I could have been a professional golfer instead of an international lawyer. But I'm glad I took the Freshfields option. What helped make up my mind was when the partner who was interviewing me said: 'You do two things well - playing golf and the law. So if you decide to become a lawyer, I know you'll do that one thing very well.' I asked him to explain and he said: 'You make the effort to combine both, you know how to work hard if you want something, and I can see that you have skills that go beyond studying.'
That's typical of Freshfields. They want their people to be
well-rounded, not just machines that
just work, work, work. Their rotation system for trainees is where
this attitude begins - you experience several different departments
before deciding on your specialisation. I feel fortunate to have
spent time in all the departments that I was interested in,
including the ACT department in Madrid, where I spent 6 months on
secondment.
One of the big advantages of working at Freshfields as opposed to a domestic Spanish law firm is that our clients are international. Even if I'm working for Spanish clients, they have international operations. People from different countries have completely different ways of approaching a problem, so it gives you new ideas. Fresh out of university, I had one answer for every problem - now I can consider three or four possible solutions and choose the best one.
I'm learning a lot at Freshfields, and I'm having a great time personally. Partners and experienced associates make me feel that my work is just as important as theirs. That's the very best thing about this place. Everyone is a valued part of the team.
As for my golf, I just play for fun nowadays. But maybe it will help me in my career again one day. After all, who better to play golf with the clients... and be pretty sure to beat them!
Practice area:
Corporate