“
My team is often made up of people from across our offices, both
national and international.
”
I joined Pinsent Masons for two main reasons - the fact that I
could work for a top firm but stay in Manchester, and the firm's
strength and reputation in its core sectors.
The firm's standing and structure means that you're exposed to
very significant clients and deals wherever you are based. My team
is often made up of people from across our offices, both national
and international.
My first seat was in International Construction and Energy and
early on I was sent to observe an arbitration over an energy
dispute in the Philippines. The first I knew about the case was
reading through the file on the train but later that day I was
invited to go out with the client for drinks. It was a great
experience and typical of the firm - you're trusted to handle
situations and deal with clients right from the start. The
highlight for me was working on the contracts for a ?135 million
polyethylene plant.
I think the most daunting moment for me was when I represented
the firm at a renewable energy conference. I have subsequently
written some internal notes for the firm on renewables, so it was a
useful experience, but it was also a marketing exercise; an
opportunity for me to meet new people and make some contacts.
For me the firm's statements about its trainees being the future
of the firm are supported by the trainee experience. Everything you
do is geared towards training. People here want you to develop into
the best lawyer you can be and they work to ensure you have the
most beneficial experiences. Each trainee sits with a solicitor who
spends a lot of time helping and offering advice on the work you
are doing and there is a whole team ready to support and help.
Each time you start a new seat, you join the team practice
induction course with other trainees from around the country. When
I started my third seat, in Commercial Property, I went to Leeds
with about 20 other trainees. It was hard work; a three day crash
course in Property law but also a great chance to meet up with the
other trainees. We also have regular Property Law updates where
lawyers from other offices give presentations on recent
developments in Property law and the industry in general. The law
in this area is constantly changing and whenever the government or
the courts change the laws and regulations this obviously has an
impact on our work as lawyers. Pinsent Masons have has lawyers who
are dedicated to keeping up to speed with changes in the law and we
are kept updated frequently.
In my third seat I knew that I wanted to qualify into Property
and that's why I chose to do it for my fourth seat as well. I knew
I'd found the area I was passionate about. A lot of the issues in
Property overlap with Construction, Corporate and Banking
transactions and I enjoy the diversity of the work and the
continuing responsibility I receive in Property. I particularly
enjoy running files on my own, being on the phone to different
clients, and advising them on their different issues. I have also
been involved in larger scale transactions such as NHS LIFT schemes
which involved the development of medical centers around the North
West of England. It can be a bit daunting running your own files,
but it's these types of challenges that are the best learning
experiences, and when you succeed, it's so much more
satisfying.
As a trainee you have monthly appraisals setting achievable
objectives and identifying training needs in your department. Early
into my fourth seat I hadn't managed to attend any site visits, so
I encouraged my department to let me know about any upcoming
opportunities. Shortly afterwards I attended a series of site
visits with our client which involved assessing the legal issues
associated with a site from a physical perspective which sometimes
wouldn't be evident from looking at plans.