm?

The biggest opportunity that I’ve had since joining Baker McKenzie has been working on large multi-jurisdictional transactions. Whenever these deals are published in the news, it highlights the importance of the work we do. I’ve also been able to meet corporate colleagues across EMEA at recent corporate practice group meetings in Amsterdam and Vienna.

What’s your signature dish?

Anything involving noodles. It’s one of my favourite foods so I’ve got a big batch of recipes that I go to.