University: University of Birmingham
Degree: Law
Year of qualification: 2023
Position: Associate
Department: Corporate
Pronouns: She/her/hers

What attracted you to a career in law?

My first degree is a creative writing BA from the University of Victoria in Canada. Writing has always been my passion, but prior to graduating I began to question how feasible it was for me to turn it into a stable career. The creative writing programme was paired up with the law programme for our graduation and the valedictorian who gave the graduation speech happened to be a creative writing graduate who’d transitioned into law. She spoke about the parallels between both pursuits: command of language, self-initiative, patience in the face of many revisions – there was more of a crossover between the two careers than I’d realised. It all felt very serendipitous and I ended up telling my parents that I wanted to get a second degree in law the very next day. It proved to be the right decision!

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 a very random assortment of non-legal work experience, including in restaurants/bars, construction and at an accountancy firm. Restaurant work taught me how to work well under pressure and be comfortable dealing with a variety of personalities, construction taught me about holding my own even when I felt like a fish out of water (I was the only woman I ever saw on a site) and the accountancy firm taught me about professional client service.

However, what helped my applications the most was paralegal experience. I was a paralegal at a smaller firm in Canada, as well as at two US firms in London. I worked across a variety of departments including corporate, real estate, restructuring and insolvency, and shipping litigation. The insider knowledge of the industry and an understanding of the day-to-day work was invaluable – it gave me firsthand experience to draw from for my applications and interviews. My top tip for anyone struggling to find a training contract is to find a paralegal role.

What do you think made your application successful?

I think it came down to approaching the application with honesty and authenticity. By the time I had a successful application, I’d received many rejections and had grown tired of trying to come across as the candidate I thought the firm wanted. Instead, I wrote it more in my own voice and was also candid about certain experiences, including the difficulties I faced when I first immigrated to the UK on my own. Law firms want to find someone who has the skills for the job, but they're also trying to understand who you are as a person. Ultimately, letting more of your personality show will lead you to a firm that is the right match for you.

What do you wish you’d known about being a trainee before you started that you now do?

Most of the time, it’s not the mistake that you make that people will remember, but the way you recover from it. Take responsibility, be open to feedback and bounce back with a positive attitude. Mistakes don’t define you, how you learn from them does.

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

I’m an associate in the corporate team, which means my area of expertise is quite broad as our team covers all areas of corporate work rather than having specialisms. I mostly work on cross-border M&A and private equity transactions, but I also have experience in capital markets, joint ventures and venture capital.

A typical day might include managing due diligence projects (which often includes liaising with local counsel in various jurisdictions), preparing issues lists, drafting or commenting on various documents. These documents include disclosure letters, shareholders’ agreements and share purchase agreements, as well as multiple emails and phone calls with partners and clients. I also work closely with our US offices as its M&A deals often have a UK element, so I’m in regular communication with colleagues in New York, Chicago and LA, among others. Recently, I’ve started to lead negotiation calls on more complex documents, which is an exciting step forward. Our team is on the smaller side, so it’s important to have a ‘no task too big or too small’ approach, which leads to a lot of variety.  

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

The most challenging aspects are that the pressure can be intense, the timeframes for delivering work can sometimes be short and there can be days where the responsibility can be a bit overwhelming. The most rewarding aspect is that working in this type of environment often leads to strong relationships – collaboration and regular communication with both colleagues and clients is crucial to ensure things run smoothly. I also love the feeling of coming up with positive solutions to complex problems and helping clients feel at ease amid a fast-paced deal. Honestly speaking, closing a big transaction is a real buzz!

What makes your firm stand out from the rest?

A colleague of mine describes the typical Winston lawyer as a ‘friendly go-getter’ and that’s a great encapsulation of how we stand out. Everyone’s motivated to work hard and deliver excellent client service, but we do that by being collaborative with each other rather than cutthroat. We have an approachable, non-hierarchical culture where everyone’s treated as a valuable member of the team. This also leads to opportunities to take on higher levels of responsibility at an early stage, meaning everyone’s skillset is really sharp.

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

A successful solicitor is a strong communicator, an analytical problem solver and a team player. It’s important to be someone who doesn’t just come up with an effective solution to a client’s problem, but who can also convey that solution in clear terms. It’s also important to be someone who colleagues like working with and clients like hearing from, so good interpersonal skills are key.

Finally, never underestimate the value of attention to detail, organisation and time management – they’re the fundamentals to learn as soon as you start in a career in law.

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

Find opportunities to work under pressure and learn how to stay productive and positive in the face of it. The ability to keep a level head and stay focused in a pressured scenario is key when you’re juggling tight deadlines or multiple matters at once. Your colleagues will appreciate it if you’re someone who doesn’t let stress get the better of them!

What is the wider culture like?

The culture is honestly one of my favourite things about Winston. There are plenty of social events throughout the year, with highlights including an annual ski trip (which is usually in France or Switzerland) and a summer away day somewhere in the countryside. There are also informal Thursday drinks in the office and a handful of more unique activities throughout the year. Last year we had a wreathmaking class in December and a terrarium building workshop as part of stress health awareness month. In addition, the Women’s Leadership Initiative organises an annual event with our colleagues in Paris, where the London female associates go to Paris (or vice versa) and we spend a day in workshops on topics such as gender bias and leadership skills before all going out for a big dinner.

Nevertheless, the real reason the culture is so appealing is that the firm is filled with genuinely kind and supportive people who are a pleasure to spend time with. Work events always feel like a fun thing on the calendar and there are always lots of good chats and laughs to be had day to day. Many of my closest friends are Winston colleagues and former colleagues and there’s a good reason for that.

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

The larger M&A and private equity transactions that we do often require specialist input. We regularly work alongside other teams, including tax, finance and competition. I love this aspect of the job, because it gives me a chance to build relationships with a variety of colleagues. I’m always learning things from them that I can apply to my own practice.

How is technology changing the way you work?

Our firm is embracing AI as a tool to providing better client service, so there’s been a big push to incorporate new technologies such as Copilot and Harvey into our daily tasks. I use Copilot for tips on how to make my written advice clearer and more concise. I think my emails to partners and clients have improved because of it. I use Harvey for all kinds of things, from contract review, to drafting suggestions, to sense checking my work generally. Technology allows me to give clients a high-quality work product on a faster timeframe so I definitely see it as a resource for my practice rather than a threat to it.

Where is your dream holiday destination?

Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. There’s a resident herd of wild giraffes on the grounds that you can feed from your balcony. I can’t imagine anything more magical than that!