Allen & Overy

"I am continuing to learn about law and its application"

I studied law at university, which I had always been interested in doing, however I had no idea when I began my degree of whether I wanted to train to become a solicitor or in which fields I might want to practice.

Following an Allen & Overy presentation at university, I was interested in finding out more about the work that the firm does and so I applied for a vacation placement.  The vacation programme allowed me to gain an insight into the types of work that the firm does, the role of a solicitor and the workings of the firm.  We took part in presentation, research and team-work exercises all of which I could relate to the work that I had been doing at university, especially in the area of contract law.  I never felt out of my depth at any time.  The scheme was great fun and the socialising with other students meant that many of them have become good friends.

Following my vacation scheme at Allen & Overy, I applied for and was offered a training contract with the firm.  It was easy to accept the offer as the work of the firm is first-rate and the people were very warm and welcoming.

Following my degree I attended the Legal Practice Course (LPC) which taught a different set of skills from the university course.  However, the two were complementary and the LPC sought to place a practical framework on the academic law that I had already studied. The additional knowledge which I gained on the LPC was very useful.

Having begun my training contract, I am continuing to learn about the law and its application.  I sat in Banking for my first six months which provided a fast-paced and incredibly interesting deal-based experience.  I have just moved to the Corporate department where I am hoping to experience many aspects of that area of law.  Whilst the work I do at Allen & Overy is very different from the work I did for my degree or on the LPC, I found that I am using knowledge gained from my studies in both those areas on a daily basis.