Media

A new video podcast series by Allen & Overy called Voices for Change, for inclusive thinkers and doers.  Join Justin Farrance, A&O’s DE&I Ambassador, as he interviews colleagues from across A&O, as well as clients and alumni about their personal stories, commitment on DE&I and advice for others to learn from. Stay up to date with new episodes announced each month.

First up, Senior Partner Wim Dejonghe talks to Justin about his early years in law, as well as why “the biggest risk for any successful organisation is to become complacent with DE&I, because the world will catch up with you.”

In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses A&O’s pro bono work with Aditi Kapoor, one of A&O’s pro bono managing lawyers, and Frances Beddow, a newly-qualified associate in the litigation and investigations group (Litigation, L&I) who also did a trainee secondment in the pro bono team. 

In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses what it is like to work in A&O’s International Capital Markets (ICM) department with Andrew Enga, a senior associate in the debt capital markets group (ICM, General Securities Group/GSG), and Ruby Avison, a one-year qualified associate in the same group (ICM, GSG).For more information about Nivaura, the legal tech company mentioned in this episode, see Series 2 of this podcast, Episode 4 (Solicitor Diaries: Life In A Tech Start-Up)

In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses what it is like to work in A&O’s Disputes department, as well as the impact of Covid-19 on the way in which hearings are conducted, with Helen Biggin, a counsel in the litigation and investigations group (Litigation, L&I), and Edward Levy, an associate in the same group (Litigation, L&I).

In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses what it is like to work in A&O’s Corporate department with James Roe, a corporate finance partner specialising in equity capital markets and governance (Corporate, C8), and Athena Chuang, a newly-qualified associate in the same group (Corporate, C8).

In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses what it is like to work in A&O’s Banking department with Dominique Crowley, a senior associate in the restructuring and insolvency group (Banking, B4), and Obinna Mezu, a second-seat trainee who did his first seat in the leveraged finance group (Banking, B3).

In this episode, our host, Bianca Vasilache, an A&O associate and former trainee, discusses working practices at A&O with James Partridge, A&O’s graduate recruitment partner and training principal, Greg Talbot, a senior associate in the financial regulation group (Banking, B6), and Antonia Marino, a newly-qualified associate in the funds and asset management group (Banking, B8).

We connect with Shruti Ajitsaria, A&O’s first Advanced Delivery Partner and Head of Fuse. She discusses her career path from first getting the idea for Fuse to becoming a new type of partner.

Available from Monday, 2 November.

We connect with two current trainees from law and non-law backgrounds who previously participated in vacation schemes in the City. We also catch up with Emma Barker, who is a member of the graduate recruitment team and leads our early engagement programmes.

Available from Monday, 26 October.

We connect with Ricky Cohen, former General Counsel and Legal Product Architect at Nivaura, a Fuse start-up that delivers capital markets automation solutions. As an A&O alumni, Ricky explores the transition from working in a global law firm to life in a tech start-up.

Available from Monday, 19 October.

We connect with one of A&O’s legal tech specialists, a trainee who went on secondment to our ideas and innovation team, and a participant in our advanced delivery graduate scheme. They discuss legal tech use and development as well as graduate opportunities in this space.

Available from Monday, 12 October.

We connect with Chantal du Toit, a Senior Legal Counsel at Shell and former A&O Associate in Arbitration. She talks about her transition from private practice to in-house and her experience as an in-house lawyer at a high-profile global company.

Available from Monday, 5 October.

We connect with Gareth Price, who was recently elected as the firm's Global Managing Partner. He discusses the election process, what the role entails, A&O's future direction and how trainees and associates can be a part of it.

In this final episode of Launch, our host, Bianca Vasilache, a final-seat trainee, is joined by Karan Dinamani, a partner in the private equity group, Emma Barker, a graduate recruitment specialist, and Godwin Tan, a second-seat trainee, in discussing how to prepare for and put your best self forward during the assessment centre. With a particular focus on case study interviews and competency/scenario-based interviews as the most common types of assessment centre tasks, they share their experiences, expectations and advice on how to deal with pressure, curveball questions and much more.

In this episode of Launch, our host, Bianca Vasilache, a final-seat trainee, is joined by Tom Stancliffe, a former associate in the corporate group, who shares his journey from law to co-founding TRIBE, a natural sports and nutrition brand. In talking about his decision to transition out of law and eventually start his own company and the ways in which his legal skills have come in useful throughout this process, Tom’s story is an insightful reminder of the various career options available as a legal practitioner.

In this episode of Launch, our host, Bianca Vasilache, a final-seat trainee, is joined by Emma Barker, a graduate recruitment specialist, and two trainees, Lee Turner, a law graduate, and Laurence Ridgway, a non-law graduate, in discussing how to approach written applications and prepare for skills tests. Going further than generic advice, they break down the most common types of questions found in application forms and draw from their own experiences to identify the usual pitfalls as well as ways of avoiding them and making your application stand out.

In this episode of Launch, our host, Bianca Vasilache, a final-seat trainee, is joined by Will Samengo-Turner, a newly-appointed partner in the corporate group, who shares his journey to partnership and sheds some light on the challenges that come with it. From figuring out whether this was the career he wanted to pursue to building up his experience and network and eventually throwing his hat in the ring for promotion, Will gives an invaluable insight into the legal profession and how it has started to change.

In this episode of Launch, our host, Bianca Vasilache, a final-seat trainee, is joined by Ben Moult, a graduate recruitment specialist, and two trainees, Maria John, a law graduate, and Joe Fallon, a non-law graduate, in discussing the different types of work experience, academics and extracurriculars that law firms are looking for, how to choose between the numerous options and, most importantly, how to make the most of them.

In this episode of Launch, we meet MaameYaa Kwafo-Akoto, a senior associate in the funds and asset management group, who shares her unconventional journey into law and the valuable lessons she has learnt along the way. From doing a part-time GDL due to her full-time job and making cakes for Wrap It Up! to cover her LPC living expenses, to working as a paralegal for a few years and having her training contract delayed because of the financial crisis, MaameYaa’s story is an inspiring example of how to make your own opportunities.