 Shaheen Suri,
| University |
University of London,
(School of Oriental and African Studies) |
| Degree Course |
Law |
| Job Title | Trainee Solicitor |
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Why was Pinsent Masons LLP the right
choice for you?
The firm was right for me as it practised the
areas of law that I was interested in, it was
large enough to attract great clients but it was
also of a size where I felt I could make a real
difference to the firm as a Trainee and also in
the long term.
How has your degree prepared you for your
role?
My degree prepared me for my role in various
ways, such as by making me comfortable with
studying case law, although the LPC prepared
me in more ways because of the practical
focus of the course.
What does a typical day involve?
On a typical day I would assist my supervisor
on the matters he is working on. Common
tasks include research, drafting advice notes,
preparing bundles for court, preparing
emails/letters to clients and interpreting legal
documentation. I regularly attend conference
calls and client meetings and I have also had
the opportunity to go to court.
What have you learnt from your training?
I have learnt that every client and every deal
you work on will be different in some way and
it is important to adapt yourself to suit the
needs of the client and transaction. I have also
gained important skills like breaking issues
down and explaining them to clients in a way
that makes it easier for them to understand and navigating my way around legal
documents.
Which aspects of your role do you enjoy the
most?
I enjoy working on matters where I am used
as the main Trainee as this enables me to get
wholly familiar with the issues involved and it
enables me to gain client contact. There is
also a great sense of achievement when the
matter completes.
What are your future plans within the firm?
I will be qualifying into the Projects and
International Construction department in
September 2008. I also hope to gain some
international experience as part of that team. |
Matt McDonald
 | College / University |
University of Birmingham |
| Degree Course |
Law and Business Studies |
| Job Title | Trainee Solicitor |
|
|
Why was Pinsent Masons LLP the right
choice for you?
Pinsent Masons initially struck me as a firm
which constantly strived for excellence while
maintaining very strong core values, and my
experience to date has reaffirmed this view.
The clients I deal with on a daily basis range
from local, medium-sized businesses to
multinational corporations which are often
household names. At the same time as
working to fulfil the needs of these prominent
and sometimes demanding clients, Pinsent
Masons is a values driven organisation where
everyone from trainee to partner is
approachable (the firm operates an 'open
doors' policy) and there is always a friendly
face around the corner.
Pinsent Masons also takes corporate social
responsibility very seriously and that was an
important factor for me when deciding where
to apply. I have personally been involved in a
number of the activities undertaken for the
firm's 'Starfish' CSR programme and have
seen what a difference it can make to the lives
of others both in our local community and
further afield nationally and internationally.
How has your degree prepared you for your
role?
My degree gave me a good grounding for my
role at Pinsent Masons. The legal aspect of
my degree was obviously important because
as lawyers, our legal expertise should be a
given. The business aspect has also been
hugely beneficial because it helped to give me
an important insight into the commercial goals
of our clients and the various methods of
achieving those goals.
How has your role differed from your
expectations?
I have far more contact with clients on a dayto-
day basis than I expected which has
allowed me to grow in confidence and has
given me a valuable insight into just what a
client expects from its solicitors.
I have also been pleasantly surprised by the
level of responsibility I have been given at
such an early stage in my legal career. Help is
always at hand when needed but for the large
part I manage my own workload and this has
given me the opportunity to show initiative
and get a feel for the wide range of skills
required to be a successful solicitor.
What have you learnt from your training?
One thing I have learnt from my training is just
how essential regular training is in order to
keep up with a legal and commercial
environment that are both constantly evolving.
The training programme at Pinsent Masons is
comprehensive to say the least, with each
department having specialist lawyers whose
job is to monitor the changes that come about
and ensure that everyone is up to speed on
them.
The training I have received has helped me to
keep on top of things and has given me
confidence in my legal and commercial
awareness. As a further benefit, training has
helped me to identify situations where our
clients may need legal advice, for example
where new legislation is coming into force
which could affect a client's business, and this
helps us to take better care of our clients and
ensure all their needs are met. |
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