University: University of Warwick
Degree: Law
Year of qualification: 2018  
Position: Senior associate
Department: Islamic finance
Pronouns: She/her 

What attracted you to a career in law?

I was attracted to the intellectual challenge law offers. I’ve always enjoyed tackling complex issues, analysing the details and finding the best way forward. My work as a transactional lawyer means that the end goal for all parties is to get the deal done in the most cost effective and commercial way. I often find myself in a transaction where, for the transaction to progress, the issue at hand needs to be diagnosed from various perspectives and a practical solution found that works for all parties. It’s truly satisfying when I can offer such solutions to my clients.

How did you decide which firms to apply to?

I was drawn to firms that offer a balance between high-quality legal work and a supportive, collaborative culture. I was able to understand how firms offered this by attending open days, speaking with current trainees and reading about the firm’s recent client work. I was especially interested in firms that had niche practice areas as I was keen to build my career in something out of the ordinary. Ultimately, I chose to apply to firms where I felt I could grow my career, learn from leading practitioners and be part of an organisation that values excellence, innovation and its employees. It was evident from my research that Foot Anstey strongly held such values. 

What kind of legal or non-legal experience did you have before applying, and how did it help when you were making applications?

I had various jobs before applying for a training contract at Foot Anstey. From being a legal research assistant at my university, to selling jewellery and working in a coffee shop. Apart from these paid jobs, I also volunteered at the hospital and at the Citizens Advice Bureau. Having worked these jobs and having held volunteering positions meant that I was able to provide clear examples in my application of scenarios where I could demonstrate analytical skills, strong communication and interpersonal skills, and firsthand exposure to client advisory work.

Which departments did you train in?

When I was a trainee, we had four-month seat rotations. This meant that I was able to experience working in five different practice areas during my training contract (with the last two seats being in the practice area I decided to qualify in). My seats were agricultural law, mental capacity, corporate law, trust and charities law, and Islamic finance. We've changed our training structure slightly now, meaning that trainees get to complete four six-month seats.  

Please outline your area of expertise. What might you do in a typical day?

As a transactional lawyer specialising in Islamic finance, my expertise lies in structuring and delivering Sharia-compliant financial transactions that balance commercial objectives with ethical and religious principles. This work requires a deep understanding of conventional banking, property law and the unique contractual mechanisms used in Islamic finance, such as commodity murabaha and ijara. I’m also one of the few members in my team that has expertise in developing/drafting documents to cater for new Sharia-compliant products. It’s amazing to know that the documentation you’ve produced for a client forms the basis of numerous transactions.

What are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of life as a lawyer

One of the most challenging aspects of a life as a lawyer, for me, is managing the high workload and pressure that comes with the role. Transactions can be complicated; there are often tight deadlines to meet and it’s not always easy to balance conflicting priorities. It requires adaptability, organisation and plenty of focus to stay on top of everything. At the same time, this challenge is what makes the work so fulfilling. There’s a real sense of satisfaction in getting the transaction done, helping clients overcome issues and contributing to outcomes that make a difference.

What makes your firm stand out from the rest?

There’s a real sense of energy and enterprise at Foot Anstey. The firm and its employees are willing to question what we’ve done in the past and willing to learn from fresh ideas. We’ve grown organically and that means we’ve been able to maintain our strong culture and provide a one firm approach when it comes to service delivery.

Foot Anstey is also committed to responsible business and will be investing 1% of its net profits into its responsible business agenda, which forms a key part of the firm's growth ambitions. Core to this is creating a culture where everyone can thrive, from shaping recruitment processes and practices to enable people from all backgrounds to access opportunities at the firm. One such initiative is our ‘Achieve’ vacation scheme programme, which is specifically designed to offer opportunities to individuals from underrepresented groups within the UK workforce. This initiative recently won the ‘Diversity, Inclusion and Well Being Initiative of the Year’ at the Bristol Legal Awards.  

What skills/strengths do you need to be a successful solicitor?

For me, the starting point is having the mindset to get the job done! It’s about constantly identifying the most proactive and best course of action to take a particular transaction forward. Communication and commercial awareness are equally important. I’ve learned through my work that listening carefully to clients, understanding their wider goals and explaining matters clearly to them builds trust and makes a real difference to clients.

What advice do you have for budding solicitors who are contemplating a career in law?

My top advice would be to get as much life experience as you can, whether through paid work or volunteering positions. Having real-world examples where you’ve learned, grown and demonstrated your strengths makes the application process and the interviews feel much easier. When you can talk about what you’ve done and achieved, an interview will stop feeling scary and it’ll become more of a conversation where you get to share what you’re capable of!

Does your department largely work independently, in support of another dept or is it routinely supported by other depts?

The work we undertake in Islamic finance often requires us to work collaboratively with various other practice areas. We work closely with the regulatory team to provide advice to clients who offer home purchase plans to its customers, and we also work closely with the banking litigation team to cater for more contentious scenarios. Certain transactions also require input from our construction and planning team. All in all, as Foot Anstey is a full-service law firm, we can provide a ‘one stop shop’ for all our client’s needs and this holistic approach is often praised by our clients.

How often as a trainee were you communicating directly with clients (calls, attending meetings)?

As a trainee, I was given a lot of autonomy to handle my own work, which enabled me to demonstrate my ability to get the job done, my proactiveness and my work ethic. I was often communicating directly with clients either via email or on the phone. To be honest, speaking to clients on the phone was initially quite daunting, but I realised soon enough that these calls lead to building better rapport with the clients and obtaining meaningful instructions or responses from them.

What’s the biggest opportunity you’ve been given since joining the firm?

I’m currently the trainee supervisor in my team and this role involves ensuring that the trainees in our team feel supported, are exposed to a variety of work and are developing the skills I’ve mentioned above. As I began my journey with Foot Anstey as a trainee, it’s incredibly rewarding to be given the opportunity to help nurture future solicitors in my firm now and see them grow from strength to strength. 

Where is your dream holiday destination?

One of my personal ambitions in life is to see the various wonders of the world. I’ve been fortunate enough to see the Colosseum, Petra, Taj Mahal, the Pyramids and Machu Pichu, and it’d be an absolute dream come true be able to see the rest of the wonders as well (including, among others, the Great Wall of China, Christ the Redeemer and Chichen Itza!).