We recently caught up with Kiera, a Trainee at WFW, to hear more about her journey into the sector...
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey into law.
I read law at Durham University, graduating in 2019. Before securing a Training Contract, I worked as a paralegal in property securitisation at a national law firm for two years. I wrongly took a broad-brush approach to applications in my final year of university, and made countless applications with no success. I found that narrowing down the firms I was applying to based on their values and the type of work I was interested in, coupled with the experience I gained as a paralegal, were key to obtaining an offer. After accepting my offer with Watson Farley & Williams (WFW), I then completed my Legal Practice Course remotely with BPP. Before beginning my Training Contract, I did the predictable few months of travelling around South East Asia to 'find myself' and then started at the firm in August 2022.
What is your role and how long have you been at WFW?
I’m a second seat trainee and have been at the firm for just over six months. I’m currently sitting in the Assets & Structured Finance team with a focus on aviation finance, one of the practice groups for which the firm is best known. My first seat was in Real Estate, primarily real estate finance, which gave me a solid foundation of knowledge for use in my current seat. My next seat will also be in the Assets & Structured Finance team in Singapore, which will be the first of two international secondments during my Training Contract. International secondments are guaranteed at WFW, so all trainees are able to spend at least four months in an international office.
What does a day in your life as a Trainee look like?
I typically start my day in the office at around 8.30am to give myself more time to organise my day effectively. I start off by checking my emails and seeing if anything needs urgently actioning, before looking at my to do list – which will inevitably change based on what has come in overnight. A typical day varies depending on the stage of the work I am involved in, but it will undoubtedly involve a great deal of transaction management from managing conditions precedent, drafting ancillary documents, sitting in on calls with clients or arranging the signing of documents. Every day will involve interactions with local counsel as nearly every transaction will have at least one international element. This can range from Ireland, to Kenya, to the Cayman Islands. This means you always have to consider the practical issues of working with and accommodating different jurisdictions. Once documents are agreed between the parties, I am responsible for arranging the signing of documents we hold the pen on. This will include preparing signing instructions and, more often than not, using DocuSign. I like to end the day by checking in with my supervisor to see if there is anything else that needs actioning, before reorganising my to do list for the next day. If it’s a Thursday, I will finish the day by playing netball for the firm with other Trainees and Associates. We play just around the corner from the office in a league against other city law firms.
What’s been your favourite project/thing you’re most proud of from your time so far?
My favourite project from my time so far involved being appointed as a client’s representative in relation to a very topical issue, combustible cladding remedial works. Following the Grenfell Tower fire, it became clear that the use of unsuitable cladding on residential buildings was widespread. As well as the potential threat to life, there have been additional consequences including leaseholders facing consequential economic losses with high insurance costs and the inability to sell or re-mortgage. It was rewarding to be able to act so closely with the client to help achieve progress towards remediation works. I was particularly proud to receive excellent client feedback about my positive contribution, and for the client to request my continued support on the matter. I really enjoyed this opportunity to engage with real world issues. The firm's involvement in leading commentary on such issues is clear from Barry Hembling’s recent article in the Times. This tangibility and real-world impact is something that is also offered by the transactional work in Assets & Structured Finance. So far, I have worked on deals including exciting tangible assets including sky tractors urgently required for firefighters.
How did career resources like Bright Network help you secure your role?
When I was applying for Training C\ontracts, particularly whilst working as a paralegal, I was only applying for direct Training Contracts due to the time commitment. Resources like Bright Network were particularly helpful in providing accessible insights from current trainee’s which I was personally unable to gain from Vacation Scheme interactions. It was also useful in providing tips and advice for approaching phone and video interviews which became the new norm during COVID-19.
Bright Network also helped me become more aware of virtual opportunities. I was able to complete virtual internships with Inside Sherpa, now Forage, and gain insight to Trainee work at global law firms. It provided the opportunity to practice skills which are essential for any trainee such as research and sound commercial judgement.
What top tips would you give members wanting to apply?
- WFW has a clear sector focus so you should try and research the legal developments in these areas. The firm's website and social media are a really great place to start, with articles on the Insights Hub identifying the key sectors, clients and deals.
- Gaining relevant experience is another great way of showing a clear interest in the work WFW does. For me personally, working as a paralegal increased my confidence and provided experiences I could talk about on application forms and in interviews. It doesn't have to be exclusively legal experience, the same can come across from a wide range of other interests or roles by showcasing transferrable skills.
- Being proactive is key, both before and during your training contract. Proactively reaching out to current Trainees on LinkedIn is another great way of finding out about WFW and what it is like to work here.