We recently caught up with Elias, a Trainee at Watson, Farley & Williams, to hear his journey into joining the firm.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
I grew up in Broadstairs on the Kent coast, and studied the International Baccalaureate at my local grammar school. I went on to study Law at the University of Bristol. In my third year, I gained the opportunity to study abroad at Nagoya University, Japan. After graduating, I worked at a Fintech startup, before moving to a gaming company to work as a paralegal.
What is your role and how long have you been at WFW?
I am a Trainee Solicitor and have been at the firm since August 2023. I have spent time in our Assets & Structured Finance, Tax, and Projects teams. In September, I will be heading to our Singapore office for my fourth seat.
What inspired you to apply to become a trainee at WFW?
There were two main reasons as to why I applied to WFW:
- the sector focus – WFW have leading industry knowledge in energy, transport and infrastructure. The opportunity to learn from these leading sector lawyers was tremendously appealing.
- the internationalism – WFW offers a guaranteed international secondment. This was an extremely appealing opportunity to live abroad again, and learn legal skills from a different perspective.
What has been the single most important thing you’ve learned so far as a trainee?
I have found that clear and consistent communication with peers, supervisors, associates and partners is really important. People appreciate updates and this helps to manage expectations both internally and externally.
What would a ‘normal’ day look like for you?
I like to arrive at the office early to set myself up for the day and organise my to-do-list. In transactional departments, I will be drafting security documents from precedents, managing high volumes of emails, looking after conditions precedent lists, etc. Things can move very quickly when a closing is coming up! My Tax seat included more research and answering in-depth, complicated legal questions
What aspect of the legal industry do you find the most interesting?
I enjoy that legal industry is linked very closely with wider political and socio-economic issues. I was sat in Tax when the UK budget was released, and it was interesting to see how government policies started conversations in our industries.
What is the company culture like at WFW?
The company culture at WFW is extremely inclusive and friendly. Many of the senior associates and partners trained at the firm, so the culture runs throughout the business. There are also plenty of social activities to get involved in throughout the year.
How important is diversity to you and what is WFW doing in this space at the moment?
Coming from a state school background, I have always valued companies which embrace social mobility initiatives. I am currently volunteering on a WFW programme which offers support for Year 12 students who may face socio-economic barriers to accessing their chosen post-18 destinations and a career in law.
Finally, any tips for anyone who’d like to apply for a role at WFW?
Our sector approach is extremely important to our firm. I would make sure that your application is tailored to these sectors. I would also explain how you have developed skills that are required of a city solicitor.