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What’s it like working at Harbottle & Lewis?

It’s simply a great place to work. Because of the Firm’s size you really get a chance to get to know everyone and be involved in lots of social and client events. The free lunches and wellbeing initiatives are a great perk too and it gives you a chance to get to know your colleagues in a social setting. I currently take Pilates at lunchtime and boxing classes in the evening once a week, all within the Firm’s dedicated wellbeing space.

What seats have you been in so far?

My first seat was in Property. After enjoying it on the LPC and knowing it would be a useful life skill one day, I was really looking forward to it. Even as a trainee, you get to be responsible for running your own files and can be right across both the sale and the purchase of a property from start to finish.

I have just started my second seat in the Family group.

What have you enjoyed most about your experience so far?

Being a full-service firm means you not only get to work on varied and interesting matters, but also work across departments. While in my current Property seat, I’ve had the chance to advise some of our really cool sport and media clients and work closely with our Film, TV and Theatre department. It’s really rewarding to know that I’ve played a part in their journey in some way.

Tell us about an interesting matter you have worked on and what you were responsible for.

I was involved in a really high value property purchase from very early on and right up until the end.

I was asked to research the documentation on the property and then report my findings to the client. I even completed some drafting work and had direct client contact taking instructions. It was really exciting when we completed on the purchase and all our hard work was worth it.

What lessons have your learnt from your experience?

If you don’t know, ask! As cliché as it sounds, there’s no such thing as a silly question, especially in your first few months as a trainee. I find it helps to try and work out the answer before you ask, so that if your supervisor asks you why you think your answer is right (which my supervisor often does) you have something to back it up – you never know, you may actually be right. It’s better to ask or double check in order to avoid making an easy mistake.

What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?

Take every opportunity that presents itself. You genuinely never know what the opening could bring or who you could meet along the way.

What is one piece of advice you would give to applicants?

Take time to think about what separates you from other candidates. Whether that’s in examples of something unique you’ve accomplished as a student, while working or even in your spare time. Focus on what you’ve done that’s memorable and using examples from your personal life can make you stand out. This relates to my advice about taking every opportunity, because often the things you agree to or find a challenge are often the most interesting.

What’s it like working at Harbottle & Lewis?

It’s an amazing place to work. When I was applying for Training Contracts, Harbottle & Lewis was always the one I wanted to join, and it’s genuinely lived up to all of my expectations.

Aside from the obvious A-list clients and the interesting work that comes from them, the Firm has a lot to offer to its employees in terms of wellbeing. There’s a dedicated studio that offers daily fitness classes, complimentary massages are available every month and we have a free buffet lunch provided every day. All of this allows you to focus on your work and don’t have to worry about getting your next workout in, or having an internal debate about what you’re going to have for lunch.

The working environment is excellent. People at Harbottle & Lewis are not only committed and passionate about what they do, but also friendly and supportive of one another. This made it very easy for me to find my feet from the start.

What seats have you been in so far?

My first seat was in the Corporate team. As I had no previous corporate experience and hadn’t studied any corporate electives on the LPC, I was a little nervous to begin with. However, the team were fantastic, extremely knowledgeable and happily helped me with any concepts that were new to me. The work itself was really exciting and I was involved in deals from the beginning and all the way to completion.

My second seat was in the IP Litigation team which gave me the opportunity to work regularly for ‘household name’ clients on really interesting matters. The work encompassed Trademarks, Copyright, Designs and Passing Off, so I really had the full ‘soft IP’ experience and loved it. The team are brilliant at what they do, very friendly and approachable and no two days with them was ever the same.

I have just started my third seat in the Media & Entertainment group.

What have you enjoyed most about your experience so far?

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my colleagues and especially like the fact that almost everyone is on first-name terms . It makes it so much easier to make conversation and find common ground. I’m especially close with my trainee intake and consider them to be really great friends.

I particularly enjoy the social events the Firm organises; I’ve been to football, golf, netball, board game evenings and firm-wide quizzes which have all been fun.

Tell us about an interesting matter you have worked on and what you were responsible for.

During my Corporate seat, I was involved in a share sale where we acted for the seller. I attended disclosure calls, drafted the ancillary documents and was responsible for sending everything out for signature. It was cool to not only be involved from start to finish, but also to play a part in helping the client realise their goals.

What lessons have you learnt from your experience?

I’ve particularly learned how much other departments depend on one another and how invaluable great team work is. I’ve been involved in matters where we’ve asked for assistance from other departments and vice versa; efficient inter-firm communication is essential in order to provide the best service for the client.

What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?

It may sound obvious, but always ask questions if you’re unsure of something and the sooner, the better. Don’t be afraid to ask your colleagues if you don’t fully understand something. It avoids wasting time and gives you a clearer picture of what’s needed so you can give it your best shot – first time around.

Also, one of the best pieces of advice I’ve been given is to aim for the crocodile closest to the boat first. If you’re under pressure, do one thing at a time and before you know it you’ll have less crocodiles to fend off!

What’s one piece of advice you would give to applicants?

Be yourself as much as possible during the application process. The people interviewing you may be your future colleagues and it’s important that they get to see the authentic you.

What’s it like working at Harbottle & Lewis?

Harbottle is a great firm to train in! The work is really varied between seats where I’ve been able to get involved in a lot of matters and get to know clients. The focus on the Technology, Media and Entertainment sectors were a key part of why I joined the Firm and trainees are relied on for live matters which means you learn a lot in a short period of time.

The people are genuinely nice and approachable – hot desking also means you get to meet people all round the Firm on a regular basis. Obviously, Harbottle is well known for its free lunch but what’s really nice is socialising at lunchtime with different people, rather than eating at your desk.

What has been your favourite seat so far?

The Technology, Data and Digital seat – but I’ve enjoyed all my seats. I’ve been able to work on a variety of matters from data protection, software licences, commercial contracts and supplier agreements together with research on AI, cybersecurity and space law. There have also been several opportunities to meet clients from start-ups to some of the biggest travel and food companies. These have been not only for business development and dealing with matters in general, but also giving me valuable experience in building client relationships. In addition, I’ve also been able to gain exposure to work in the gaming industry in which I have a particular interest in!

What have you enjoyed most about your experience so far?

Being able to meet clients in person and to witness the business development aspects of working in a law firm as well as being occupied on legal tasks. Also, it’s been great to get to know the teams across the Firm – they make you feel like a part of the team by valuing your opinions.

Tell us about an interesting matter you have worked on and what you were responsible for.

I’ve been able to observe a set of negotiations on a commercial contract from the early stages to signature. Some parts of the negotiations were in person and I think it’s rarer now to actually sit in a room where it all takes place. I was able to see the different approaches and style that people took and would be asked to assist with next steps like drafting. Separately, I’ve also watched reality TV to check the content for a client which I don’t think many trainees get to do.

What lessons have your learnt from your experience?

It’s a habit to just think about your current task as most instructions will be the first time you’ve done it in practice. However, try to think about what should be done next even if you aren’t the one that will be responsible. It will help you get ready to think about what you would do once qualified.

Also, take the opportunity to be involved with initiatives or networks around the Firm. Often trainees will be asked to help out with events – it’s both good to be involved and to get to know more about different parts of the Firm.

What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?

If you want to get involved in a particular area speak to the right people, if you don’t ask you don’t get.

What one piece of advice you would give to applicants?

Going through the application process is a nerve wracking experience, but try to use it to get to know the Firm to see if it’s the right fit for you – it works both ways!