Why was Ashurst the right choice for you?
Due to my international background (I went to an international school in Tokyo) I only wanted to work for an international law firm. At Ashurst I have felt welcomed, respected and valued from day one. The culture emphasizes individuality, is progressive and nonhierarchical which creates a perfect working and learning environment. There is also an active social scene, but more importantly it is with people who I actually enjoy socializing with. Extracurricular activities are also encouraged and I play every week for the firm football team - the highlight being winning the Legal and Financial Cup in Lisbon.

What does a typical day involve?
The best and most terrifying aspect of the job is that there is no typical day. Days are usually busy, especially when a deal nears completion, but can involve anything from liaising with local counsel, attending meetings, drafting/reviewing documents or playing football against clients. Just the other day a volunteer was needed to go on an urgent trip to Libya!

What have you learnt from your training?
To always stay positive, always think through the issue on your own before asking questions and have the confidence to stand your ground.

What are your future plans within the firm?
At some point during my remaining two seats I would like to take advantage of one of the many secondment opportunities on offer, preferably going to one of Ashurst's overseas offices.

For me the opportunity to experience a completely different legal culture and forge friendships with Ashurst lawyers in other offices. It should also provide me with a better understanding of how to work most effectively with this office when I return to London.

Why was Ashurst the right choice for you?
Ashurst was the right choice for me because it is a firm that truly appreciates the value of its employees and encourages its lawyers to reach their full potential. The main thing that sets Ashurst apart for me is the positive, encouraging and down to earth team of people I work with. Ashurst is an ambitious law firm and there is a collective drive to get the most out of working here, whether that is by experiencing time in our overseas offices, working in house at some of the world’s leading companies or assisting on one of our many pro bono initiatives. This coupled with a reputation for high profile work for multinational clients made Ashurst the right choice for me.

How has your degree prepared you for your role?
Having studied law at university, this has helped me to develop my analytical skills and given me an introduction to some of the key legislation that affects my daily work. Certain departments are more legislation based than others and whilst I have had to dig out some of my old land law notes whilst in Real Estate, my work is not as

How has your role differed from your expectations?
The level of responsibility I have been given in the Real Estate department and the amount of client contact has definitely exceeded my expectations. Being given my own files to progress has enabled me to build up strong working relationships with my clients and get a real feel for their individual business needs. The level of responsibility could have been daunting but the senior members of my team have supervised my work and provided me with all the support I have needed. Moreover, the level of responsibility I have been given has made me feel that I am making a valuable contribution towards the success of the firm and with this has come a high level of job satisfaction.

What does a typical day involve?
As a trainee I am often working on several different files at the same time but as the department is split into teams, each with their own key clients, you are better able to see the bigger picture of what the client is trying to achieve and this adds to the enjoyment of working on that file. The work I do on a daily basis is quite varied. In the morning I might be drafting or negotiating more straight-forward documents on one of the smaller files I am progressing but then in the afternoon I might be working on a small part of a much larger project that may take years to complete. I also often have contacts at key clients telephone me with specific queries in relation to their properties or asking for updates on different files.

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