Nicola Zahariev read History at Warwick. Nikola joined Allen & Overy as a trainee solicitor in March 2007.

I accepted the offer of a training contract with Allen & Overy in September 2002.  Since then, so much has happened, it appears time really has flown by.

I certainly didn’t take the straight route to the legal profession.  Before setting my eyes on the law, I spent some time in the sports department of a daily newspaper, published a number of articles independently and tried my hand at translation.

After I had completed a number of vacation schemes with various law firms after my second year of studying History at Warwick University, I soon decided that becoming a solicitor would be a worthwhile path to take.

My vacation scheme at Allen & Overy certainly played a role in my decision to apply for a training contract with the firm.  It dispelled a lot of the worries and preconceptions that I had about joining a large City firm and gave me the confidence that I would enjoy working with the people I met.

However, I still had my degree, the conversion course (GDL) and the legal practice course (LPC) to master, each of which were challenging and testing in their own and very different ways.

Even though I had planned to do the LPC straight after the GDL, I was forced to take a year out for personal reasons.  Allen & Overy were very supportive of this, and offered me a position as a paralegal.  This was a great experience in itself, and really helped me to gain an insight into the firm from a different angle, as well as be well-equipped with practical knowledge, which came in handy during the LPC.

After the LPC, I had six months off, during which I travelled and volunteered in my local legal advice centre, before finally starting my seat in March 2007.  I was lucky enough to be placed in my requested seat, Project Finance, which appealed to me because of the tangible nature of the product: I have already helped out on deals involving roads, ports, power stations, wind farms and even university accommodation.

I am continually being impressed by the dynamics of Allen & Overy’s working culture.  We are expected to work hard at times, but in return we can be certain that we will be given excellent working conditions, support and respect, aspects that I think count for much more than an admittedly healthy pay-package.  It does sound clichéd, but it is a genuinely friendly and non-hierarchical place to work.  I have had no problem walking up to anyone with the inevitable questions a new joiner has.

All in all, I am convinced that joining Allen & Overy has been the right choice for me, and would recommend the firm to anyone who is thinking of becoming a solicitor – even if you don’t immediately think that a large City firm is for you, if you do a vacation scheme, you will not be disappointed.

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