What’s your background?
I converted into law following a undergraduate science degree and then trained and qualified at a boutique firm in Covent Garden; moving to Teacher Stern in December 2016 with over two years of post-qualification experience.
What department do you work in?
Commercial Dispute Resolution
Tell us about your role, the deals you are working on and the type of work you undertake on a daily basis?
I work on a wide variety of commercial disputes including breaches of contracts, shareholder rights and tortious matters but also charity matters, financial disputes and Intellectual Property rights. No two cases at the firm are the same and a lot of cases involve complicated fact patterns and cross jurisdictional issues.
As a junior associate I generally have conduct of the day-to-day management of cases with differing levels of supervision from a Partner. I often manage the procedural aspects of a case, liaising with external counsel or other third party advisors and discussing strategy and progress with the client directly.
What has been your highlight so far at Teacher Stern?
Having clients honestly thank me following their litigation experience. There have been a number of great outcomes to cases following tricky and sometimes lengthy proceedings where momentum switched back and forth between the parties, but seeing all the time and effort you and other members of the team commit to a matter to reach a successful resolution is genuinely satisfying.
On a more social basis, the pressurised atmosphere of the Partners v Staff 5-a-side football match was particularly enjoyable.
What attracted you to Teacher Stern?
The firm has a great culture which starts at the top level of the Partnership and works its way down. Everyone genuinely gets on and has fun in the office, with lots of internal and external social and networking opportunities, but there is a serious determination to succeed within the firm and fee earners are given every opportunity to grow their skills as a lawyer but also to develop their own areas of interest and legal practice.
What are the top tips/advice that you give to anyone thinking of applying to Teacher Stern?
Make sure you really try to understand what the firm has to offer and how you think you will fit into that structure. The firm looks for individuals that can get to the bottom of technical legal problems but who can also assess the commercial factors surrounding a matter and how they might impact a client’s business. The ability to foster relationships internally and externally are also very important to the firm as it has a diverse but loyal client base.
