Our People

Can you tell us about your background and what led you to join Clifford Chance as an Associate?

I trained and qualified in the corporate department at an international law firm. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, eventually, I felt myself gravitating towards premium market transactions, which were not the firm's core speciality. At two years post-qualification, I joined Clifford Chance.

What attracted you to Clifford Chance?

I knew I wanted to find a firm that specialised in premium M&A. I also wanted to ensure that I was joining a firm that was known for its collaborative approach and inclusive atmosphere. Clifford Chance excels at forming small teams and fostering strong relationships (both internally and with clients) at the same time as providing a spectacular breadth and depth of specialist and market knowledge all over the world. Having trained at a smaller firm, I was keen to recreate that environment, albeit with the power of a large international law firm behind me.

How did Clifford Chance support your integration into the firm’s culture and building of relationships with colleagues?

Collaboration is at the heart of Clifford Chance's strategy and permeates every level. As a lateral associate, I was encouraged to form relationships with colleagues in every department and every office around the firm. This may be via day-to-work (where my team were incredibly supportive in helping me develop my internal network of go to specialists), non-billable activities (I am part of various leadership committees responsible for implementing various tech improvements across the firm and I am on steering committee for RISE, Clifford Chance's social inclusion affinity group) or via social activities. There are so many different opportunities for integration and building relationships, and while not everything is for everyone, there is definitely something for everyone!

What role has mentorship played in your development at Clifford Chance?

I have been fortunate to benefit from some incredible mentoring opportunities at the firm. This has been through a combination of formal and informal support. Formally, I was assigned a Career Development Partner, a partner in my team, when I joined. The Partner was responsible for my overall career. Informally, I have had the support of partner sponsors both in my team and in other teams. They always make themselves available for catch-ups.

Can you share an example of a time when collaboration at Clifford Chance led to a successful outcome on a project or deal?

One transaction that highlights the strength of Clifford Chance’s collaborative approach is our work advising a major telecommunications company on a strategic merger in 2020. With a term sheet signed over the weekend before the UK went into lockdown for COVID-19, legal due diligence and long-form documents were finalised and agreed upon in just 5 weeks. This relied on a team of over 100 lawyers from different legal specialisations and time zones, all pulling together to get the transaction done in such a short period and under "unusual" personal circumstances. I remember being amazed at how seamless the team felt despite its size and notwithstanding the personal difficulties that everyone was facing at the time.

In what ways have you been able to contribute to the mentorship and development of more junior lawyers at Clifford Chance?

I am fortunate to have the opportunity to train and develop the firm's trainees and junior lawyers on both a formal and informal basis. I am a trainee supervisor and part of a team of small team of senior associates and partners within the corporate department that I sit with overall responsibility for trainees in our team. I also mentor a newly qualified lawyer from another team. I gain a lot from the formal mentorship and development opportunities, and the firm excels at creating informal opportunities as well. Everyone is genuinely interested in helping others succeed, and it is a privilege to be part of that environment.