Norton Rose Fulbright

A day in the life of... Stephen Hedges, trainee, Norton Rose Fulbright

Departments to date: Corporate, M&A and securities; Asset finance (aviation); Antitrust and competition

University: King's College London

Degree: BA (Hons) History

9.30am: I make my way into the office. The firm are flexible on what days we should attend in person but I usually try and do three days so I can meet directly with associates and partners I am working with in the corporate team. I chat to some of the associates on the way in. When I get to my desk I check whether there have been any emails overnight and start a to-do list of tasks I need to tackle.

10.30am: I have been working on a takeover for the past few weeks with two partners, a senior associate and another trainee. Takeover matters tend to be very busy and fast moving; the five of us are the primary team for the matter so it has been very hands-on and fast-paced. We meet to listen into a client call; I take some notes on areas of relevance to my specific workstreams.

11.30am: After chatting with the team about what workstreams to prioritise I start progressing verification notes for a document our client intends to publish, outlining its views on the takeover. The task involves checking that each of our client’s statements in the document can be backed up with evidence supporting them. I review supporting documents provided by the client and update the notes.

1.00pm: I grab lunch with some of the trainees in my cohort who are also in the office. The office has a canteen with a range of options daily – I settle on the chicken katsu and spend some time catching up with the trainees working in different parts of the firm.

2.00pm: After a final check I send off the verification notes to the senior associate for his comments. While waiting for feedback I work on drafting a set of board minutes, and other corporate documentation, for a client planning an internal corporate reorganisation. Although my supervisor is there to assist with any questions, and will review the draft documents, I manage this process myself which is great for gaining drafting knowledge and experience.

4.00pm: The senior associate and I meet to discuss his feedback on the verification notes; we discuss outstanding areas and, together, draft an email to the client requesting clarification on certain points. Meeting in person and discussing work on matters is hugely beneficial, and the senior associate takes time to explain each step and consider what we need next. Once back at my desk I send off the email directly to the client; there is an emphasis at the firm on ensuring trainees get direct client contact when possible, and it’s a great chance to work on my skills in this area.

5.30pm: I answer a request on another matter from my supervisor; a client has asked for certain amendments to be made to a loan agreement which it is negotiating, and has asked us to draft an amendment letter setting these out. My supervisor asks me to have a first go at drafting the letter; I review precedents and consider what the letter should say, taking notes and then creating a structure which I then type up for my supervisor to review.

7.00pm: There is no face-time culture at the firm so once I’m done with work for the day I head off back home.

About the firm

Chair of Europe, Middle East and Asia: Farmida Bi

UK offices: London, Newcastle

Overseas offices: Amsterdam, Athens, Austin, Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Brussels, Bujumbura**, Calgary, Canberra, Cape Town, Casablanca, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Dubai, Durban, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Harare**, Hong Kong SAR, Houston, Istanbul, Jakarta*, Johannesburg, Kampala**, London, Los Angeles, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Mexico City, Milan, Minneapolis, Montréal, Munich, Nairobi**, New York, Newcastle, Ottawa, Paris, Perth, Piraeus, Québec, Riyadh*, San Antonio, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, St Louis, Sydney, São Paulo, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver, Warsaw, Washington, DC. *Associated offices ** Alliance offices

Who we are: We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. We have more than 3,700 lawyers and other legal staff based in Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa.

Recognised for our industry focus, we are strong across all the key industry sectors: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare. Through our global risk advisory group, we leverage our industry experience with our knowledge of legal, regulatory, compliance and governance issues to provide our clients with practical solutions to the legal and regulatory risks facing their businesses.

Wherever we are, we operate in accordance with our global business principles of quality, unity and integrity. We aim to provide the highest possible standard of legal service in each of our offices and to maintain that level of quality at every point of contact.

What we do: Our London office delivers domestic and multi-jurisdictional legal services to corporates, financial institutions, governments and other public sector organisations. We excel across a range of legal practices, including corporate, M&A and securities; banking and finance; dispute resolution and litigation; real estate; antitrust and competition; tax; employment and labour; intellectual property; regulation and investigations; and risk advisory. We also advise on US law, and we have a world-leading Islamic finance practice. We are particularly well-known for our focus on industry sectors and are strong in financial institutions, including insurance; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; transport; technology and innovation; and life sciences and healthcare.

What you’ll do: There’s no progress more vital than what you’ll experience on our training contracts. Over two years – broken into four six-month seats – you’ll hit all kinds of new firsts with us, big and small. You’ll explore new areas, for instance. Each seat will take you through different sectors and practice areas, with compulsory seats in both banking and corporate. One of your seats will almost certainly be on secondment too – your first encounter with working in a new country, or maybe six months spent working in a client office. As you move from one milestone to the next, you’ll have a sizeable team at your back. A partner mentor to turn to and to learn from. A trainee buddy to teach you the ropes. And the whole trainee development team, to keep you on track from day to day.

What we’re looking for: An impeccable academic record and intellectual rigour are prerequisites. We expect successful candidates to have at least AAB at A level (or equivalent) and be on track for a 2(1) (or equivalent).

You’ll have an enquiring mind, strong interpersonal skills, and the motivation to make constant progress. You’ll never stop pushing yourself forward, grasping every opportunity – both at home and abroad – that our firm has to offer. You’ll be interested in business too, and keen to build relationships within a firm that’ll help you make progress with purpose.

Perks: Benefits include private healthcare, personal pension plan, income protection, life assurance, 25 days’ annual holiday, private GP service, interest-free season ticket loan, employee assistance programme, car scheme, mortgage advisory service.

Sponsorship

We cover the cost of GDL and LPC course fees and our maintenance grants are £7,000 for the GDL and £10,000 for the LPC.