Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
I completed my undergraduate degree at UCL where I studied English Literature. I always had a love for reading and its ability to allow one to escape into a story. My main hobby is oil painting, and my favourite subjects to capture are animals, especially dogs. I had always considered becoming a lawyer, especially once I realised that there were intriguing similarities between the skills I have developed studying English and those required to be a lawyer.
Later, completing a legal virtual internship on Forage really solidified my desire to deeper explore the subject, whilst the transactional focus of the course enhanced my interest in commercial law. After graduation, I began studying the PGDL which provided a foundational knowledge for all the main law modules and heightened my passion to pursue a career professionally.
What inspired you to apply for the trainee solicitor programme at Goodwin?
Goodwin’s distinct ethos instantly stood out to me; I really felt aligned with the strong culture and its core principles, which, alongside the smaller intake, revealed a firm that would be genuinely passionate and invested in my development as a trainee. Goodwin is a global firm and its ambitious attitude is reflected in the remarkable achievements, such as their long-standing relationship with Moderna since 2010. Hence, the opportunity to work with the founders and entrepreneurs throughout the whole lifecycle of the company, along with the chance to build genuine relationships with the individuals behind technologies or drugs that transform the world invigorated my desire to join Goodwin’s team.
Finally, I really felt that Goodwin’s application process has been designed in a way which brings out your strengths as an individual. I really appreciated how the process centres around an interview which truly gives you the chance to highlight yourself and your strengths.
What has been the single most important thing you learnt so far in your journey in law?
I believe the most important thing I have learnt so far is to try and have an open mind. For instance, on the vacation scheme at Goodwin, I tried to not have any fixed expectations about the practice areas I wanted to explore. When we had a talk from litigation, I suddenly found myself really intrigued and I was able to follow up these interests during the coffee chat later. Therefore, remaining flexible enabled me to organically explore my areas of interest and perform well on the scheme itself.
What do you find most interesting about the legal sector/Goodwin?
I love how things are always evolving in the legal sector, be it the regulations or new technologies, and how this is reflected in Goodwin’s approach of continuous adaptation to these developments, retaining a competitive edge and advantageous position in this volatile landscape.
Currently, I am passionate about developments relating to endangered species, where AI has an increasingly powerful role within conservation. In 2024, AI optimizes conservation and wildlife protection through pattern recognition and habit monitoring, and its algorithms can suggest ideal locations for wildlife corridors which strengthen biodiversity and reduce the likelihood of plants extinction which are crucial for habitats. I am especially fascinated by how AI could potentially play a role in the future of resurrecting extinct species.
What is the culture of Goodwin like?
I immediately found the culture of Goodwin incredibly welcoming and friendly. During my time on the scheme, I was assigned a buddy who was instrumental in helping me connect with individuals in departments I was interested in. Furthermore, the culture of Goodwin is inherently collaborative, the hot-desking system in the office allows you to sit alongside a supervisor and absorb their experience and fully engage with the close-knit nature of the teams. This approachable and collegiate atmosphere removes any social barriers or hesitations when it comes to asking questions, whilst Goodwin’s unique culture makes the vacation scheme experience especially memorable.
How did you find your vacation scheme experience?
The vacation scheme is well-designed and thoughtfully made to ensure an incredibly enjoyable experience. Each day entails planned talks from the main practice areas which were pivotal in providing a rich introduction and the unique opportunity to ask specific questions to those specialised in these fields.
My favourite part was the extensive time you get to spend in the chosen department; I was fortunate enough to be sat in private equity. I had the chance to be exposed to matters the team was working on and was given a research task, enabling me to gain hands-on experience in the field. You also have the chance to arrange coffee times with anyone in the firm and this was an amazing opportunity to learn more about a specific practice area and what the work entails on a day-to-day basis.
Goodwin has curated their vacation scheme to bring out an individual’s strengths and enable them to thrive whilst building a wealth of knowledge around the legal sector, which will be invaluable going forward in my professional journey.