Law worth talking about! - An interview with Chloe McIntosh, Trainee Solicitor at Mayer Brown
Mayer Brown offers Training Contracts, Vacation Schemes and Solicitor Apprenticeship Programmes to help undergraduates and graduates kick-start a career in law. Chloe McIntosh, a current Trainee Solicitor, talks to us about the skills and knowledge you’ll need to succeed at an international commercial law firm.
Why did you think Mayer Brown would be a good fit for you?
Secondly, Mayer Brown is a global, full-service law firm which boasts an excellent roster of clients. Across the firm, partners and associates hold accolades and rankings, such as from Chambers and Partners. As a result, during the training contract, trainees are exposed to high-value, multi-jurisdictional, interesting work.
What training opportunities are afforded to trainees at Mayer Brown?
During the training contract, trainees are expected to complete a transactional seat, a litigious seat, and go on secondment (either to a client or to an international office). This ensures that trainees are exposed to a variety of work and network with individuals across the firm and internationally. It also ensures that trainees are well-rounded on qualification, with a solid understanding of how the various areas of the firm interact to offer clients an excellent service.
The training is fantastic. During the training contract trainees rotate departments, experiencing four different seats, spending six months in each. At the beginning of each seat we are given a tailor-made training schedule that runs from 4 to 11 weeks, during which you attend training sessions with associates, partners, professional support lawyers (PSL) and the business services teams. We learn about the relevant laws and regulations and are told how to best support the team. These sessions improve confidence, provide factual and legal background and provide an opportunity to network and meet people in the group.
Which personal qualities do you think have stood you in good stead in your training, and which do you think the process has helped you develop?
Perseverance and determination definitely help! The training contract is an intensive two-year programme. Naturally, determined people who like a challenge are drawn to the legal profession, but you have to be willing to persevere with difficult situations. It is no secret that commercial solicitors, like many professionals, often work long hours. This can be demanding, especially when you are new to the profession (as trainees often are), however those who are determined and persevere in difficult situations often gain the most from the training contract.
I would also say good organisation skill are important. Trainees who are able to keep track of the vast number of emails and developments in ongoing matters shine. It is often said that trainees who can do the “small things well”, like assisting with admin tasks such as bundling, will often be asked to do “bigger things”, like drafting agreements. Trainees who manage their personal workload well and who manage the expectations of others excel.
What in your background made you opt for a career in the legal profession?
How have you and the Firm coped with the challenges of remote working during the COVID pandemic?
Working remotely has presented challenges and opportunities to us all. Obviously, it is a shame we are not in the office and able to enjoy the complete trainee experience, but it has been over a year since we moved to working from home and this is the new normal!
As trainees at Mayer Brown, we are still presented with amazing opportunities to join client calls and attend proceeding. Also, the supervision has been fantastic. Working for a firm as friendly as Mayer Brown definitely helps. From the first day, I felt comfortable emailing or calling associates or partners to ask for further guidance or clarification where necessary. I know from speaking with friends at other firms that this isn’t always the case elsewhere. I am incredibly grateful to work at a firm where I feel confident and comfortable asking for advice and guidance.
Mayer Brown’s London office has a number of internal affinity networks and resource groups, including the Fusion Network, which, among other things, organises activities for Black History Month and celebrates religious and other cultural events. Have you been able to take advantage of these?
I am currently co-chair of the Fusion Network. My fellow chairs include another third seat trainee, a partner and a senior manager from a business services department. Together with the committee, we spearhead the Fusion Network, organise events and initiatives and work with colleagues in London and internationally to best represent our colleagues from diverse ethnic minority backgrounds. Collectively, we work to raise awareness and understanding of the diversity that exists across the firm and the steps that we can take to be more inclusive and supportive. We also work closely with other networks in the London office, such as the LGBT+ Network and the Women’s Network.
Mayer Brown has received many accolades in recognition of their work on equal opportunities, and closely monitor these initiatives. What benefits do you feel these bring to the work environment?
Mayer Brown offers a nurturing and supportive environment that welcomes all individuals, irrespective of their background. As a trainee, I was offered the opportunity to become actively involved in the various networks and initiatives the firm offers. As a result, I now co-chair the Fusion Network and I am an active member of the LGBT+ Network. Sally Davies, the London managing partner at Mayer Brown, recently invited me to be a panellist at an internal event on the importance of social mobility and how we can all play a positive part increasing awareness of social mobility issues.
The fact that trainees, such as myself, can become heavily involved in equal opportunity initiatives is fantastic. I am incredibly grateful to work at a firm where my voice and opinions on such important matters are welcomed and encouraged.
What advice would you give myFuture candidates interested in applying to premier UK law firms like Mayer Brown?
Connect with people at the firm you are interested in applying. LinkedIn is an excellent tool for this! Be polite and use the opportunity to ask how inclusive the workplace is and ask questions about the training contract. Many applicants are now using LinkedIn to ask these questions and gain a better understanding of what it is really like to work at a particular firm. It is particularly useful in the current climate, where open days and vacation schemes are being held online. It is also a perfect opportunity to ask questions which can aid your application.
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