University: University College London
Degree: Law
Year of qualification: 2023
Position: Associate
Department: Corporate
Pronouns: He/him

What attracted you to a career in law?

I was initially attracted to a career in law after completing work experience placements when I was at school. I liked the team environment and intellectual aspects of the work, so a law degree seemed like the natural next step.

While at university, there was an active careers programme where an array of commercial law firms would visit the university and based on the firms that matched what I was looking for, I applied for open days, particularly with the big commercial law firms in the City given that we were based in London. I’d attend events at the various firms’ offices and found that I was attracted by the variety of work, the international elements and the teamwork that comes with being a solicitor. I then decided to apply for vacation schemes and training contracts.

How did you decide which firms to apply to?

As well as being drawn to firms where I’d had the opportunity to visit their offices, my focus tended to be on US-style law firms with small trainee intakes. I knew I wanted to work somewhere that I’d feel part of the firm, rather than being lost in a big trainee cohort. I found websites like LawCareers.Net helpful during the process. However, the key was meeting people at law firm open days and law fairs to get a feel for the culture. Although it may only be a cursory interaction it gave me a sense of what the different law firms were like.

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

I completed a few law-related placements while at school. I also worked an admin job in a law firm during the summer holidays. While this wasn’t necessarily a legal job, I was still working in a law firm and got a feel for the environment. Before I started my training contract, I was a paralegal at an English law firm too.

In terms of non-legal work experience, my dad had a catering business, so I helped him out when he catered at weddings and other events. This was great for learning interpersonal skills and developing the ability to think on my feet, which have been incredibly useful transferable skills that I might not have picked up by just completing work experience at a law firm.

Can you explain how the training system at Jones Day works and the work you got involved with during your training contract?

The training system at Jones Day is non-rotational, which means trainees aren’t allocated to a particular ‘seat’ in any one department. Instead, trainees are free to mould their training contract by working across multiple departments. At the start of my training contract, my office was close to the real estate finance team. They were very busy at the time, so I naturally started working with them. As a result, I had great exposure to top deals and a lot of responsibility early in my training contract. Typically, tasks include process management, such as tracking satisfaction of conditions precedent and keeping the team updated on progress, preparing ancillary documents and keeping on top of emails. I had a good idea that I wanted to do transactional work and one of the perks of Jones Day’s non-rotational system is that you can do as much of the type of work you want to do (without the ‘seat’ coming to an end). As such, I focused my training contract across the transactional departments, including real estate finance, leveraged finance and corporate, the last of which is where I eventually qualified.

I started getting involved in corporate work around December of my first year as a trainee and was consistently involved in corporate deals through to qualification, which is about 18 months of corporate experience. The non-rotational system is great in this sense – ‘seats’ usually only last four to six months – so having 18 months of experience really increased my skills and knowledge in a way that wouldn’t have been possible elsewhere. It also meant, that when I came to qualification I could hit the ground running – there was no real difference between my last day as a trainee and first as an associate. For those who know what they want to do, they can focus on that type of work. Conversely, for those who are unsure about which area of law is for them, they can try everything.

To get work, trainees are encouraged to knock on doors, introduce themselves to partners/associates and ask whether there’s anything they can get involved in. The training contract has been run this way for a long time, so it’s really ingrained into the firm culture – and not as daunting as it might sound!  

What’s your advice for those embarking on a training contract with a non-rotational system?

Everybody at the firm understands how the training contract system works – most people at the firm, especially the partners, trained at Jones Day themselves. They know how important it is and are receptive to trainees coming to have a chat. There’s a very open, non-hierarchical culture at Jones Day, so there’s nothing to be worried about. Plus, because of the way the firm’s vacation scheme is run, you get a flavour for how the training contract works before you start.

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

I do corporate work with a focus on public and private M&A. Within that I work across many sectors – for example, infrastructure, energy, retail, real estate and healthcare – which is interesting. If there’s a particular area of work that you like, you can prioritise that area or choose to stay broad, which is what I did.

In terms of day to day, it’s true that every day is different. Usually, it’ll involve taking calls in partners’ offices – if you’re working in a team, the team will go to the partner’s office for the call, which is a great way to learn and feel involved. Otherwise, the day consists of drafting, which, as a trainee, you’re actively encouraged to get involved in. There are also the usual tasks that make up the work of a corporate trainee, such as due diligence and staying on top of everything that’s happening on the matter you’re working on. Generally, you’re encouraged to be proactive and take responsibility for workstreams but guidance is always there when you need it.

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

Earlier this year, Jones Day advised British Land on the divestiture of its 50% interest in the Meadowhall Shopping Centre. The stake was acquired by its joint venture partner Norges Bank Investment Management, which manages the Norwegian Government's pension investments.

During this transaction, my role included drafting amendments to various management agreements and working with the client and other law firms to provide information to the buyer for its due diligence. I was also responsible for a capitalisation workstream that needed to be completed before signing, this demanded attention to detail and execution within a tight deadline.

Throughout the transaction, I regularly engaged with the client and coordinated several stakeholders so that we could hit the signing date.

On a personal note, having grown up in Yorkshire, this deal held particular significance for me. The Meadowhall Shopping Centre was a regular fixture of my childhood, so it felt full circle to be involved in the sale.

What do you most/least enjoy about your career and why?

It’s very rare to do a deal at Jones Day where there isn’t an international element, which is what I enjoy most about the career. The firm has offices across the globe so you’re often working alongside other Jones Day lawyers – it’s a great feeling being part of the same team, working towards the same end goal.

In terms of what I least enjoy, I’d say the unpredictability. Sometimes you can be having a quiet day and then an email comes in at 5:00pm meaning you’re in the office until late. This also means the work is varied, so it’s both a blessing and a curse!

What makes your firm stand out from the rest?

The factor that makes Jones Day stand out from other law firms is probably the non-rotational training contract. It’s an excellent opportunity to get to grips with a particular area of law or try several areas to find out what you enjoy working on. On top of this, Jones Day acquired UK law firm Gouldens back in 2003 and while it’s a US law firm, it retains the feel of a smaller, English law firm because a lot of the partners from Gouldens are still here. I particularly like the fact the office is small enough to know everyone by name, while working on significant, international deals within the office and with colleagues all over the world.

How often as a trainee were you communicating directly with clients and/or partners?

As a trainee, I was communicating with partners almost daily. At Jones Day, we often run quite lean teams so you’re almost always in contact with the partners, whether that be them assigning you work directly or taking calls in their offices. It’s actively encouraged for trainees to have as much partner contact as possible.

In terms of contact with clients, partners and associates are happy for you to communicate directly with clients. For example, when I assisted on an in-person signing, I was the only representative from Jones Day. Similarly, as an associate, I attended a meeting in Manchester where I was the only representative from the Jones Day London Office. Jones Day are keen for junior lawyers to take an active role in client relationships.

Where’s your dream holiday destination?

My dream holiday destination is Sicily. It’s where my family are originally from, so I always enjoy visiting. A few years ago we went on a big family trip to see where my grandfather grew up, which was special. I’ve also started learning Italian and have lessons once a week.