During my law degree I began seriously considering a career in law and attended open days at several law firms, as well as a virtual law fair. I was interested in the idea of an intellectually stimulating career, with predictable career progression, and the opportunity to work closely with businesses.

Following my degree and LPC, I started as a paralegal in another firm’s Real Estate Litigation department where I recognised that being in a friendly environment and working with clients in sectors of interest were non-negotiables for me. I therefore began looking into firms with a welcoming culture, that did high quality work, and that had expertise in the tech sector; this was how I found Bristows.

Fast forward 12 months and I’d successfully completed three interviews with the firm: one pre-recorded, one via Microsoft Teams, and a final in-person interview at Bristows’ London office. I really enjoyed the final two interviews in particular as the questions varied from other interviews that I had done and I got the impression that the interviewers were making a real effort to get to know me.

After receiving my TC offer, I joined Bristows’ Patent Litigation team as a paralegal. This was a great way to get familiar with the firm before starting as a trainee! During the first year of my training contract I’ve completed seats in:

Real Estate (3 months)

As a trainee I was involved in a variety of matters, from multi-million pound property sales down to more nice matters like drafting scaffolding licenses from scratch. The team puts a lot of emphasis on ensuring trainees receive a rounded experience within the department and this is something which I found immensely valuable. Highlights included:

• Carrying out extensive research into a break clause dispute;
• Participating in site-visits; and
• Taking the lead on two client calls.

Patent Litigation (3 months)

Having been a paralegal in the department, I was able to hit the ground running when I returned as a trainee. I worked on a series of cases in both the UK and UPC, two jurisdictions which I was not very involved with as a paralegal. Some highlights that stand out are:

• Participating in an all-day in-person client meeting to discuss our case theory;
• Taking notes at an all-day expert meeting to aid in the drafting of an expert report; and
• Assisting in the initial research phases of a brand new matter.

Competition (ongoing)

In Competition I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in a large case which the firm has been working on for over a decade. It’s been an exciting challenge getting up to speed and finding the best ways to add value on a matter where the fee earners involved have such a deep knowledge of the case. Highlights have included:

• Producing an extensive document review summary for counsel;
• Liaising directly with our counsel team on queries; and
• Being afforded several opportunities to assist with know-how sessions for the Competition team.

Overall, my first year as a trainee at Bristows has been great! Bristows places a huge emphasis on trainees and does all it can to ensure that they develop during their training contract, not simply working on their assigned matters. Being able to recognise my own development whilst working in such a welcoming and friendly environment has been great and I can’t wait for my second year!