Clifford Chance

When qualification time arrived, I found it a challenging decision because each seat had offered something unique, and I had thoroughly enjoyed my time with all the teams. I discussed my decision-making process extensively with our Graduate Recruitment Manager, who had been my focal point of contact throughout my training and a great sounding board. It was key for me to understand what the day-to-day work entailed for each of the groups; not least because a trainee’s work is variously different from that of an associate. The rotations really helped me build a formidable network that spanned all the different Clifford Chance offices, so I was able to speak to other associates and partners and get a real sense of the types of work that the lawyers were working on which cemented my understanding of each practice group.

Eventually I settled into the Corporate practice (M&A) and have now joined the team for two years (and counting). It is great being part of a collegiate team of like-minded individuals here, and it is especially exciting that the work is so closely intertwined with ‘real life’, as we have the opportunity to work with household names and industries. There is a huge variety of work and I continue to learn about the business of the clients in diverse sectors and geographies with every project we complete. There is also the sense of satisfaction as we help clients achieve their commercial goals. Something I see in my seniors which inspires me daily is their ability to not only provide astute legal advice, but also navigate issues from multiple viewpoints and ultimately offer practicable, commercially sound solutions for clients that exceed their expectations.

My advice

Try to demonstrate you have thought about the issue at hand and considered different perspectives when asking questions of your seniors.