Question Time: How involved do trainees get in aspects of the firm such as business development?

Our Question Time campaign answers common queries raised by Howard Kennedy Trainee candidates. So here's the inside scoop!

Howard Kennedy has a non-hierarchical culture and this is reflected in the extent to which trainees get involved in the firm's business development activities. We are encouraged to take as much responsibility as we can for generating new work.

All fee earners at Howard Kennedy are required to participate in a minimum of two business development activities per month and update our department's calendar to record this. These activities will usually involve us attending an internal/external event or writing an article. This is the first piece that I have written for the Howard Kennedy blog but I am on the trainee social media and real estate newsletter editorial boards so help with content ideas.    

During my real estate seat, I enjoyed attending openings of new developments. Firstly, they were a good opportunity to strengthen the relationships with our current clients. There were also several estate agents attending which are a great source of referral work for the Residential Real Estate department.    

I am currently sitting in the Media Litigation department and my team frequently passes on events invitations to me. Some highlights from my dispute resolution seat so far have been attending a breakfast seminar at Doughty Street Chambers on Freedom of expression and the protection of human rights in Egypt, a seminar and drinks at 11KBW on the right to be forgotten cases NT1/NT2 v Google, and a Bureau of Investigative Journalism event with special guest Mike Rezendes of the Boston Globe's Spotlight team.    

The firm also holds a lot of events internally such as our Real Estate and Technology business lunches, Economic Breakfast Briefings or Departmental parties and I have kept in touch with clients or referrers from these.    

The extent to which you get involved in business development is your choice but the opportunities are abundant. To my mind, it is a great part of the training at Howard Kennedy as it sets you up for qualification when there will be more expectation on you to build your own client relationships and develop your own work stream.

Look out for next week's blog on the challenging but rewarding aspects of training.