Life at Gowling WLG | Vanessa's story

Hi, I'm Vanessa! I'm a first seater sitting in the Employment and Pensions team at Gowling WLG.

Regarding my educational background, I had a unique school experience. I attended a few secondary schools and, as a result, came out with very few (and not very good) GCSEs. After that, I had to work extremely hard to catch up academically and was lucky enough to go to an amazing college that supported me a lot. After finishing my A-Levels, I did a BA in History and then an MA in Ethics, both at King's College London. Whilst doing my MA, I started to work in research, specialising in education and anything youth related.

I always wanted to be a solicitor but had quite a few rejections during my undergraduate years, and at the time, I thought maybe it wasn't the career for me. However, whilst working in research, I worked closely with solicitors on various evaluations, which inspired me to try again. Around the same time, I happened upon an email about the Gowling WLG x Cummins work experience programme and took it as a sign to try again, and as they say, the rest is history!

It was a bit of serendipity that led me to the firm. I had just graduated and was still working in research but randomly checked my university inbox and saw an email about the Gowling WLG x Cummins work experience. I decided to apply because I thought it was an amazing opportunity to see what it would be like to work both within a firm and as part of an in-house team. I was also impressed by the focus on young Black students and the commitment from both companies to proactively support inclusion within the sector.

Once I finished the work experience, I knew Gowling WLG was the firm for me. I sat in Employment and LOVED it. The variety of work, the team, the culture - I just knew it was a good fit. It's hard to put these things into words sometimes, but you will just know when a company is for you

If you're going to bring your supervisor a problem, always follow it up with a solution! The solution may not always be quite right, but people will always appreciate you taking the initiative.

It has to be the variety of work. As I sit in Employment and Pensions, the work I do spans across both, so no two days are the same. One day I might be drafting a Deed, another day creating a Tribunal bundle. I think having variety in a role ensures you keep learning new things and things never get dull.

Super friendly! Everyone I have met at the firm has been so willing to answer questions, go for coffee, and just generally give me a helping hand. The firm makes a huge effort to arrange a range of social events, from baking competitions to scavenger hunts, so there is something for everyone to get involved in.

1. Be very conscious of what is important to you when selecting firms you wish to apply for. For me, having a great culture and a wide breadth of specialist areas was very important, so applying to Gowling WLG was a no-brainer.
2. Don't spread yourself too thin. Applications for training contracts/vacation schemes are a lot of work, so it is much better to only select a handful of firms and make your applications as solid as you can.
3. If you do a vacation scheme first, really use it as an opportunity to figure out if this law is something you enjoy and if the firm is right for you. It is a two-way process, so you need to almost see it as you are interviewing the firm as much as they are you. A training contract is a big commitment, so you need to be sure that where you end up will be a good fit for you long-term.