I joined Bristows having served as an officer in the Royal Air Force for 12 years. During my time in the military, I spent a lot of time quickly learning how new bits of kit and equipment worked, and how it could be used to best effect on the battlefield. Part of my role also involved advising senior commanders on how to successfully operate in the cyber domain – this required a good appreciation of the relevant parts of UK and international regulatory law. My interest in learning about new technology and how it can be used lawfully led to me studying an MA in law. I completed my dissertation on AI and copyright law, which inspired me to discover more about the fields of IP and data protection law.

When applying for training contracts, Bristows stood out for so many reasons – it has a clear focus on technology, as well as other creative and inventive sectors. Bristows also has a reputation as one of the preeminent IP and data protection firms in the UK, which it couples with a very friendly and inclusive culture.

Bristows’ training contract application process was more personable and engaging than for other firms, and included a written application form, video interview and two in-person interviews (the first was with a senior associate and partner, and the second was with two partners). Throughout the interviews, I was made to feel at ease and at no point did I feel as though I was being tricked or caught out: I could therefore bring my whole self to the interviews.

So far, I have completed seats in Bristows’ Patent Litigation and Corporate, Tax and Employment (CTE) departments. Each department has offered plenty of responsibility and a variety of experiences. For example, in Patent Litigation I attended hearings at the High Court, Court of Appeal and European Patent Office. I predominantly worked on matters involving patent disputes as well as FRAND licensing issues. In CTE, I have assisted in the coordination of a multi-jurisdictional employment matter, as well as drafting ancillary documents for M&A deals and carrying out legal research as to the activities a charity can perform during an election period.

Since joining the firm, I have taken part in the charity football tournament, ran 10 km for the London Legal Walk and taken part in a panel discussion regarding authenticity and bringing your full self to work: the event was hosted by Female Lawyers Breakfast Networking. There are also a number of team-wide and firm-wide socials, including playing board games or table tennis with colleagues, and monthly ‘hub drinks’.