Read law at St John's College Cambridge and gained a 2:1
With hindsight I think I would have preferred to read languages rather than law - an Asian language such as Korean or Japanese. I would still have ended up a lawyer. My A-levels were maths, physics, chemistry and history, but I knew I didn't want to do a hardcore science degree. For me the law offered just the right balance between arts and sciences. It was invisible but affected every aspect of life. It was practical and relevant.
I didn't have a gap year
I was just keen to get going. I applied for a training contract in
my second year. I knew I wanted a magic circle firm; it was just a
case of which one. I went a bit mad and did four vacation schemes
that summer, which was a bit over-the-top.
There's very little proper work that you can do in a couple of weeks on a vacation scheme but it does give you an idea of the type of work and the clients. It also gives you a feel for the firm and its personalities.
At the time I was interested in IP
work
Freshfields had a bigger IP team than the others. It was also the
only firm to offer the opportunity to do just three months in a
seat. I thought that was a huge selling factor. I felt I'd know in
the first month whether an area of law was for me, so the idea of
doing another five months if I didn't like it was depressing.
I found the LPC easy after university
work
You just need to go back to exam technique. After the LPC I
deferred my contract with Freshfields and took off for 18 months. I
went to Korea and taught English for a year and then spent six
months travelling.
When I returned, my first seat was in
banking
This offered a great variety of work. We were advising banks that
were lending new money, offering new lines of credit, and amending
provisions in contracts. The typical deal cycle is: really busy to
get the deal done, a great high when everyone signs, and then a
short lull until the next deal gets under way. Then off you go
again. There's so much to learn.
It's great when you get asked to do some
drafting
I've done some drafting of ancillary documents where there were
loads of precedents such as board minutes and information for
shareholders. There's quite a buzz when you see your initials for
the first time at the bottom of a document. It's something you can
be proud of.
I then did three months in
corporate
We were advising on takeovers. Sometimes they involved private
companies, and some public. And often they would be reported in the
newspapers. I remember reading an FT interview with a CEO about his
company. He was a client. It put our work in context and made
everything more real. It brings home to you that the advice you
give affects lives and enables companies to change, grow and fulfil
their ambitions - for employees and shareholders.
I'd like to do a stint in the firm's
Shanghai office
I'm sure others would too, but do they speak fluent Cantonese? That
has to be a plus.
