l joined Clifford Chance in December 2017 as the client & market development manager responsible for the Derivatives and Financial Regulation practice in London. I also have responsibilities relating to our Brexit and Fintech initiatives.
Having graduated from university with a law degree and then briefly working in private practice, I made the decision to embark on a career in business development as I enjoyed the strategic, business-related element of the function more than that of actually practising law. I have since worked for a number of the leading global law firms.
Why I joined
Quite simply, it was the firm's reputation that attracted me to join Clifford Chance. The opportunity to get involved in work relating to high-profile, cutting-edge, international developments such as in fintech or Brexit, for the world's leading financial institutions, really appealed to me and still motivates me five months into the job. The culture was also an important factor for me and I genuinely enjoy working with the people in my team.
I think it is vital that you get on with the people that you work with and I can safely say I do. I work with a group of very talented lawyers who also understand the importance of business development and who really value the support my team and I provide.
My advice
My advice to someone considering joining Clifford Chance would be to grasp the opportunity! You will be working for a fantastic law firm that is operating at the very top of the market. Of course working for a firm like Clifford Chance demands a high level of ability and a strong work ethic, but this is rewarded with real job satisfaction and work that is truly interesting.
My most rewarding experience
My most rewarding experience to date happened shortly after joining the firm when I was thrown on to a big Brexit-related pitch. Jumping in at the deep end shortly after I joined was a great way of getting up to speed as quickly as possible, particularly because it was a high-profile opportunity and involved a number of my key internal stakeholders.
Having been heavily involved in the tender process from start to finish, I felt a good sense of achievement when I learnt that we had been awarded the work, and I felt I had tangibly contributed to generating income for the firm, which is of course the primary role of business development.
