Meet Kristupas, a Trainee at K&L Gates

Tell us a bit about your background: what was your university background, when did you join the firm?

My name is Kristupas Katilius and I'm a third-seat trainee at K&L Gates. I'm originally from Lithuania and completed my A-levels, my undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the UK. After completing the firm's summer vacation scheme in 2023, I secured a training contract starting in 2025. I'm currently in the Asset Management and Investment Funds department, having completed seats in Real Estate and then Commercial Contracts, which is part of the Corporate Department.

Why did you choose K&L Gates?

K&L Gates stood out to me right from the application process. It combines the international reach of a US law firm with a strong UK culture. It offers a broad range of work, interesting clients, plenty of training opportunities and competitive remuneration. The hours can be demanding, but the firm and its partners take wellbeing seriously and respect life outside work.

The firm is collaborative and partners are accessible. Trainees share an office with the partners and senior associates who supervise them, so working directly with senior colleagues is part of everyday life. The small trainee intake also means there is room for individual feedback and varied responsibilities, without having to compete with other trainees for work. I’m also excited by the firm’s growing focus on AI and the opportunity to help shape how we use it in our day-to-day work.

What is the most interesting piece of work you have been involved to date?

As a trainee, you learn so much when you get the chance to work on a matter from start to finish, and there’s real satisfaction in seeing your work through. I’ve been lucky to have several such opportunities in my Commercial Contracts and Real Estate seats.

A highlight from my Real Estate seat was assisting with the sale of a commercial building in London. This involved project management, preparing replies to enquiries, helping prepare the matter for completion and finding practical solutions to issues involving insurance and project plans. It also gave me the chance to work closely with colleagues in other departments in the London office.

Another highlight from my Commercial Contracts seat was working on an innovative software portal access platform. The work involved drafting a bespoke portal terms agreement to be used as a basis for cross-jurisdictional contractual arrangements. I helped the solicitor responsible for the matter draft the agreement to reflect the client’s commercial priorities. What made this particularly interesting was exploring how the software worked and how the agreement needed to reflect that. It was a type of agreement I hadn’t drafted before, and following the matter from start to finish gave me the chance to put my research into practice and contribute to discussions with the client and experts.

What are your top 3 tips for someone wanting to go into the law field?

1. 1Genuine curiosity: In my experience, this is the piece of advice I have heard most often from partners and senior solicitors. Doing good work for the team is a priority, but being a trainee also means making the most of the chance to learn, explore different areas of law and work out what suits you best. You have the privilege of working alongside and learning from experts with deep legal knowledge and years of commercial experience. I think that takes some humility too. You need to be comfortable admitting when you don't know something and willing to ask questions. Taking a genuine interest in what others do, rather than feeling you always need to prove what you know, gives you more room to learn.
2. Dedication and consistency: People with many different backgrounds enter the legal profession, bringing different skills, personalities and working styles. Across all these differences, attention to detail, consistency and dedication to your work provide a common foundation. These qualities matter whichever area of law you work in. Developing your ability to read critically and understand complex material, alongside habits such as checking your work and meeting deadlines, will help you build on your own strengths.
3. Resilience and open-mindedness: I’ve found it helpful to keep an open mind about where my legal career might take me, particularly during my training contract. Being willing to try unfamiliar work, rather than ruling out areas of law based on preconceived ideas, helps you discover what you enjoy and where your strengths lie. That also means accepting that you won’t get everything right straight away. Being receptive to feedback and learning from mistakes helps you build the confidence to take on new challenges.

What does a typical work day look like?

My day-to-day work varies, but my experience so far has been in transactional or transaction-related teams. I start at around 09:00, check my emails and the department tracker, and speak to my supervisor about the day's priorities. Throughout the day, I keep on top of updates on matters, follow up with third parties and draft emails to clients or send instructions. The work varies depending on the department and can include drafting documents, forms, advice letters and reports, reviewing due diligence documents, preparing filings, coordinating external counsel and developing AI workflows. I grab lunch at about 12:30, usually in the office canteen. Department meetings, training sessions and office-wide events take place throughout the day. Afternoons usually involve working on tasks across different matters, with a break for something sweet from the canteen.

What is the single most important thing you have learned so far as a trainee?

The most important thing I've learnt is to make the most of the opportunities offered. The firm is there to support your training and professional development, and you have to play an active part in that. The training contract is as much about learning and developing your legal skills as it is about proving your capabilities. With training sessions, client panels and networking events on offer, a lot starts with showing up and getting involved.