Clifford Chance

Give a brief overview of your journey at the firm.

I am a trainee solicitor at the Dubai office, currently completing my fourth seat in our Corporate department. I joined Clifford Chance in August 2021 in London and spent the first year of my training contract working in our London office in our Litigation & Disputes Resolution and Asset Finance departments. I then moved to the Dubai office and completed a seat in our Real Estate department before starting my Corporate seat. Prior to joining Clifford Chance, I completed my LLB studies at the University of Leeds and my LLM LPC studies at BPP University in London.

Why did you become a lawyer – what prompted and sustained your pursuit?

I have enjoyed studying contract law and company law during my LLB studies, which led me to undertake multiple legal work experiences in the UK, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. These experiences have encouraged me to pursue a career which would allow me to combine my people skills, international commercial outlook and interest in business and law. Working at a law firm like Clifford Chance allows me to do just that. Having pursued the training contract route at the firm, I was able to explore four areas of law (corporate, real estate, litigation and dispute resolution and asset finance) at the firm's London and Dubai offices. These experiences allowed me to explore laws in different jurisdictions and helped me better understand our clients' needs. A career in law provides me with an opportunity to learn on a daily basis and motivates me to be an active team player to help provide legal and business solutions to our clients and help them grow their businesses.

What was your biggest assumption before becoming a lawyer?

Before my legal studies, I had assumed that lawyers have ready answers to legal questions in all areas of law. However, once I started researching the profession and familiarising myself with the different departments within law firms, it quickly became apparent to me that lawyers are experts in their specialties and that clients hire full-service law firms like Clifford Chance to benefit from the seamless and cross-practice service such firms are able to provide their clients.

How would you describe the culture and atmosphere at Clifford Chance?

The culture at Clifford Chance is diverse and fosters a very collegiate environment, which motivates me to be a team player within the team and actively learn from my colleagues.

What are the key skills you have developed here which have been invaluable to your career?

Some of the key skills which I have developed being in the region include project management and communication skills. Given the Middle East offices are smaller compared to London, trainees are given much more responsibility in handling matters. This allowed me to develop my project management skills to help ensure the matters I am on run smoothly and efficiently. I have also developed my communication and interpersonal skills given I am often the point of contact with our clients. Furthermore, I have learned how to work with people from different cultures and use my Arabic language skills when interacting with government entities or drafting Arabic documentation.

What is your key advice for anyone considering a career at Clifford Chance?

The key piece of advice I would give to someone considering a career at Clifford Chance is to research the firm thoroughly by going above and beyond online research. It is always a good idea to hear first-hand from Clifford Chance representatives about their experiences. The firm offers multiple open days and networking events to do so. I encourage applicants to think about how they will add value to the firm and how the firm's values align with their own values.

What's the best piece of advice you've received in the industry so far?

The best piece of advice I have received since joining the firm is to always bring my full self to work and think about how I can use my key skills and attributes to add value to the team.

What is the most exciting matter you have worked on recently?

One of the most exciting matters I have worked on recently was advising Al Mal Capital PSC REIT (AMCREIT), the first REIT listed on the Dubai Financial Market, on its acquisition of the assets of Wesgreen International School in Sharjah from Al Batha Real Estate Company for a consideration of AED 265m (USD 72.14m).