We recently caught up with Raaid about how he secured a role with Trowers & Hamlins, how he built commercial awareness before the interview and his top tips for Bright Network members looking to follow in his footsteps.
What stood out to you about Trowers & Hamlins?
Sometimes, I had found, City firms had a culture which (at best) paid lip service to the idea that their trainees would be thoroughly trained as well as treated as more than an inbox. Trowers & Hamlins were different - they clearly took pride in the idea that to be an excellent City lawyer was to care quite genuinely about colleagues and clients both as those who excel and who had the potential to excel in their fields as well as people. Then, as a lawyer-to-be, the fact that so many partners have been there for their entire legal careers was clear evidence that this was a firm in which I could feel supported as I would progress. Beyond this, the unusual mix of government and Middle Eastern work was very compelling.
How did you build your commercial awareness before the interview?
For my vacation scheme interview, beyond reading financial news, I looked up the sectors Trowers & Hamlins operate in and read around the field my interviewer specialised in. Trowers & Hamlins' mix of real estate and Middle Eastern expertise provided a lot of material which I could base my research on. My interviewer worked in property litigation, with a specialism in rights to light claims, so I tried to get a grasp of the basics of the commercial environment surrounding that.
What would be your top tip to members going through the application process?
I would suggest, as an applicant, try and talk to people from Trowers & Hamlins and ask them questions about their work, the firm's culture, and indeed themselves. Training at Trowers & Hamlins requires an aptitude for teamwork, affability, and a genuine curiosity in the work the department you're working in offers; therefore, demonstrating that early on will inevitably help you end up getting a training contract. I would advise supplementing this by reading around the commercial and legal issues Trowers & Hamlins' solicitors would concern themselves with and ensure that, when applying to Trowers & Hamlins, that research shines through.
How did Bright Network help you secure this role?
"Key insights" stories gave me an understanding of what it might be like to work at Trowers & Hamlins, which helped colour my expectations and therefore my application to the firm. More widely, however, Bright Network events like the Future of FinTech Careers Fair back in 2019 gave me a greater sense of commercial awareness that helped me understand some of the issues a potential Trowers & Hamlins client might have to deal with and so made me think about what legal issues a commercial law firm might be able to advise them on.
What’s been the toughest interview question you've faced and how did you tackle it?
The toughest interview question I've faced has probably been one of those which, when faced with legal material, tested my technical legal knowledge and required me to think on my feet. The best way to tackle these questions is to use the limited preparation time you have to gain at least a skeletal understanding of the material in front of you. Once you're being interviewed, feel free to take your time to answer the questions - a slow and methodical answer is better than a quick guess - and to change your mind on a point if you feel that will get you closer to the right answer ultimately.
What top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Proactively get in touch with people from Trowers & Hamlins
- Research Trowers & Hamlins and the context in which it operates as thoroughly as you can.
- Stay on top of your legal studies.
