University: London School of Economics
Degree: Law
Year of qualification: 2023
Position: Associate
Department: Private equity and transactions

Why solicitor not barrister?

I decided to pursue a career as a solicitor on the basis of practical experience. In my first year of university, I wasn’t sure what route I wanted to go down. I was fortunate to secure a place on a vacation scheme at a US law firm and some work experience in a barrister’s chambers. This allowed me to compare the two experiences to see which I was most suited to. During my vacation scheme, I felt there was a huge emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, which I enjoyed. The small teams and often lone work at the Bar didn’t appeal to me.

How did you decide which firms to apply to?

After completing a vacation scheme in my third year of university, I started to think about how life as a trainee would differ from firm to firm. One thing that stuck out to me about US firms was that they often have a smaller trainee intake, which allows you to take on more responsibility at an earlier stage. This appealed to me and when I began my training contract at Ropes & Gray, I enjoyed how the firm placed emphasis on stepping up and managing your workload.

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

I’d completed some casual work experience at a solicitor’s firm, shadowing schemes with barristers and a few vacation schemes. Then, after university I had a job at a ‘silver circle’ firm, working in its financial regulation team. This role helped me to understand how a law firm operates and what partners and associates look for.

Which departments did you train in?

My first seat was in leveraged finance, where I completed a range of tasks, such as working on Virgin Media and O2’s merger. This was an exciting transaction to be involved in! During my second seat I sat in the firm’s private equity and transactions team, and worked on both buy-side and sell-side deals. My third seat was in our tax team, which enabled me to collaborate with a range of teams in the UK and US, and my fourth seat was in our data protection and cyber security team.

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

As a private equity lawyer, the work is very varied and every day looks different, especially if I’ve got a live transaction on the go. During a transaction, there’s a lot to do as the timelines are often quite condensed. In a typical day, I might monitor a data room, work on disclosure letters or warranties, and complete diligence. I also spend time liaising with our specialist teams. For example, this would be necessary when dealing with an employment issue as this isn’t my area of expertise.

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

Earlier this year, I was part of the team that advised Intermediate Capital Group on its investment in Law Business Research. This was a transformational career moment for me, as it was the first deal I saw from start to finish as an associate. I enjoyed finding out more about Law Business Research, which is a tech and information-focused business with great plans to expand. I worked on a variety of workstreams, from diligence to acquisitions to the equity work stream. It was a good deal, which had a great result for all parties.

What makes your firm stand out from the rest?

The culture at Ropes & Gray really makes the firm stand out. We’re very collaborative and the firm puts a big emphasis on diversity. For example, in our London office we have one of the highest ratios of women partners, which is a good indicator of how Ropes & Gray embraces diversity and is helping change the legal landscape. We have an incredibly collaborative culture, as we work very closely with our teams in the US and Asia. It’s also quite a flat structure – if you were to walk through our offices, you wouldn’t find anyone’s door closed unless they were on a call. You can approach anyone at any level of seniority with questions, which I think really makes the firm stand out.

What skills/strengths do you need to be a successful solicitor?

You’re never working in a silo as a solicitor and you’re dealing with lots of different parties at the same time. So, you must be able to work efficiently with other people to succeed. Therefore, teamwork and communication are two important skills for those looking to becoming a solicitor.

What diversity and inclusion initiatives does the firm have in place?

One diversity initiative we have is the Bridge To The City scheme, which Ropes & Gray runs in collaboration with Bloomberg. During the programme, students from underrepresented groups come into Ropes & Gray’s office for a week and learn about the role of the solicitor. Participants attend talks and get involved in live client work. The following week, the students work at Bloomberg and learn about its business. After an assessment, successful applicants receive a bursary and have the opportunity to complete work experience at Ropes & Gray or Bloomberg. It’s a great initiative to support people who come from underrepresented backgrounds and help them learn more about businesses.

How often as a trainee were you communicating directly with clients (calls, attending meetings)?

I was able to have a lot of client contact as a trainee at Ropes & Gray, particularly in the transactional seats. On a transaction there are so many different workstreams, so communicating with clients can’t all be funnelled through one person because there just aren’t enough hours in the day. As a trainee, you’re encouraged to interact with clients, attend calls and make meeting notes. In terms of the contact I had with clients, I prepared signing emails for executing documents and updating clients on workstreams. When a client is doing a deal, they don’t just interact with lawyers, they also speak to bankers, accountants and commercial advisers. So, it’s these small workstreams that are key for keeping a client up to date.

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

I was given the opportunity to go on secondment for six months to a private equity house called 3i. I split my time between the infrastructure team and the private equity team. The secondment took place right after I qualified, which was a great opportunity. The experience allowed me to develop my commercial awareness and learn more about how a client thinks. It was also a great way to start building client relationships early in my career.

What’s your favourite TV show/movie?

Mad Men – it’s about advertisers who work on Madison Avenue in the 1960s. It focuses on John Draper, a suave but very secretive man.