Technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) is one of the fastest-developing sectors in the legal market. The constant evolution of technology pushes legal boundaries and practically begs for the development of precedents. TMT lawyers advise on market developments, regulatory changes, legislation, and commercial and technical issues. Outsourcing continues to be a particularly hot topic.

Mark Foster is a lawyer in the technology, media and commercial (TMC) department at international outfit DLA Piper. He knew from an early age that he would probably end up in the law. "I'd done it at A-level," he remembers, "and I found it interesting so I thought it would be a good degree to do because it was structured towards a career, whereas some degrees aren't. I was a bit naïve in that I probably thought I could do a degree and just become a solicitor. I didn't know it was a bit more challenging than that. Once I was on my degree I intended on getting a career in law."

While he was still studying at university, Mark got his foot in the door at DLA Piper through a work placement scheme and then later applied for a training contract at the firm. He didn't see any TMT work during his work placement scheme - he sat in litigation - but had always liked contract law. "I did contract work at A-level and the first year at university. It's something I always liked and something that clicked with me."

He remembers that applying for training contracts was "a bit of a slog", but he managed to bag one at DLA in the summer after his second year. That left him time to finish his degree, study the LPC at The College of Law in Chester and then start his training contract. "I don't think you know what it's actually like until you get to your training contract. TMC was the first seat I did. I loved it and had a great first six months. I enjoyed the rest of my training contract, but nothing quite hit the mark like TMC did. I did a variety of general commercial work, including a lot of contract work. I was involved in drafting the model ICT agreement for the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), which was quite a big thing for the department." He also saw some IP work and was involved with other, smaller IT contracts.

Now that he's qualified - "but still learning" - Mark normally has around 15 cases to work on at any one time. "I'll usually be running between eight and 10 on my own, and then I'll be assisting on a few others for more senior fee earners. There's a lot more client contact now that I'm qualified. I do still assist senior fee earners, but that's just the nature of larger projects. I run medium-sized cases myself."

Since working on the large-scale ICT project for the OGC, Mark still picks up a lot of work from government and public sector bodies. "I do a lot for the Department of Work and Pensions," he explains, "and for a high-street clearing bank. So the work ranges from large banks to large public sector bodies to small commercial outfits." The actual work "depends on the client", he reveals, but it includes "drafting terms and conditions, distribution agreements and IP work".

Mark gives us a flavour of what he's been up to most recently: "We've been advising a client on a matter that requires gathering advice from 20 different jurisdictions. We do have a lot of foreign offices, so it's quite easy to instruct and get work from our other offices. I know how global DLA is, but it's only when you're working on something like this that you realise it. It's been quite challenging."

Juggling advice from a score of different countries sounds a little tricky, but Mark says that the secret is good organisation. "You have to be organised and able to prioritise work. A lot of it is how you deal with work when it gets stressful. Plan your day as best you can - time management is crucial. It's a challenging job; it's not mundanely doing the same work every day. While that means it can be stressful, and there are long hours involved from time to time, it also means that work is very enjoyable. Every day is different. "

His advice is to get on the ball as soon as possible. "Make sure you get yourself to the law fairs and the careers office, and keep your ear to the ground," he says. "The first law fair I went to was at the end of my first year at university and until that point I was unaware of the range of law firms that were out there. You need to get yourself up to speed as soon as you can - researching firms, applying for vacation placements, knowing what's out there and generally understanding the procedure for getting a training contract."

Mark adds that if there's one thing he wishes he'd known about being a solicitor, it's how long it takes to become truly proficient. "Nothing changes overnight when you qualify. I probably didn't appreciate what a gradual process it is: it takes years of experience and hard work, and relying on other people in the department. One day it will come, but it does take a while."