Trainee Solicitor
Ruchdi Maalouf
University attended: Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne
Degree obtained: Maîtrise en droit (French Law Degree)
Age: 34

When I applied for a training contract at Herbert Smith in 2004, I was conscious that my background and profile were unusual.  Born in Lebanon and raised in France, I had a French law degree and I was working as a paralegal in France.
The LPC year provided an opportunity to meet future colleagues from Herbert Smith and I noticed that there was a great diversity of social and cultural backgrounds.

Since I joined the firm, I have not looked back. For me, the Herbert Smith culture provides the environment necessary to dedicate all my energy to the challenges of the training contract.

City Life

Anyone pursuing a legal career in the City will know that it is a competitive environment, often with long hours.  However it is also important to realise that not everybody in the firm leaves work after 7pm. 

Although the environment may be competitive, there is no competition between members of a team – we are all aware that an effective team is much more productive in a friendly environment.

Life as a trainee at Herbert Smith is not all work. There are several events for clients and future joiners that trainees are invited to. The firm also runs various clubs and societies and there is no shortage of things to do in London.

Life as a trainee

My first seat was in the tax group where I supported other departments and worked directly with clients.  Working in this group gave me the opportunity to develop my understanding on how deals are structured and I was involved in finance deals, corporate structuring and stand-alone tax advice.

Practising tax law in a firm requires a lot of statutory interpretation and legal analysis.  The work is intellectually challenging and I had the opportunity to develop my legal writing and even had the chance to publish an article with my supervisor.

Second seat:  Corporate

I spent my second seat in a corporate group specialising in energy and projects, where the work was very different and corporate lawyers offer clients more than simply legal knowledge. 

My time in corporate was a fantastic opportunity to learn about the oil and gas industry, how companies negotiate and conclude deals and I experienced a variety of different tasks. I was involved in several deals relating to oil and gas assets in African countries, which I found very stimulating.

Life at Herbert Smith

Herbert Smith prides itself on being a meritocracy.  After one year here, I can see that this is true.  Since I joined the firm I have pursued a couple of personal projects and received a great level of encouragement and support.  For example, after discussions with my colleagues, I found out there was a demand for a beginner’s Mandarin class. I put the idea forward and was encouraged to organise a class myself with the firm’s support. I find it very stimulating to work in an environment so open to initiatives and personal contributions.

There are numerous opportunities to get involved in social and community activities and there is a great commitment to charitable projects, fund raising  and pro bono work.

Future challenges

I am currently preparing for my third seat in the international arbitration group. I have also been planning my career progression, something the firm actively encourages. My long term aspiration is to be a part of Herbert Smith’s expansion in Asia -  I would love to spend some time in the Tokyo office. I would also like to work in one of our offices in China at some point.  I have found the firm very understanding and supportive of my plans.