Name: Helen Winward
Job title: Trainee Solicitor
University attended:University of Liverpool
Degree obtained: LLB Law
Age: 28 years

Helen studied law at Liverpool University where she graduated with a 2.1. Following a year travelling, she completed the Legal Practice Course at Nottingham Law School and joined Watson, Farley and Williams.

Choosing a firm for a training contract can be confusing. WFW appealed to me because it offered high-quality work in a medium-sized and friendly firm and almost all the work has a highly international flavour. Twenty months on the firm has exceeded my expectations and given me an excellent start in my career as a solicitor.

Starting out

The first few weeks in any new job are challenging. I started with ten other trainees and it was comforting to find others in the same position. We were eased in gently with a two-week induction course which covered some of the compulsory Professional Skills Courses and important basics. We also found lots of opportunities to meet trainees who had started the year before.

The honeymoon was over and then the hard work began. WFW splits its training contract into six 4-month seats offering the chance to experience work in several departments and work with most members of staff. I began in the International Litigation Group where I had the opportunity to put into practice academic legal knowledge from my degree and the more practical skills gained during the Legal Practice Course. Work experience that I had gained at Capita also helped me to be able to analyse and research legal problems.

Trainee tasks

Since joining, the day-to-day work has varied between seats, but much of it has involved the financing of large assets and projects, particularly wind farms. This has included setting up limited liability partnerships and companies in England and other jurisdictions as special purpose vehicles, and after ’vehicles’ negotiating and drafting financing documents. There’s also the typical trainee job of running conditions precedents and making sure that the hundreds of bits of paper required to do a deal are all present and correct in the right bit of the world at the right time.

It is essential to be organised and efficient as well as having a good grip on the legal and commercial issues involved in a deal. I have particularly enjoyed the international nature of the work including a ship delivery in Korea which I worked on for a Belgian ship owner and the project financing of a wind farm in Germany for an Australian client. I have had lots of opportunities to work with lawyers from all over the world and learn about financing in a cross-jurisdictional context. Needless to say, if you are after a steady nineto- five, WFW is not for you, but compared to many City firms the hours are reasonable and the excitement of closing deals means that time flies by.

Sweating it out in Bangkok

WFW offers a seat in one of its foreign offices to all trainees. I chose Bangkok where I worked on litigation and corporate matters. It was fantastic to work with Thai lawyers, and I had the opportunity to run my own files as well as assisting on larger matters. Getting to know Bangkok as a resident was brilliant and I also took the opportunity to travel in Southeast Asia.

Moving on

Back in London, I am currently doing a tax seat and will qualify into the International Finance Group in September. I am hoping that tax work will help me understand the background to tax-driven financings. There is lots of ongoing training, with weekly seminars on document drafting, and continuing support. Of course, there’s an awful lot still to learn…

“Watson, Farley & Williams LLP or an affiliated undertaking has offices in each of the following cities: London, Piraeus, Paris, New York, Singapore, Bangkok, Rome, Hamburg.”