Bankers + Lawyers = A Good Combination (yes really!)

Hey there!  I’m Kuldip Kaur, a third seat trainee in the Birmingham office.  I started my training contract a year ago with all the usual nerves and excitement that one would expect.  My first seat was in the Corporate department and then in September I moved to the Banking and Finance team.  Eagerly anticipating the prospect …

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Looking for the traditional training contract experience? Apply elsewhere.

After 18 months as a trainee, first day nerves and oversize suit jackets are merely a distant memory and delivery of a crate box at the end of your six months has become a somewhat familiar process!  So what I have been doing since my last blog… After six months in our Banking & Finance …

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Filling The Gap – The Leeds Gap Students’ Experiences of Life Outside The Office

It’s been a very exciting few months for us all.  Obviously our experiences differ quite a lot in terms of departmental work – from trips to court to visiting the Leeds Arena, which is currently under construction; Christmas parties and various trips to the London office.  One uniting feature of our experiences has been the …

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The Truth? You Can’t Handle the Truth!

People make countless films about it, some people wear wigs to do it and up to ten million Americans a day watch Judge Judy preside over it.  Of course, “it” is litigation – one of the most alluring parts of the legal profession.  In the past few months, I have been fully absorbed in Pinsent …

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Starfish in the City

Starfish, Pinsent Masons’ Corporate Responsibility (CR) Programme, offers numerous opportunities to participate in various social and environmental projects.  We’re each given 25 hours a year to get involved, and to give you a taster of how these can be used, here’s a few of the things I’ve been up to… In November a group of us …

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Bankers + Lawyers = A Good Combination (yes really!)Looking for the traditional training contract experience? Apply elsewhere.Filling The Gap – The Leeds Gap Students’ Experiences of Life Outside The OfficeThe Truth? You Can’t Handle the Truth!Starfish in the City

Apr
16

Bankers + Lawyers = A Good Combination (yes really!)

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Hey there!  I’m Kuldip Kaur, a third seat trainee in the Birmingham office.  I started my training contract a year ago with all the usual nerves and excitement that one would expect.  My first seat was in the Corporate department and then in September I moved to the Banking and Finance team.  Eagerly anticipating the prospect of working closely with the Banking team; being given a huge amount of responsibility for my work, and an opportunity to enhance all sorts of valuable transferable skills – I started work in the department with high expectations.  Having just completed the seat, I can say with some authority that these have been exceeded. 

My reason for blogging today however, is not to talk about my overall experience of life as a Banking trainee, (I think I’ll leave that for another time) – it’s about the fantastic corporate responsibility (CR) initiative that I was involved in whilst in the department.  Alongside one of our top clients, Barclays Bank PLC, we built a Barfuss Garden at The Dame Ellen Pinsent School - a school for children with learning difficulties.

Barfuss is the German word for barefoot and a Barfuss Garden is a path constructed of different materials, such as textured paving slabs, logs and Astroturf.  The idea is that the children walk barefoot along the 20 metre sensory path, to experience the feel and sensation of the different materials under-foot, which will hopefully assist with their learning and development. 

 

 

A lot of planning and project management went into preparing for the initiative.  There were meetings with representatives from Barclays, on site visits to the school and arrangements made for the tools and materials to be delivered.  Having ditched our suits and ties and left our BlackBerry’s at home in favour of forks, spades and wellies (this was how The Birmingham Post described our efforts), the end result was pretty impressive.  I must admit, having lifted heavy tiles, helped wheel cement from one spot to another and carried buckets full of stones – I couldn’t move the following day because of all the aches and pains!  However, it was all incredibly worth it!

The initiative was a great opportunity to market the firm, build a long term relationship with Barclays and strengthen ties with the community.   Personally I found the experience thoroughly rewarding and satisfying.  There was also a great sense of team spirit knowing that we were helping the children (in our own little way), by constructing something that they would benefit from for a long time to come.  The message I want to leave you with is that being a trainee at PM is definitely not about being chained to your desk, making cups of tea for fee earners or photocopying – there is much more on offer to get involved in!

 Kuldip

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Mar
26

Looking for the traditional training contract experience? Apply elsewhere.

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After 18 months as a trainee, first day nerves and oversize suit jackets are merely a distant memory and delivery of a crate box at the end of your six months has become a somewhat familiar process!  So what I have been doing since my last blog…

After six months in our Banking & Finance team I am now in my fourth and final seat in Property.  Banking life was brilliant; assisting on a wide range of complex transactions, interacting directly with clients on a daily basis and undertaking a variety of work which was technically very demanding!  I am only two weeks into my Property seat and am thoroughly enjoying the type of work I have been involved in to date and expect the responsibility I will get from running my own files will prove invaluable going forward.

I wanted to blog about something I have been involved since joining PM which at the outset of my training contract I thought was beyond the remit of a commercial lawyer (and I expect you did too, until reading this!).  Amicus is a charitable organisation which provides assistance to those practising in the field of capital defence in America, assisting directly in individual cases currently before the courts in America.  Amicus promotes the relief of suffering and distress to those and those persons families awaiting execution in America and who, for reasons of poverty, are in need of legal or other assistance to ensure the preservation of their rights of appeal and to ensure that their imprisonment is administered, so far as is possible, humanely.

PM was first engaged by Amicus last summer to assist a designated Amicus case worker in the review of case transcripts and prison records relating to the case of Craig Dean, a juvenile from Florida sentenced to life without parole (“LWOP“). Following the US Supreme Court’s decision in Graham v Florida in 2010 juveniles sentenced to LWOP are now able to challenge that sentence.  The team here at PM, encompassing solicitors of all levels nationally, were responsible for assisting Amicus put forward a convincing mitigation package to reduce Craig’s sentence to a fixed term sentence of 25 to 30 years.  On 7 February 2012 Craig was sentenced to a fixed term sentence of 28 years.  This was a fantastic result for Craig and it was great to be able to work in partnership with Amicus to ensure the delivery of justice for those serving life sentences in America.  More recently, we have assisted Amicus in the review of witness statements for a second juvenile facing capital punishment, more particularly helping the case worker identify people or items which may be used in mitigation, or to try and persuade the state to agree to waive the death penalty.

This weekend I and a number of other members of the PM Amicus team attended a training course hosted by Amicus in London and funded by PM.  This was an excellent opportunity to meet those working for Amicus in America and proved an invaluable opportunity to understand both the law and practicalities involved in representing individuals on death row.  We heard first-hand from individuals who had served time on death row for crimes they were wrongly convicted of and also from the families of such individuals, providing a unique insight into the personal experience of former death row detainees and their families.

Our contribution to the work that Amicus does is highly valued amongst those at Amicus and being involved has proved extremely rewarding from all those within PM’s Amicus team.  Assisting those in the field of capital defence is not something I had anticipated being involved in when I joined PM however, to date, there has been nothing traditional about my training contract!

Rebecca

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Mar
19

Filling The Gap – The Leeds Gap Students’ Experiences of Life Outside The Office

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It’s been a very exciting few months for us all.  Obviously our experiences differ quite a lot in terms of departmental work – from trips to court to visiting the Leeds Arena, which is currently under construction; Christmas parties and various trips to the London office.  One uniting feature of our experiences has been the long-awaited and eagerly anticipated installation of the new hot water taps.  You’re probably wondering why a tap is mentioned in a social post but this is no ordinary tap.  This magical tap has ensured free tea and coffee for all and has led to the introduction of biscuit committees and afternoon tea breaks.  Ingenious.  Along with the open office floor plan, this does add to the genuinely approachable nature of Pinsent Masons.

Another social skill vital for this career path and one you will fortunately be exposed to quite early on, is networking.  It’s fair to say that for those unpractised in this art, it can be an uncomfortable experience but only at first.  We’ve all attended networking events, for example Property View and Law Reviews organised by the firm, which have provided the opportunity to engage with big clients.  The likes of PriceWaterhouseCoopers and KPMG regularly hold events, as do many other local companies, thus furthering the firm’s relationship with them.  Once you’ve gotten into the patter of engaging with your counterparts on not just business or ‘high brow’ topics but on a social level, the experience becomes a lot more enjoyable and valuable.  It not only benefits our exposure to great heavyweights in their particular fields but it compliments and enhances the legal knowledge gained over the last 8 months.  It’s also nice to be entrusted to not damage the firm’s impressive reputation!

General reaction to the Gap Year Karaoke performance

We could not get away with writing a social blog post without the mention of our renowned Trainee socials. You start your rite of passage into the firm with the infamous karaoke initiation.  Unfortunately, a few of us Gappies were struck down with deadly illnesses beforehand, leaving us unable to partake in this joyous event – rest assured however, that Alex, Caitlin and Razzaq did us proud with a fantastic rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s classic anthem “I Will Survive”.  Video evidence, though we’re told it exists, is yet to be unearthed.  Other socials and nights out are standard procedure as a junior member of staff and much welcomed after a particularly hard week’s graft!

There are plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the ‘extra-curricular’ activities that Pinsent Masons offer.  Whether you’re editing articles for the firm-wide online social magazine OnePM; engaging in pro-bono work with Amicus, a charity that provides assistance to the legal defence teams for those facing execution in the US; or attending value forums and discussing the merits of introducing the ‘Golden Cone’ (as the name suggests – being presented a cone that is golden, for outstanding contribution. We kid you not.), you’re getting involved.  If you’re into sports you can even represent the firm in their football, netball and squash teams against other firms in the area.  All these and many more have created a rounded experience for us Gappies and aided our transition into the grown-up working world.

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Mar
12

The Truth? You Can’t Handle the Truth!

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People make countless films about it, some people wear wigs to do it and up to ten million Americans a day watch Judge Judy preside over it.  Of course, “it” is litigation – one of the most alluring parts of the legal profession.  In the past few months, I have been fully absorbed in Pinsent Masons’ internationally-renowned construction litigation team and have savoured a delicious taste of the high-profile work that swings through the revolving doors of 30 Crown Place.

Pinsent Masons is involved in all levels of contentious construction matters, from humble and intricate UK adjudications to gargantuan international arbitration claims amounting to as much as $1 billion and lasting the best part of a decade. From a training perspective, this has given my eager hands plenty to grab hold of.  While some of that grabbing has inevitably been of boxes of files and reams of photocopied sheets, I have always felt like a significant contributor to the team, heavily involved in researching arguments; meeting expert witnesses, QCs and clients; and even in drafting Adjudication Referrals, Instructions to Counsel and robustly-worded letters to the opposition (which can be so much fun).

All the office-based work is indeed very engaging, but when my seat in a contentious department first began, I was curious to see how close to the actual debate I could get.  Little did I know that in my second week, before I could draw breath, I would find myself sitting in the High Court excitedly taking notes of proceedings whilst our impressive QC delivered the carefully prepared arguments of our team who (as a matter of Firm policy) acted as a squad of junior barristers behind him.  Having enjoyed a successful hearing the high profile of our setting was re-emphasised (as if the $330 million claim hadn’t been enough) when, stalked by bodyguards, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich joined us in the corridor, breaking from his own potentially-expensive contentions in the court next-door.  In the months that followed, I attended two further High Court hearings on that matter (admittedly with fewer celebrity sightings), before participating in a separate seven-day arbitration involving two non-UK parties in January.

At the arbitration, I looked on with joy as our QC expertly carved open witnesses with a cross-examination scalpel and slowly massaged any remaining credibility from the heart of their statements.  Having been fully involved in the preparatory process, I had a strong understanding of the issues, and was therefore able to engage with proceedings and enjoy watching our case smash home.  In those seven days, I learnt far more than I can describe in this brief article about the process of litigation; but perhaps most importantly, I discovered the delight of seeing meticulous preparation bear fruit, the adrenaline rush of being involved in a hearing and the value of working with (and learning from) a mutually supportive, charismatic and intelligent team.

I still live in hope that one day, my dream of hearing “You’re out of order!..This whole courtroom is out of order!” will be fulfilled, but otherwise, my seat in litigation has had more intrigue and drama than I could ever have asked for.

Neal

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Mar
05

Starfish in the City

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Starfish, Pinsent Masons’ Corporate Responsibility (CR) Programme, offers numerous opportunities to participate in various social and environmental projects.  We’re each given 25 hours a year to get involved, and to give you a taster of how these can be used, here’s a few of the things I’ve been up to…

In November a group of us from the London office headed off to Mount Carmel College for Girls in Islington to act as group leaders for their ‘Presenting Yourself’ day, where we led workshops on topics such as CV writing and interview skills.  The girls really got involved in the activities, asking loads of questions and becoming increasingly lively as the day went on.  It was lovely to be able to give the girls advice, and great to be back at school for the day!

As the focus of Starfish is ‘inspiring young lives’ many of the projects involve working alongside young people.  Over the past four weeks I have been helping out on Tuesday mornings at Tomorrow’s People, an organization which prepares young people (who are not in school or employment) for the world of work, and helps them to find a job.  The best thing about this programme is being able to return each week, watching the participants’ confidence grow as they proceed through the course, and building up a friendship with them.

There are also a number of good causes we raise money for at the office-level.  For Children in Need, we had a very popular cake sale, and a ‘non-uniform day’, where staff wore jeans and ‘something spotty’ to mark the occasion.  At Christmas, we had the shoebox appeal and carol singing in Charing Cross, both in aid of homeless charity, The Connection, who also hosted an open day at one of their central London shelters for us to see how the money we were raising would be put to use.

Next month, a group of us are signed up to help at the National Indoor Rowing Championships. On the sporting theme, I’m also anticipating some exciting Starfish opportunities to come out of our recently announced sponsorship of the GB handball team at this year’s Olympic Games…watch this space!

Most of our CR work is non-legal in nature, partly because many lawyers like ot take a break from the law and do something a little bit different, but we do still find some time for legal pro bono work too.  A popular Starfish initiative is Amicus, which gives legal aid to convicts in America on death row.  You may have come across the work of this charity at your university. 

Programmes like Starfish have such huge potential to make a difference, it’s great to work at a firm where these types of projects are valued and encouraged, and where new ideas are welcomed. On a personal level, I find getting out of the office, connecting with other parts of the city, interacting with diverse groups of people, and engaging with other issues, a truly invigorating experience.  After which I return to my desk feeling energized and refreshed!

Megan

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Feb
19

Jail Break

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I would imagine when you think of coming to work at a ‘corporate’ law firm the last thing on your mind is going to visit a prison – well think again!

For the last 4 months, I have been working in the SBS Projects team representing the Ministry of Justice in its privatisation of 8 prisons in the UK.  This has involved hard graft at times but all was rewarded with a unique opportunity to go on a site visit to an all male prison holding inmates being detained from two years to life sentence.

Pinsent Masons’ involvement in the privatisation has been as external legal advisors to the Ministry of Justice throughout the procurement process.  This is the process by which the Ministry of Justice chooses the preferred company to run the prison(s) on its behalf.  From the initial advertisement of the offer of the prisons to be privatised, through to what is now being undertaken and the stage where private companies actually send in their proposals, we have offered legal and commercial guidance and support.  As part of this procurement process, bidders are given the opportunity to visit the specific prisons they wish to bid for; this is where our chance to have a sneak peak came from!

En route, feeling like I was going on a school trip/mini adventure, I had no idea what to expect.  A vision of Louis Theroux visiting the Miami jails was running through my head along with all the other TV and film portrayals of prisons.  But all was eased with tea, biscuits and an introduction by one of the lovely prison staff on arrival.

One of my main worries was that the prisoners would be made to feel uncomfortable (almost like zoo animals) with us as onlookers but what I found most amazing was, in fact, it was the inmates who were more intrigued by us.  Many wanted to engage in conversation and even more would just stare – the prison staff joked that we were providing an exciting distraction!  One of the inmates (who was a life sentence prisoner) even showed us his cell and anyone who has the perception that prison is some sort of “holiday camp” should just try and stay in one of those for a day – you would definitely be demanding a full refund on your holiday!

The prison we visited was a “working prison”, where the inmates had the opportunity to work making signs, windows, and metal works in return for a nominal wage.  It was fascinating to see this micro community at work and how occupied the inmates were in whatever task they were doing.  There are also educational opportunities including things like horticultural studies and the arts. All of this type of work was on display and looked incredible – at least in this respect I left feeling more positive.

We also stuck around for lunch (although we didn’t taste the delights of the prison kitchen).  This was perhaps the most depressing aspect of the entire day.  The dining room was a small dark room with plastic chairs, but I still found it difficult to grasp that the inmates would rather eat alone in their cells than engage with other inmates.  We were later told this was due to these communal areas being breeding grounds for bullying.  All of this made me feel a million miles away from the Hub restaurant in Crown Place where I would usually be enjoying light conversation with colleagues!

In all, it was an unusual and unique experience.  I did come away exhausted and slightly saddened by what I saw; but on the other hand, glad to have had the chance to see for myself what prison was really like.  Being involved in such a high profile and important project has provided a wealth of experience, not to mention gaining exposure to such an interesting area of the public sector.  I have had to not only engage my commercial brain but have also had the opportunity to investigate and familiarise myself with areas that you would not normally come across in a corporate environment.  This is the attractiveness of working within the projects department; no two projects are ever the same.

Emma

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Feb
06

‘By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail’

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The above quotation from Benjamin Franklin may seem to set quite a strong tone for this blog particularly when it is about interview preparation tips.  However, the message we hope you get out of this blog is that there is no reason to panic at the prospect of a formal interview, particularly if one prepares properly.

Despite their best efforts and a fine audition for the roles, these two suave and debonair characters will not be interviewers this year. (Tom Ralph and Tom Clough 1st seat trainees, Leeds)

 

First of all we’ll cover some basics about the interview itself.  The thing to remember is that an interview is not an exam, nor is it about trying to trip you up.  Rather it is an opportunity for the firm to get to know you.  That means getting to know the real you rather than ‘the you that you think they want to see’ – it’s possible to not be yourself for an interview but harder for two weeks on a vac scheme and nigh on impossible to hide your true self throughout a two year training contract and beyond!

There are things that everyone can do that can get any interview off to a good start.  Dressing well (keep it smart and simple) and being positive – a genuine smile and enthusiasm are your biggest allies. No one is expecting you to be the finished article capable of running transactions or arguing points of law like a pro, but showing you are keen to learn these skills is crucial.

Mr Franklin at this point would be yelling that we have started this (hopefully) informative diatribe at the end.  Interview success or failure can be pretty much guaranteed by good preparation or a lack thereof.  This can take many forms but some that I would advocate as being particularly helpful are:

1. Know what the interviewer is looking for

You wouldn’t start revising for an exam without knowing what was on the syllabus, yet many interviewees prepare for an interview without looking at the criteria they are to be assessed against.  Like most firms, Pinsent Masons publishes this information in order to help you prepare.  Look through the competencies on the website (under ‘what are we looking for’) and ensure you are able to demonstrate the skills with examples where appropriate.  This will take a lot of uncertainty out of the process and you will be better equipped to direct your answers appropriately.  If you can find out who will be interviewing you in advance of the interview so much the better.

2. Try to undertake a mock interview

Anybody will do as long as you keep it serious and receive honest feedback.  Knowing your stuff and being able to communicate it effectively are distinct skills and you will need both in order to be successful.  Plus it may reveal traits that you are unaware of, such as, playing with jewellery or hair, clicking pen lids, not making eye contact when asked a question – often these are things you never knew you did.

3. Know the firm well

This does not mean knowing every word of the website, but it does mean knowing what areas of law the firm practices, the locations and the market within which the firm works.  If you are applying to a multi-site firm make sure you know what specialisms the office you are applying to offers.

4. Know your application well

Its contents are often the only source of information that the interviewer has about you.  Not knowing your own application form is arguably the biggest faux pas one can make…bar getting the name of the firm wrong (that last mishap happens more often than you might think).  Look back over the examples you used and think about what you might add if you were probed about them further.

5. Logistics

Don’t get caught out on the day of the interview, especially at this time of year when the weather can cause havoc with public transport.  Make sure you have planned your route (why not print off a map to take with you); left extra time in case of delays and; you have made a note of the contact details for the person organising the event in case you are running late.

We appreciate that this was a very quick canter through some hints and tips, but we do hope you found it helpful and would welcome any comments you may have.

Good luck!

Tom Clough & Louise Norbury

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Feb
01

Six months later…

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We have now been working in the firm for six months and we are glad to report that we have all settled well into our respective departments.  In terms of workload, we have continued to complete a variety of different tasks and we have been given increasing responsibility to contact clients and manage our own files (under supervision, of course).  Alongside work, there are various different business development events and corporate social responsibility activities that we have been encouraged to become involved with and we have decided to focus on these in our current post.

Christmas festivities

Although it seems a long time ago now, we all enjoyed a break over the Christmas holidays and the opportunity to attend lots of Christmas parties. In the Manchester office, we have an office wide Christmas party at a local hotel.  Each department also holds its own Christmas lunch at various local restaurants, complete with Secret Santa, which can be a little daunting when you are required to shop for the head of department!  There were further opportunities to get involved informally in different activities organised by the trainees, including trips to the Christmas markets in Manchester, attending the switch on of the Christmas lights and the Manchester Trainee Solicitor Group Christmas ball.

Starfish and business development

Now that we have settled in, we have also enjoyed the chance to participate in some of the corporate social responsibility activities that the firm organises.  In terms of CSR, there are a number of ways that trainees can join in the Starfish project and we are each given an annual allocation of CSR hours.  For example, a few of us visited a local children’s mission to prepare toy boxes to be sent out to local families, which was a really worthwhile and enjoyable experience.  The Manchester office also recently held a careers morning for local school children to help them gain a greater insight into careers.  We gave presentations about the role of a trainee solicitor and the children all seemed to enjoy the day and the chance to explore the office.

Another benefit of being a trainee at a commercial law firm is that you are encouraged to focus on business development from your first seat onwards.  This helps you develop those client-facing skills that become increasingly important as your career progresses.  It can mean lots of breakfast seminars, training events, drinks evenings  and during the Christmas period lots of festive events.  You may even get the chance to impress clients by demonstrating your quiz knowledge (which you have probably spent three valuable years at university building up).  Although quite intimidating at first, business development events are often fun, after all who doesn’t enjoy a good quiz?

Moving on

During the last week we have received confirmation about our next seat.  The first few months have flown by and it is scary to think we are already quarter of the way through our training contract!  We are all looking forward to learning about a new department, meeting some of the other people in the firm and of course welcoming the new batch of trainees who will be starting in March.

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Jan
23

It’s not all about the law!

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I’m Ella Hodgkins, a second seat trainee in the Birmingham office. I believe that when selecting which law firm to apply for it is not only the legal and business credentials that you need to consider but also what else the firm has to offer to enrich your life as a trainee.

When I found out about Starfish on my vacation scheme, I knew I was interested in being a part of it. As corporate responsibility programmes go, it does not get much better than Starfish. I wanted to get involved in the firm’s ‘extracurricular’ activities but I also wanted to do something worthwhile and this was the perfect opportunity.

From the moment I started my training contract, I realised there were so many Starfish activities to get involved in. In the past few months alone I have summarised legal documents to assist with the case of a defendant on death row in the USA, decorated the hall at a local community centre to host our annual OAP Christmas Party and organised a painting project at a local secondary school.

The most popular programme is Right to Read and once a fortnight I spend an hour reading with the children at the local infant school. This is a great way to do something totally different, but something totally worthwhile and the children benefit substantially from these one to one reading sessions.

There are also opportunities for trainees to get involved even further, by joining the Starfish Committee. I have been a member of the Committee since I started my training contract and it has been a great way meet new people and get involved with the organisation and management of various initiatives.

The firm gets involved in lots of projects within the local community and as I mentioned earlier I had the chance to organise a painting project at a local secondary school that the Birmingham office is closely linked with. We joined with Birmingham City Council and several pupils from the school to paint the drama room that was in serious need of re-decorating. It was great to see it all come together after a few months of organising and the finished result was fantastic. It made me realise how a few hours work can really make a difference and not only that but we were also able to make a donation for a new carpet in the drama room to finish the project off which was even better.

I think when choosing the law firm that is right for you, it is important to look beyond the law and think about what else a firm has to offer. Pinsent Masons is definitely a law firm that wants you to invest your time in activities that you find worthwhile and I know I definitely made the right choice.

Ella

 

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Jan
09

Pedal to the Corporate Mettle!

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When I was offered the Gap Year placement at the firm and especially when I had been allocated to Corporate, I was extremely happy. Now I’m no John McClane (in style or substance), but part of me wanted the myths to be true; I wanted the long nights working perilously towards deadlines for big deals, working with excitement and adrenaline in the air…or something to that effect.  Some said I was abnormal for craving such an experience, but others agreed it was the mentality required to make the most of it.  Various people may not want any such experience, but I’ve recently seen and learnt the true nature and motivations that lie behind these Corporate myths, some of which may change people’s opinions.

Firstly let’s touch on the most ubiquitous of associations with Corporate; late nights and deadlines.  Bluntly, yes they exist.  I’ve been in the office until midnight printing and filing documents, ready to be sent out the next day (I wasn’t forced to stay though).  While this sounds incredibly dreary, the firm’s complimentary dinner allowance definitely softens the blow (but it doesn’t aid fitness programmes)!  However, I’ve had other late nights where I have learnt a great deal – analysing the Takeover Code to help the team understand how a shareholder’s offer document needs to be structured for a particular deal, reviewing government documents in preparation for a bid – these are just a few nights where I’ve had to push myself to deliver the best work possible. You also get to employ and develop skills that normally lie dormant inside; approaching things logically, being organised, demonstrating commercial awareness - all understated skills but hugely beneficial.  But what makes it thrilling is the fact that it is real work, on live deals – how many eighteen-year-olds can say they worked in a relatively small team, in a big firm, on a deal worth millions and also managed to develop their skills at the same time?

However, all this work doesn’t mean there isn’t time to play!  Unlike the stereotypical view of corporate lawyers (dull, jaded and depressing), the Leeds Corporate team has as many characters as Santa’s sack has toys!  Our first social was at the German Market in Leeds with a client, and it will forever be a night to remember – not just because of one Associate’s actions and stories!  Office-wide parties, such as the Christmas Party, have also been brilliant (courtesy of Partners taking over the dance floor!)  In fact, so far all have been legendary, in every sense of the word.

A key ingredient to the success of this placement so far is other people’s willingness to get me involved and their approachability, from Trainee Solicitors all the way through to Partners.  Thanks to them I’ve been able to show what I’m capable of and at the same time I’ve been able to be a party to exciting events – such as conference calls with regulatory bodies and overseas clients.  Although I’m based in Leeds, I worked at the London office for a few days and even there, I found myself in a one-to-one meeting with a trainee learning a huge amount about company law and then being able to assist on the case.  The next day I helped a trainee solicitor verifying a prospectus to make sure the AIM rules were being complied with – here comes that cliché “no two days are the same!” Further, it is without question a testament to Pinsent Masons’ involving culture – exactly what a Gap Year student wants.

And on that bombshell of a revelation, I shall end.

Abdur-Razzaq

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