We recently caught up with Abi, a Trainee at Watson, Farley & Williams, to hear her journey into joining the firm.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
I am a first-year trainee currently completing my third seat in WFW’s Bangkok office within the Disputes Resolution team. I studied Law at the University of Liverpool, followed by the LPC. I then had just under two years working as a paralegal in Leeds before joining WFW for my training contract in London.
What is your role and how long have you been at WFW?
I am a trainee solicitor and I’ve been with the firm for 10 months now. My previous seats were Real Estate and Disputes Resolution (London).
What inspired you to apply to become a trainee at WFW?
I knew from a young age that I wanted to become a lawyer, and in particular I wanted to relocate to London for my training contract. I looked for firms with a strong reputation I the commercial sphere, as well as work with an international scope. WFW stood out in my research as it guarantees an international secondment (as I write this from Thailand), and the six-seat rotation promises you a breadth of experience.
What has been the single most important thing you’ve learned so far as a trainee?
It is completely ok to make mistakes (to an extent of course). This is the nature of the role, and it is why we are called ‘trainees’. Up until our training contracts, we are programmed to ensure everything we submit is perfect, whether that’s TC applications to firms or coursework for our degrees. It’s a big adjustment to really take these situations and turn them into an important learning point. The best thing to do is always be transparent, and when you’re unsure, your colleagues will be there to help.
What would a ‘normal’ day look like for you?
My new ‘normal’ in Bangkok is waking up and heading to the gym which is conveniently right next to the office. I’ll arrive to work for around 9am and spend the first 20 minutes checking my emails and working out how to prioritise my work for the day.
As we have a lot of ongoing arbitrations within the office, I will often have 2/3 calls with various teams to discuss progression on outstanding matters and upcoming tasks.
A lot of my work for the DR team is independently led, so I’ll spend the afternoon working through various tasks, and often I’ll pop into colleague’s offices to discuss these as well as have a catch-up from the weekend.
Bangkok is an incredible city for food, so it is rare I manage to get the train all the way home without stopping somewhere for some Pad Thai or Pad Ka-Prao.
What aspect of the legal industry do you find the most interesting?
This certainly would be how law is always at the forefront of every field. Where there are new technological advancements, law closely follows. For example, my work both within RE and DR related to the Holistic Network Design (HND) for Offshore Wind developed by NGESO. This is an innovative project which will revolutionise offshore wind projects within the UK, and it has certainly required some creative thinking on our part to help our clients prepare and comply with this.
What is the company culture like at WFW?
As someone not native to London, I was preparing myself for the notorious City trainee life, but I have found this to be a rather dated concept. Consistently, I have found the firm has embraced an open-door culture and it has proven to be a genuinely committed firm to creating a positive work environment.
How important is diversity to you and what is WFW doing in this space at the moment?
Diversity is incredibly important to me. As someone from a working-class background, it was a key factor for me to apply to firms which reflect this ethos.
WFW is strong in its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The firm currently has three networks which focus on raising awareness on various issues. These are:
- Mosaic Network: A forum to discuss ethnic and racial diversity issues.
- Proud Network: A network designed to further LGBT+ inclusion.
- We Further Women: A forum for women to share challenges, exchange ideas and develop their careers.
Finally, any tips for anyone who’d like to apply for a role at WFW?
Firstly, ensure you conduct diligent research and try to obtain as much relevant experience as you can, but I imagine if you’re ready to make your application, these are probably a given.
I think the most useful tip I could give an applicant is to be genuine about yourself and your interests. The goal isn’t simply just to secure a training contract, but to start your career with a firm that aligns with your passions. WFW is vast in its work, so really understand what is it that you would like to do. They will not expect you to memorise their entire portfolio, but if you would be particularly interested in Projects work for example, then take a look into some of the recent cases we have acted in within this sector. Be ready to talk about these and what it is that captivates you. Genuine interest in the firm’s work will carry you a lot further than a Mike Ross approach (an unfortunate Suits reference).