I am a second-year trainee, currently working in the corporate department. Since commencing my training contract in March 2021, I have completed seats in the construction and IP & commercial teams.
Morning
9.00: I arrive at my desk at our firm's offices at London Bridge. Usually, I have picked up a coffee on my way; I check any emails that have come in overnight and assess which matters need to be prioritised.
9.30: I head upstairs to enjoy a (second) breakfast and a (second) coffee, a perk which has been provided by the firm on a daily basis since we started returning to the office in October. It is a great opportunity to check in with colleagues in different departments.
10.00: Today is my team's core day and most of the team members are in the office. We hold our team meeting in hybrid format with those members working from home joining us on screen. The meeting focuses on workflow and capacity with updates on relevant corporate legal issues and on occasion, special guests (previous guests include members of the tax team, our departmental PSL and head of operations).
10.30: After my weekly team meeting, I set aside time to have a catch up with my supervisor to discuss my workload and progression. I find it beneficial to have time dedicated to this on a weekly basis between my mid and end of seat reviews.
11.00: I return to my desk and start tackling the most urgent tasks I prioritised at the start of the day. This usually involves drafting ancillary documents including board minutes, resolutions and share certificates.
Afternoon
13.00: As I attend the office 2 to 3 days a week, I try to make time to eat lunch with my fellow trainees. Our firm provides a catered lunch on Mondays and Wednesdays and helps foster a collegiate atmosphere. On other days, we venture out to pick up some lunch and get some fresh air by taking a walk along the Thames to Tower Bridge.
14.00: The afternoon starts with a client call to update on the progression of a corporate real estate transaction we have been working on. I make an attendance note of the call and follow up with any action points.
15.00: As a trainee, we are each allocated to one of the firm's sector groups. I am part of the retail and leisure sector and I attend meetings with the executive committee every couple of weeks. I join the meeting where we discuss developments affecting the sector, business development strategy as well as upcoming events.
16.00: I return to my day's task list, finishing up any immediate tasks for the day. I update the tracker documents, which include a documents list, issues list and task list and recirculate. I write a personal to do list for the following day and assess my calendar.
Evening
18.00: Tonight Howard Kennedy are hosting the Meritas 2022 opening reception and the offices have been transformed into a English Garden party complete with Pimms and scones and an British country pub where guests can pull their own pint. All the trainees are encouraged to attend, and we meet Meritas delegates from all over the world.
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Aimee Gavin, Solicitor
