I joined the firm in September 2024, having finished two years of law school paid for by the firm. We change practice areas every six months over the two year contract. My first six months I worked in derivatives, a financial product whereby people trade risk on future events (e.g., if you're a baker and buy wheat to bake bread, you might agree the price at which you'll buy wheat in advance, and that contract is a derivative). The last six months I have worked in corporate lending and real estate finance, which is where companies borrow large (or small!) amounts of money to do various things, including purchase property. Next, I'll be on secondment to Bank of America, working in investment grade debt.
What inspired you to apply to this law firm?
I was interested in the global reach (I speak Russian and we have offices in Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan), and the strong emphasis on banking (i.e., the guaranteed seat in banking). In practice, three of my four seats have now been in banking, and almost every matter I work on involves a Dentons team in another office, so the firm has definitely met my expectations on that front!
What does a typical work day look like?
I tend to start quite early so that when other people start, I've already got my outstanding work on their desks, which takes the pressure off a little bit. I might have 1-2 hours of calls or meetings a day, and a few hours of training a week (e.g., a talk from an associate), but otherwise I'll be at my desk. My supervisor and I speak at least daily over the phone, and there's always a good cohort in office, which creates a nice environment.
What are your working hours like?
In derivatives, where my tasks were more advisory than deals-focused, they tended to be steadier and more predictable, whereas in corporate lending my hours are entirely dictated by the deal flow. If a deal is on, it's grind time, and you can't be afraid to put in a late one (although thankfully I've never done a true all nighter!). It's a great feeling to work with the team to get a deal through to a tight deadline.
What is the single most important thing you have learned so far as a trainee?
To get involved. A wide range of work comes across the desk, and if you are proactive, you can ensure you get a wide range of training as a result. Know what the rest of the team is doing, not just your own work, and when a matter you're very interested in comes along, be the first to volunteer for it. This will give you the best experience as a trainee.
What are your top tips for someone applying to this law firm?
Know what makes this firm different to all the others. While you may be applying for every firm with a vacancy, the partners are at the top of their game and will have had their pick of where they ended up, and they chose Dentons for a reason. Figure out what those reasons are (not just that it's a large firm with famous clients!), and figure out whether those same reasons are a draw for you too. You can't be expected to know the culture inside out, because you've not been there, nor is reciting the number of offices a particularly useful piece of knowledge, but if you can flag some deals the firm worked on that appealed, or an expansion into a market that was of interest to you, you can start seeing the uniqueness of Dentons, and how that appeals to you. Then practice your answers to obvious interview questions, and practice them again and again and again.
What's the best piece of work you've been involved in?
I worked on a £3bn revolving credit facility, which was pretty cool as that really is an enormous number. But the best piece of work was also one of the smallest: a £60m refinancing for general purposes. What made it so fun was the deadline was extremely tight (just two weeks), which meant the four of us on the deal had to put a real shift in, and the learning experience of working with the team all guns blazing, with nothing else to distract, was simply unrivalled.
What makes this law firm a great place to work?
People take the time to help you learn. It is genuinely amazing that even when deals are full throttle, senior lawyers will still take the time to pause and explain a concept or task to me if I ask. It's a genuine learning experience, and each day the team gives me the opportunity to better than I was yesterday.
What are the most important qualities you need to be a lawyer?
It sounds obvious but attention to detail is absolutely vital. Law is a people business and we're trying to gain our client's trust that we are the best at what we do and that's why they should come to us, so it doesn't matter how brilliant a lawyer you are, if you then spell your own name wrong in an email, no one will take you seriously. After that, a willingness to work hard and learn, with a positive attitude, will get you a very long well. Your supervisors will always want to help get the best out of you, and will take the time to help you get good at the job, and who doesn't like to teach someone that's obviously keen? So don't be afraid to ask questions, otherwise you'll never learn – just make sure to note the answers so you don't ask twice!
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