Why did you choose Ropes & Gray to start your legal career?

I wanted to train at an elite firm which gives its trainees plenty of responsibility. Coupled with the small trainee intake relative to its competitors, Ropes is an excellent environment for a trainee to really get involved with the work.

How did you find the recruitment and selection process?

Ropes’ assessment center was quite fun – I still remember the negotiation exercise. The vacation scheme was also very informative and gave me the opportunity to contribute to real work such as preparing a slide deck of distressed companies for the restructuring team.

How would you describe the firm’s culture?

It’s a welcoming, open-door atmosphere where everyone wants the best for you. The associates are happy to walk you through the steps and answer your questions. It is certainly a fast-paced and often intense environment, but there is help and support.

Tell us about a memorable matter you’ve worked on.

In my second seat with the life sciences team, I collected samples from three well-known high-street coffee shops and sent them to a lab for testing. This was so that we could compare the caffeine content to one of our clients’ lines of energy drinks. It was an unusual and fun task.

Tell us about a pro bono matter you’ve worked on.

Working with the Development Transformations (DT) Institute, I put together a summary of international laws and recourse mechanisms for victims of the indiscriminate use of weapons, in order to create a resource for victims and their representatives to enforce their rights.

What tips would you give a potential applicant?

Make sure to brush up on your commercial awareness. It is always worth keeping up with the news for when the commercial question comes up in your interview.