2023

Can you tell us about a recent commercial issue you have been following – why have you found it interesting? (2000 characters/300 words)

The recent developments in the UK’s ESG legislative and regulatory framework expose companies to risks that require legal and business solutions.

I am interested in how legal frameworks can be employed to mitigate the impact businesses have on wider society. These obligations intend to hold companies accountable and require them to regulate their adverse impact on human rights and the environment, representing a paradigm shift in ESG governance.                                                         

For the first time, ESG reporting is no longer a choice and businesses from every sector are being required to address these concerns urgently. The Companies Regulations 2022 require companies to make climate- related financial disclosures for public and large private companies. This is crucial because the evaluation of ESG parameters threatens to shift the way in which businesses traditionally function.

The increase in reporting obligations will not only require companies to integrate ESG into business decision-making but will also require them to ensure that their claims do not raise greenwashing concerns. Thus, businesses will have to adopt a robust ESG strategy and be able to measure and validate their claims.

Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) is well-positioned to respond to these developments. First, their multidisciplinary teams combined with their transatlantic outlook enable them to pre-empt and provide in-depth insights to prepare clients to navigate these uncharted challenges. 

Second, WBD is ensuring that they are at the forefront of ESG issues. This is evidenced by the fact that they have acted for a diverse range of clients across sectors, from advising banks on issuing green loans to assisting energy companies on disputes arising from carbon saving schemes. Thus, they offer unparalleled expertise and have the resources to monitor and address ESG risks across sectors. 

2022

Considering the location in which you wish to train; tell us about a local project or development that has interested you.  Explain why it is of interest and how, as a business, we could provide support.

At Womble Bond Dickinson, I am keen to train at the Southampton office. The office is renowned for being a strong ambassador for the city and specialises in the retail and financial services sectors. As a transatlantic firm, there is a corresponding need for its offices to be committed and contribute to the communities in which it operates. The firm is dedicated to maintaining an awareness and understanding of the people within the Southampton community, which is parallel with its core values of being devoted to the client and having respect for the individual. To fulfil these commitments and values, the firm is involved with a number of local projects and developments that make a difference. Notably, in Southampton, Womble Bond Dickinson are partnered with Solent Mind.

A local development in Southampton that has interested me is the multi-million-pound re-development of the Leisure World complex. The Leisure World was once home to the Odeon cinema and Oceana nightclub. However, the green light has now been given by Southampton City Council for 650 new homes, two 150 room hotels, a casino, and a cinema to be built. It is currently unclear whether Odeon will relocate elsewhere in the city but appear to be in negotiations with the developers.

My interest in this development is two-fold. On one hand, from a personal perspective, as a citizen of Southampton for the past 20 years, the Leisure World complex has had a major impact on my youth. However, the complex has suffered the devastating effects of the pandemic and this development would provide both a crucial and vital boost to the community and the economy. Further, such developments are also important because they draw in tourists and create jobs, both in the construction phase and after completion. When attending the Legal Cheek Law Fair in December 2021, I was able to resonate with Carol Daley who emphasised how a large number of people at Womble Bond Dickinson had grown up in the local area and were also passionate about getting involved in local initiatives and projects. On the other hand, from a prospective trainee solicitor perspective, it would be exciting to be involved in a development which is both intellectually challenging and allows me to have a positive impact on society. For instance, as a volunteer at Citizens Advice, I am intellectually challenged when researching and gathering information relating to each client's issues, as well as having a positive impact on society by helping people find a way forward with their issues and making a real difference to their lives, which in turn, positively impacts on the community. Further, being part of these types of developments would enable me to put into practice key skills which I have developed. Being commercially aware is vital, particularly when dealing with these types of developments, in order to understand the commercial environment in which the clients and businesses are operating. I have enhanced my commercial awareness as a Research Assistant at Future City Lawyers when creating interactive case studies to help other students enhance their own legal commercial awareness. Similarly, as the co-editor of the [Law-related Society] newsletter, I regularly produce articles relating to current commercial issues and how businesses and sectors are affected by them. Further, a lengthy and complex development such as this one will require liaising with several colleagues in different departments. Through negotiation and client interviewing competitions, I have strengthened my interpersonal skills. Most notably, both competitions required me to adapt my communication styles in order to gather and probe for important information, whilst also working effectively with my partner.

There are key reasons why, as a business, Womble Bond Dickinson would be a great fit to provide support to this local development. In particular, this development would draw on the strengths of the Southampton office, particularly the retail and financial services sectors. The retail team are well experienced to tackle this development because the Southampton team’s experience in this field could be useful, for instance, for any developing retailer in the new complex. Notably, partners such as Alistair Walton, have 15 years experience and have dealt with major retail clients including B&Q, Decathlon and New Look. I enjoyed reading about Alistair’s experiences further, in an article by Legal Cheek, where he discussed his life as a lawyer advising on the online retail revolution. Further, the financial services team are also well suited because the Southampton Team could be useful regarding any complexities relating to the financing of the project or the real estate in relation to the selling of the new homes. Impressively, the Southampton team is led by partner Graham Jefferies who has experience acting for a number of banks and lenders who required advice on complex structured arrangements including sales and leases.

2022

Which of our current clients would you be most excited to work with and why? How could you add value to the relationship as a Trainee Solicitor?

I would be interested in working with RES, the world's largest independent renewable energy company, as renewable energy is a growing industry with an exciting future. RES operates on both centralised and distributed energy solutions, working on an integrated basis to provide energy responsibly whilst also remaining a pioneer within the sector. As a company that is striving to grow its business and research and develop sustainable technology simultaneously, RES is a great match for Womble Bond Dickinson's core values of Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship.

As an ambitious self-starter I am motivated by the idea of working towards the completion of ambitious projects or working on complex problems. My role as Media and Publicity Convenor of the [redacted] University Law Society involves keeping up with membership numbers and organising events such as the second-hand book sale and the law ball for over 500 people. I must also practice effective teamwork skills, working with my fellow committee members to allocate roles according to each person's strengths and specialities. The society hosts on average one event each fortnight during the university semester, and so my role on the committee has allowed me to balance working towards project deadlines whilst keeping on top of my academic deadlines as part of my LLB. I believe I would effectively employ these skills when working within Womble Bond Dickinson's energy and natural resources and power and renewables team. Both of these teams are driven by people with diverse expertise, notably Chris Towner who has experience advising the Department of Energy and Climate Change. I would relish the opportunity to be part of and learn from teams such as this.

In the fight against climate change, it is becoming clear that renewable industry is the future of energy and so it is necessary to build particularly robust, lasting relationships with such clients. I have developed a number of interpersonal and communicative skills as part of my customer facing hospitality role at Bread Meats Bread [redacted city]. I enjoy meeting customers of different nationalities and professions and I especially take pleasure in making time to ensure that their experience at the restaurant is positive and welcoming. This requires that I am detail-orientated with regard to food preferences and dietary requirements and that their needs are met within a reasonable time period. I thrive on building a rapport with customers in the short space of time I spend with them. I would take the opportunities during a traineeship with Womble Bond Dickinson to add to this skill set whilst building relationships with interesting clients such as RES in a similar manner. As RES is one of Womble Bond Dickinson's long standing clients, it would be particularly rewarding to build on this lasting relationship as well as working on complex transactions similar to that of the sale of Craiggore Wind Farm.

Furthermore, my workplace is often fast-paced and unpredictable, and so I have become adaptable to the changing working environment. It is necessary that my colleagues and I work as a team to effectively manage difficult situations. I believe that the adaptability that I have developed would be of great use to the relationship between Womble Bond Dickinson and RES. For example, as a response to the current climate emergency, RES has outlined their four sustainability principles of Business, Reputation, Environment and Social, so that they can maximise the environmental benefit of each of their projects whilst promoting the continued growth of the company and maintaining their excellent short-term performance. Such initiatives require expert, tailored advice which will necessarily have to adapt to the ever-evolving commercial and global situation. I believe I possess the resilience and motivation necessary to pursue a career in such a fast-paced, intellectually demanding environment.

I also have a great interest in business and innovation and I believe working as a trainee solicitor with Womble Bond Dickinson would give me the opportunity to work closely with exciting businesses such as RES to provide advice beyond the law. There has never been a time where close cooperation between energy companies and law firms has been so greatly required, and so the opportunity to carry out a secondment with a client such as RES interests me greatly. Additionally, as a transatlantic firm that regularly works on multijurisdictional transactions, Womble Bond Dickinson would be an excellent firm to train in with a distinctively wide range of opportunities. During my Erasmus+ language year abroad in Strasbourg, France, I studied courses such as Environmental Law from the perspective of the French jurisdiction. I therefore have knowledge of the legal implications of environmental issues with regard to multiple legal systems and so I believe I am well placed to advise a globally operating client such as RES. Furthermore, my language skills would allow me to strengthen relationships with international clients as I am able to communicate effectively in both English and French.

2022

Please outline why you have chosen a career in commercial law. Include what attributes you believe make a successful commercial lawyer and how you will, or have, gained these behaviours (include work experience, employment and any other activities / interests you feel are relevant).

I am committed to a career in commercial law as I want to work closely with clients to help them reach their business objectives. I am fascinated by the way in which businesses are driven and how different factors influence business strategy. It excites me that working in commercial law requires a proactive approach such as anticipating a client's potential problems before they arise. I find it thrilling that there is a constant drive to gain a competitive advantage in the volatile business environment. Therefore, in my experience as a [part-time worker at a supermarket], I have always taken an active interest in following the business’ objectives and strategy. A recent example is how our business has radically changed our strategy to anticipate the growing popularity of discount supermarkets such as Lidl and Aldi, and how we plan to adapt to a changing market where customers are buying less but shopping more often.

In addition to this, I am also currently an active member of the Junior Lawyers Division, the Law society at my university and the North of England Medico-Legal society. I have attended several lectures and networking events and plan on attending more networking events that these organisations hold in the future. I hope that involvement with these organisations will support my transition from my degree into a training contract, where I can continue to network.

Teamwork is a fundamental skill for a commercial solicitor, as a solicitor will often be working with a team. In order to put the client's objectives first, a commercial solicitor must be able to collaborate effectively and efficiently to achieve the best possible outcome for the client. It is important that a commercial solicitor can cooperate and compromise to prioritise the needs of a client. I can demonstrate strong teamwork skills, for example during the Street Law project I worked closely with other students to work to a strict deadline. We collated our different strengths and ensured regular communication to maximise our efficiency as a team. Although we were all at different stages of our degree and had many competing priorities, we managed to find a system of work that fit in with each schedule. I would be excited to make a positive contribution to Bond Dickinson and eventually become a valued team member, working to the high standard that Bond Dickinson maintains.

Interpersonal skills are imperative for commercial solicitors. They need to demonstrate effective communication with clients to create positive relationships and build trust. Clients will need to be confident that the firm is working to the clients objectives, which solicitors must communicate at all times. This skill also combines with working effectively as a team; a commercial solicitor will need to use their interpersonal skills in communicating with colleagues to provide the best quality work. My interpersonal and communication skills have been developed in my work at [a supermarket] where I always aim to provide a special service that enhances the customer shopping experience. This includes building relationships with customers by providing a warm welcome and offering tailored product advice and recommendations. I will always try to resolve any issues or complaints from a customer with the utmost sympathy and respect to ensure that strong relationships with our customers are maintained.

Commercial awareness is an essential skill for a commercial solicitor as they need a genuine understanding and interest in how businesses function. This will include understanding how national and international events may affect their clients business, and anticipating how other businesses’ actions and motives could also have an effect. Therefore, if a solicitor has commercial awareness they can be proactive in their work and advice by anticipating the possible influences on a clients business. I am constantly maintaining my commercial awareness skills by keeping up to date with the general, business and legal news, and by taking an interest in [my supermarket] as a business and how it plans to operate and adapt its strategy in the near future.

Commercial solicitors will be required to help draft letters and legal documents. Therefore, attention to detail is a fundamental skill for solicitors. Clients will expect flawless documents as minor grammar or spelling mistakes could damage a clients impression of a firm. I have developed attention to detail during my degree, ensuring that my work is kept to a high standard.

Commercial solicitors must always act with honesty and integrity to uphold the high moral code to which all solicitors must abide by. Clients need to be confident that their legal adviser abides by the law and acts in their clients best interests whilst maintaining high ethical standards. I uphold the principles of honesty and integrity at all times. I maintain this in all aspects of my life, I aim to be as open and honest with everyone as possible.

Given my increasing development of the requisite skills, my strong work ethic and commitment to commercial law, I believe that I would be a good fit with Bond Dickinson as a trainee solicitor.

2022

Considering the location in which you wish to train; tell us about a local project or development that has interested you. Explain why it is of interest and how, as a business, we could provide support. (5000 characters)

My interest has been piqued by Macquarie's GIG plan to launch an offshore wind business. A London-based subsidiary of the world's largest infrastructure bank has set its sights on offshore wind power by seeking institutional investment. The bank is setting up a company that will look for new development projects worldwide. It will join the Green Investment Group to invest in renewable assets, such as wind farms. As of now, GIG has 50 billion euros, enough to power about 14.7 million homes. The business hopes to attract long-term investors such as pension funds to finance new projects, as well as involving existing wind farm developers in the construction. In addition, Macquire said GIG would continue to deliver other renewable projects, such as solar and onshore wind throughout Europe.

The two reasons for my interest are as follows. First, I am interested in the field of real estate and commercial property in general, as well as the roles lawyers play in these fields. The variety of work undertaken by lawyers in the practice area appeals to me - from advising on construction to advising on acquisition, sale, transfer, and financing of tangible assets such as buildings and land. During my vacation scheme at *****, I gained valuable insight into the practice area, as well as performed a few tasks myself which has furthered my interest. This included conducting research that was later added to one of the Partners’ report on the matter and reviewing documents of several cases. Secondly, I am drawn to projects that help combat climate change, such as The London Array, one of the world's largest offshore wind farms in which Womble Bond Dickinson advised on. Offshore wind is the electricity source of the future, making it an estimation of 80% of the world’s energy potential being provided by offshore wind power. In my future career, therefore, I hope to advise on projects such as these, making a genuine impact.

Being one of the leading energy law firms operating in the energy sector on a local, national and international scale, Womble Bond Dickinson can provide support on various matters related to this project. Among the documents that would be produced are project documents (energy and operations, property, planning, and construction), project finance documents, shareholder finance documents, and associated legal opinion and due diligence reports. Specifics may include secure on shore planning permission, secure a works licence from Port of London Authority, and give offshore transmission related advice.

Due to the rapid developments in this field, clients will likely face a variety of challenges that the firm could guide them through. This includes potential effects of offshore wind farms on protected habitats and birds with the rotating blades of the turbines. Additionally, there are complexities that arose with the floating turbine development. By expanding this technology, new areas will be able to generate power, but with that will come the challenge of managing increasingly long transmission distances. When electricity is sent over long distances, it will suffer losses due to the fact that it cannot be packaged and transported readily from the site of extraction to the point of use. This problem is still being addressed through technological developments. Among the available options are HVDC transmission, an emerging technology, but one option that can deliver net zero energy and may require regulatory change is developing integrated offshore energy opportunities. As part of their ongoing work to evaluate and assess opportunities and barriers to UKCS energy integration3, the UK Oil and Gas Authority, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Crown Estate and Ofgem are already working together. A number of options are being assessed with potential for development before 2030, such as the electrification of existing oil and gas production, carbon capture and storage, and production of blue hydrogen. The goal is to achieve green hydrogen production in the 2030s, and to integrate this into large-scale offshore energy hubs with other technologies. There needs to be more work done to prepare the regulatory regime for these integrated developments, as it is not currently designed or equipped to do so.

This is a challenging yet exciting area in which the firm will navigate to assist its clients. In regards to some of the challenges that arise with offshore wind farms, for example, it would guide clients by ensuring the necessary assessments are being taken to ensure negative impacts are minimised and projects are aligned with the law. Overall, developing commercial awareness, through a logical, yet adaptable approach can help solve complex issues in a rapidly evolving area.

2021

Womble Bond Dickinson has been recognised as an innovator within the legal profession. Tell us about a business or person you feel has been particularly innovative; why do you find them innovative and are there any lessons that we can learn from them? (2000 characters)

As a transatlantic firm, there is a need for Womble Bond Dickinson to innovate in order to provide their clients with the best service. Therefore, within Womble Bond Dickson there has been an ongoing emphasis on innovation in key areas, such as: technology, biotech, life sciences and healthcare. 

Recently, a business that I feel has been particularly innovative is Luminance. Luminance is an artificial intelligence platform for the legal profession. I came into contact with the commercial director, Frederica Kitchen and senior product specialist, Poppy Coy at a recent webinar. This webinar concerned how artificial intelligence is changing the legal profession. Artificial intelligence and innovation in general are rapidly increasing and a law firms’ willingness to embrace this development will determine its ability to compete within the industry. Innovation and technology in particular are vital to improve communication, video conferencing and collaborations on documents and data.  

I found Luminance innovative because, although many law firms can be slow to embrace innovation, Luminance technology can be easily adopted to the traditional aspects of law firms. Before, where teams of trainees would manually trawl through lots of paper documents to find specific pieces of information, Luminance have simply modernised this procedure so that it can be performed in a more efficient way. Likewise, this artificial intelligence innovation makes communication and teamwork between solicitors more efficient because the rapid and automatic reviewing of documents allows for important pieces of information to be prioritised and thoroughly discussed, wherever they are. 

A lesson that we can learn from Luminance is the ability to deliver and adapt technology to traditional modes of law firms. As a result, the trainee solicitor role is developing for the better, allowing them to take on richer products and more interesting tasks as less time is wasted on manually reviewing documents.