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Pinsent Masons senior associate Meghan Higgins on the importance of pro bono and the skills it teaches junior lawyers

In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and following years of increased need for accessible legal services around the world, Pinsent Masons launched a regenerated pro bono programme in May of last year, providing free legal advice to organisations and individuals who could not otherwise access it. Meghan Higgins is a senior associate in the firm’s tech disputes practice — since July, she has been on secondment to their pro bono team, investing in pro bono partnerships and identifying projects for the firm to support.

“At Pinsent Masons we have a well-established community investment programme that many of our employees are involved in,” Higgins tells me. “We have long-standing relationships with partner schools and support a variety of other community initiatives. However, historically, pro bono hasn’t been a key part of our global strategy.” She goes on: “Our pro bono work in the past has been driven by individual lawyers on a more ad hoc basis. We are now investing in structuring our pro bono programme so we can get involved with larger projects around the world and get more of our employees involved.”

As well as a more strategic approach to pro bono work, Pinsent Masons’ new and improved pro bono programme encourages lawyers and other business professional to give 25 hours of their time each year to the firm’s pro bono causes. “It’s a really exciting time to get involved and support the programme,” Higgins enthuses. “Because I’ve always had such positive experiences with pro bono and we are learning about so many worthwhile initiatives around the world, there are a lot of ideas across the business for projects we could support,” she adds.

Applications for Pinsent Masons’ 2025 opportunities are OPEN NOW

Higgins’ career began across the pond in California, where she qualified as a lawyer, working at a multinational commercial law firm as well as for the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. “Pro bono is a larger part of life as a lawyer in the US,” she explains. “Because there is no legal aid funding outside of the criminal justice system, there is an expectation that lawyers will spend a portion of their time pro bono.”

This work made a significant impression on Higgins early in her career:

“I did my first pro bono case as a first-year associate,” she says. “I applied for asylum on behalf of a political activist who had come to the US from Togo, putting together documents, drafting statements and preparing my client for interview. My client was granted asylum and could bring his family to the US and find employment. I kept in touch with him while I was living in San Francisco. It was amazing to see how access to legal advice brought about this change in his circumstances.”

Higgins is keen to get other lawyers involved in experiences like this. “Most lawyers who have been involved with pro bono work will say that they have found it really rewarding,” she says, adding, “It’s very empowering learning how your legal knowledge and skills can be used to help others. Being a lawyer is a very powerful thing.”

APPLY NOW: Pro bono, career development and making a difference — with Pinsent Masons on 13 November

“Junior lawyers in particular love working on pro bono matters,” says Higgins, “it’s an opportunity for them to take on more responsibility early in their careers and build their skills.” One such skill is interviewing clients and asking questions about their legal issues. Higgins recalls, “I was with a group of trainees at a legal advice clinic recently where we had members of the public speaking to us about disputes with their family or their employment issues.” For disputes lawyers like Higgins, learning to interview clients and ask difficult questions is a crucial skill. “One of the most interesting aspects of litigation is fact finding, trying to get to the bottom of what really happened. Pro bono is a great vehicle to develop this skill,” she says.

Learning to be a good listener is a skill which is occasionally overlooked in the legal profession, Higgins tells me. She reflects on a piece of advice she received from a mentor while she was preparing to take her first deposition: “Not everyone will tell a story in the same way that you would. The same events can impact people differently, so you need to listen and ask questions, rather than jump to your own conclusions about what happened.” This may not come naturally to some lawyers, she acknowledges: “Part of being a lawyer is projecting confidence to your client, because they are relying on you and your advice. It can be difficult to explain to a client that there may not be a clear answer to their question or issue.. However, especially in litigation, you never have all the answers. Listen, have an open mind and put yourself in the shoes of the person you’re speaking with.”

Applications for Pinsent Masons’ 2025 opportunities are OPEN NOW

In addition to its developing work with legal clinics, Pinsent’s provides pro bono support to several climate-focused research projects and supports a range of charities and non-profits with specific project-related needs or with day-to-day legal advice. “We try to align our pro bono work with our broader objectives as a responsible business, which include inspiring young lives and supporting sustainability and fighting climate change,” Higgins says. “However, we also want our employees to support causes that matter to them so we are keen to support other pro bono projects as well.”

A particular pro bono highlight for Higgins at Pinsents has been advising a rewilding charity in a potentially contentious issue with one of its suppliers. Describing this matter, she tells me, “Working closely with and getting to know the client’s team was really inspiring. . They are doing so much good in improving biodiversity and fighting climate change. We learned a lot about rewilding initiatives in the year that we worked with them and have continued to support them with other legal needs.” Higgins cites this matter as an example of excellent trainee involvement, “We ended up going through an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process. One of our trainees was very enthusiastic and managed the correspondence with the opposing counsel and submissions to the mediator. She still talks about how valuable this exposure and responsibility was.”

Another initiative Pinsent Masons has been heavily involved with is Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), an organisation providing free legal advice and representation to undocumented children and young people in the UK. “This initiative gets glowing reviews from trainees,” Higgins tells me. “By getting involved with KIND you are making a direct impact on somebody’s life. We also work on this initiative in teams which we staff from across the office so it is a fantastic way to meet other lawyers at Pinsent Masons,” she adds.

APPLY NOW: Pro bono, career development and making a difference — with Pinsent Masons on 13 November

Pro bono projects give trainees the opportunity to strengthen their network within the firm, Higgins explains, “As a trainee it’s important that people know who you are. A great way to build your profile in the firm is to support pro bono matters.” This comes along with the chance to get exposure to a variety of work outside of their current seat. “Pro bono is a great way for trainees to work out what kind of work they want to do and what teams they might like to sit in,” says Higgins.

“Our trainees have been fantastic pro bono supporters. They have just launched a pro bono network, sharing information and resources,” Higgins tells me. She continues, “they recognise the increasing need for pro bono advice and are concerned about issues with the environment and the economy.” This need is palpable across the legal industry.

As we wrap up our conversation, Higgins tells me, “I don’t know any lawyers who would suggest that pro bono work is a satisfactory answer to the systemic need for greater access to legal advice and support; it’s definitely a stop-gap measure. However, as qualified lawyers, we can use our skills to help individuals in need and become better lawyers in the process. I am looking forward to helping more lawyers at Pinsent Masons find causes they want to support and get involved with pro bono work.”

Meghan Higgins will be speaking at ‘Pro bono, career development and making a difference — with Pinsent Masons’, a virtual student event taking place on 13 November. Apply now to attend.

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Fred Banning, a heavyweight of the corporate communications world, has passed away following a lengthy battle with illness.

Banning studied history at the University of Reading before joining legal PR agency Kysen in 2005. He went on to spend two years at Lovells, now Hogan Lovells, before joining Scottish outfit McGrigors as communications manager in 2010. He then moved across to Pinsent Masons following a merger between the two firms in 2012.

Banning was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in February 2020, and sadly died on Friday, aged 40.

The father of two launched a campaign calling on the government to prioritise palliative care patients during the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out in the UK, in a move that received the backing from over a dozen charities including Cancer Support Scotland, Marie Curie and the Beatson Cancer Charity.

Banning also launched Fifth Day, an initiative seeking to promote pro bono opportunities for business operations professionals in the legal sector. Legal Cheek reported last year that a host of top law firms had signed up to the project.

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Over 2,000 students attended The Legal Cheek and The University of Law (ULaw)’s Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair 2023, which took place over three days this week and featured 40 law firms and chambers.

The Scheme offered participants the opportunity to explore different practice areas including corporate, litigation, employment, technology and intellectual property (IP), as well as meet with lawyers and graduate recruitment teams during a Law Fair. Here’s our day-by-day account of the Scheme, which featured a series of short talks and Q&As, with case studies set by ULaw.

Day 1

Session 1: Life as a disputes lawyer

The speakers

• Emily Betts, barrister at Gatehouse Chambers
• Megan Smith, associate at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
• Karen Watts, programme and student lead at ULaw and former Kennedys and Fieldfisher commercial dispute resolution solicitor

What students learnt:

The first two sessions of the Scheme explored the two different types of legal work lawyers do: deals and disputes. This first session focused on disputes and featured a barrister, solicitor and former solicitor turned ULaw professor, all of whom specialise (or have specialised) in disputes work.

BCLP associate Megan Smith explained during her talk what drew her most to disputes work is her love for story-telling — working through a narrative to provide a positive outcome for her clients. This was echoed by Gatehouse barrister Emily Betts and ULaw professor Karen Watts, who appeared on the panel alongside Smith.

This session was followed by a case study: the audience was asked to advise a high-profile client on a breach of contract claim and consider whether he should pursue litigation in the courts. The panel outlined some of the risks, saying that doing so would be costly and time-consuming.

Session 2: Transactional work: an introduction

The speakers

• Meghal Mehta, associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher
• Harry Buchanan, trainee solicitor at Willkie Farr & Gallagher

What students learnt:

In session two attention turned to deals and we heard from two Willkie Farr lawyers in the firm’s London office: Meghal Mehta, associate, and Harry Buchanan, a fourth seat trainee.

The duo went through the role lawyers play in a typical corporate transaction, highlighting the key steps including drafting heads of agreement (a non-binding document outlining the main issues relevant to the deal), undertaking due diligence on the acquisition and preparing the transaction documents for signing.

Mehta went on to explain that a deal normally takes around several months to complete, although they found this timeline was somewhat squeezed during the height of the pandemic due to a flurry of deal activity amid market uncertainty.

During the Q&A the pair reflected on the reasons for training and working at a US law firm in London as well as some of the key differences between Willkie and its market competitors.

Session 3: Employability Expo

Rounding off day one of the Scheme was an Expo run by members of ULaw’s employability team. The team delivered four presentations, and here’s what they discussed:

Firm research and applications

• Beth Thorman, senior student recruitment manager at ULaw

ULaw senior student recruitment manager Beth Thorman explained that the correct approach to research a firm should include considerations like practice areas, size, secondment opportunities and core values. She then provided practical tips for making good applications which include, among others, proof-reading and tailoring an application to a firm.

Interviews

• Katherine Meehan, careers manager at ULaw
• Elizabeth Gulati, careers consultant at ULaw

ULaw careers experts Katherine Meehan and Elizabeth Gulati shared their advice on how to impress at telephone, video and face-to-face interviews. They discussed the differences between them, how to prepare and how best to answer the different types of questions commonly asked.

Should I do the LPC or SQE?

• Nick Johnson, senior tutor at ULaw Nottingham

ULaw senior tutor Nick Johnson discussed routes to solicitor practice with a focus on whether students should think about the LPC or SQE. He emphasised that the LPC route is only applicable for students who started their LLB (or conversion course) from September 2021 or earlier. He then went into further detail, explaining how these two pathways are organised at ULaw.

Social media skills

• John McKeown, careers consultant at ULaw
• Linsey O’Donnell, careers consultant at ULaw

ULaw careers consultants John McKeown and Linsey O’Donnell gave students an insight into how best to use social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, how to add value to your networks by showcasing your achievements and some common mistakes to avoid such as incorrect privacy settings!

Day 2

Session 4: Climate change

The speakers

• Catríona Campbell, associate at Clyde & Co
• William Ferris, trainee solicitor at Clyde & Co

What students learnt:

To discuss the impact of climate change on their legal work, students heard from Clyde & Co’s Catríona Campbell and William Ferris.

Ferris outlined typical trainee tasks in this area, such as considering the impact of new climate-related regulation or assessing the impact of climate change litigation. Campbell agreed that the breadth of climate change work you can experience as a trainee sets you up well for life as a qualified lawyer. She went on to explain that given the novel issues arising from climate change in recent years, the amount of litigation in this area is likely to continue to increase.

Campbell and Ferris have also built their climate change practice through Clyde & Co’s Climate Change Group, a trainee-led pro bono initiative, through which Ferris attended COP27 while representing an international charity.

To conclude, the speakers addressed the day’s case study exercise, set by ULaw, which posed whether law firms should act for large oil and gas companies.

Session 5: Law Fair

Halfway through the Scheme students took part in a virtual Law Fair in which they met with lawyers and graduate recruitment teams from 40 law firms, including the Magic Circle, US and international law firms.

Day 3

Session 6: Employment law

The speakers

• Lauren Bholé, senior associate at Shoosmiths

What students learnt:

Shoosmiths senior associate Lauren Bholé discussed what it’s like being an employment lawyer at a national law firm. She talked about her career journey, including how being a paralegal helped her to secure a training contract, why she chose to become a solicitor rather than a barrister and why she enjoys working in employment law.

She told attendees what a day in the life of an employment lawyer looks like, and how the work varies from drafting documents to being able to do her own advocacy in the employment tribunal. She spoke about how, as well as working on cases, she also gets to be involved in business development, as well as writing articles, recording videos and hosting events for clients about the ever-changing world of employment law.

Session 7: Intellectual property

The speakers

• Cerys Wyn-Davies, partner at Pinsent Masons
• Bella Phillips, associate at Pinsent Masons
• Connie Scrimshaw, trainee solicitor at Pinsent Masons

What students learnt:

The session started with a 40-minute presentation from the team at Pinsent Masons. They opened by explaining what IP is and what lawyers do in this area of practice. Then they shared their own career journeys and what drew them to IP law. They talked about the popular new artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT and some of its strengths and weaknesses before moving on to explain the use and protection of AI — particularly in the life sciences and healthcare space.

Next, the trio covered the legal and commercial implications of these emerging tools and how the firm is advising clients in this developing area.

Finally, Connie Scrimshaw talked the attendees through what it’s like to be a trainee working in this exciting and fast-evolving area of law.

Session 8: Technology and the law

The speakers

• James Sharp, associate at Hogan Lovells
• Patrick Grant, tutor and director at ULaw Tech Research Academy (ULTRA)

What students learnt:

Hogan Lovells’ James Sharp gave a talk all about his role as an associate in the commercial technology team. He discussed his career journey, what his team do, key legal tech terminology, such as blockchain, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), crypto assets and artificial intelligence, talking about the regulation around this and how the UK’s approach differs to that of the EU.

After his presentation, he was joined by ULaw’s Patrick Grant for an audience Q&A to discuss their career journeys in more depth, talk about trends within legal tech and offer careers advice for attendees.

The session’s case study was focused on neural network-based tools and causes for concern relating to their use in the legal industry.

@legalcheek Check out what happened at The Legal Cheek Spring Virtual Vacation Scheme and Law Fair, run in partnership with @The University of Law, here! #lawyersoftiktok #vacationmode #vacationschemes #lawstudent #opportunity #legalopportunities ♬ Mother – Meghan Trainor

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As women around the world unite in celebration of International Women’s Day, Legal Cheek has sought out advice from top female partners at the helm of City law firms.

Whilst women outnumber men at law school, studies show these levels peter out the higher up the ranks they go.

So we asked those who have been through the process and gone on to enjoy high-flying legal careers what advice they would give to aspiring female lawyers who are looking to secure training contracts. Here’s what they had to say:

Georgia Dawson, senior partner at Freshfields

“I would encourage women seeking a career in law to be brave and seize opportunities as they present themselves. The profession has made progress with representation, but we know there is still much to do; a major part of that stems from younger generations driving the momentum. Be an ally and support each other. What’s helped me over the years were my family and mentors, both male and female, who gave me the confidence to take on new roles. Everyone faces challenges throughout their career. For me, moving to different countries seemed daunting but ultimately provided the chance to learn, develop and build relationships along the way. So if at first you don’t succeed — do keep trying — the setbacks only make you stronger and more informed for the next opportunity.”

Deborah Finkler, managing partner at Slaughter and May

“It’s almost impossible to know what it’s like to be a lawyer until you are one, so keep an open mind and try to get as much experience as possible across all sorts of things — it will all ultimately make you a better and more well-rounded lawyer.

“Remember that you get all sorts of opportunities at different points in your career, too. I didn’t train at Slaughter and May; that opportunity came along later, so if the first thing you try doesn’t work out, or if you didn’t initially get what you really want, keep trying!”

Rebecca Maslen-Stannage, chair and senior partner at Herbert Smith Freehills

“My big three tips are: 1. Be your real self and show your personality; 2. See your career as something you are driving, taking active control of it rather than seeing it as something beyond your control that just happens to you; 3. Don’t stress too much.

In an interview, it really is important to be yourself. We are not looking for someone who fits a cookie cutter, we value diverse perspectives. If you show your personality, authentic self and ideas in the interview, it’s much easier to establish rapport, put your best foot forward and secure that training contract!”

Penny Angell, UK managing partner at Hogan Lovells

“Confidence and authenticity are key in landing your dream role. Everyone going for these contracts will have great academic grades so be brave in sharing a bit more about who you are and the qualities that set you apart. Being ambitious is important but don’t overlook the importance of culture and enjoying the people you work with. Follow your heart and values when choosing a law firm, it could be your forever firm.”

Sally Davies, senior partner at Mayer Brown, London and a member of the firm’s global management committee

“As women lawyers it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking you have to be something you are not. Why do some practitioners think arrogance, a sense of entitlement and being generally condescending are essential qualities of being an effective lawyer? My advice is be yourself in any interview, as well as at work, have fun, show your personality, but don’t write anything in an email that you wouldn’t want to be read by a grandparent, or your old head teacher, and maintain your dignity. I think the best client relationships are built from personal relationships, trust and interesting personalities. Surround yourself with people who give you energy and who radiate warmth and empathy. I always say ‘stick near radiators not drains’!

We spend a large proportion of our lives at work, so live your work life as you would want to live your personal life. Find friends at work who will make you laugh, have your back, grow and develop with you, share your passion for excellence and make sure you reciprocate. Also — can everyone stop pretending they know everything? Most people make it up as they go along! Asking for help shows a high level of personal confidence that I really admire in people. Seek help from all quarters — keep your eyes and ears open. You might be out and about and see a waiter who appears to have a knack of engaging with everyone he or she meets. Be inquisitive, ask where they learnt to do that. Be open minded about people and opportunities. Don’t forget your business services team — the greatest most untapped source of wisdom, support, experience and creative ideas in the workplace. Don’t over analyse things and don’t reinvent the wheel. Be decisive. Take risks. Decisions are rarely terminal and risk-taking stretches and excites! Most importantly, focus on health not wealth.”

Laura Cameron, incoming global managing partner at Pinsent Masons

“Keeping an open mind and embracing new experiences helps you thrive in your career. While it can be daunting, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone regularly will broaden your horizons and enable you to hone your skills. Seek out the people you know have different views from you to avoid working in an echo chamber — it’s positive to be challenged.

When you face a disappointment allow yourself a little time to feel sorry for yourself — but only a little. Be prepared to dust yourself down, pick yourself back up and work out what you could have done better. We all face disappointment from time-to-time. Your reaction to failure or your response to a setback in your career, indeed in life in general, are critically important to your future success.”

Carolena Gordon, senior partner at Clyde & Co

“My advice to women who want a career in law is to show your passion and determination throughout the process. It’s obviously important to demonstrate academic achievement and an ability to learn but what law firms are often looking for, in all candidates, whatever the level, is the passion and determination that will be required to learn the skills you will need to excel with your clients and help your firm succeed. Law firms want people who know what they want and are committed to building a long-term career at their firm, so do your homework and think about what type of law you want to practise, and what type of firm you want to work at. And don’t forget to try things so you learn what you like and what you are good at.

Building a career is also about getting to know yourself so that you can direct your career. Good organisations want people to contribute a diverse range of ideas and perspectives, so you should not fear being yourself in the process too. Like all things in life, don’t go in half hearted; if a role excites you then go for it and give it your very best.”

Do you have any advice for aspiring female lawyers? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below!

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A number of City firms are offering financial support to those impacted by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Simmons & Simmons has made a donation of £75,000 to Save the Children, to support its crisis appeal. The firm is also encouraging internal fundraising activities across its offices.

The deadly earthquake struck southern and central Turkey, and northern and western Syria at the start of February, causing widespread damage and tens of thousands of fatalities. A further earthquake struck yesterday evening close to the city of Antakya near the border with Syria.

Other firms fundraising in response to the disaster include Clyde & Co, Kennedys and Osborne Clarke.

Clyde & Co told Legal Cheek that it has made a donation to humanitarian aid organisation UNICEF as well as set-up a JustGiving page to streamline employee donations. Additionally, the firm has pledged to match employee donations up to £5,000, a figure that has already been exceeded as these donations near £7,000.

Kennedys, meanwhile, has donated £40,000 towards emergency and is also matching employee donations. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this dreadful disaster,” managing partner Suzanne Liversidge said.

Similarly, Osborne Clarke has made a donation of £20,000 to the Disasters Emergency Appeal and donated clothes and other essential items through its charity committee.

The likes of Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, CMS, Freshfields, Linklaters, Pinsent Masons and Slaughter and May have also made financial contributions.

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Pinsent Masons and LexisNexis have launched a “unique” new training partnership that sees the businesses temporarily swap paralegals.

The tie-up will see LexisNexis paralegals gain qualifying work experience (QWE) at Pinsents as they work towards completing the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) on a part-time basis with legal education provider BARBRI.

The SQE is a new route to qualification that aims to improve accessibility to the legal profession. It includes a two-part exam (the SQE1 and the SQE2) and two years of QWE.

This differs from the previous system which only allowed those who had completed a two-year training contract to qualify, leaving wannabe solicitors, who had paralegalled for the two years or more but could not secure a TC, unable to gain their stripes.

The launch of the partnership will enable LexisNexis’ paralegals to receive practical, supervised legal training that counts towards their QWE requirements. At the same time, Pinsents paralegals will be seconded to LexisNexis in order to hone their research and knowledge skills.

Head of LexisPSL Hub, Josh Giddens, said: “The legal market is rapidly evolving and, as a leading LegalTech supplier, it is really exciting for LexisNexis to work with Pinsent Masons and BARBRI in offering new, innovative routes to qualification.”

Meanwhile, Richard Coffey, head of managed legal services delivery at Pinsent Masons, said the deal is “an exciting next step for us and our paralegals.”

The news comes in the same week the Law Training Centre launched a law course which enables students to gain QWE alongside their studies. BPP University Law School, The University of Law and Nottingham Law School offer similar opportunities through their pro bono centres.

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Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with autism at the age of 24. In one way, it was an enormous relief. I have always felt my brain worked differently but couldn’t put my finger on why. Now I have an answer. With diagnosis came clarity, understanding, knowledge, relief — and freedom to finally live my truth.

Twenty-four is quite a late age at which to be diagnosed, but it is becoming increasingly common for women in particular to be diagnosed with autism in adulthood, because they learn to fit in and appear neurotypical throughout their lives, so they fly under the radar — this is known as “masking”. At first glance, I appear neurotypical, but those who know me very well are aware of the quirks that make me autistic.

I have written this article because I think it is really important to speak out and raise awareness of autism and neurodiversity within the legal profession. The sad fact of the matter is that I don’t know any openly autistic lawyers — maybe this is because they would rather manage their condition alone due to perceived stigma, or because they think it will hamper their career. However, statistically speaking, there will be other autistic and neurodiverse individuals in the legal profession. Giving these people a voice is critical.

Firms have a vital role to play in supporting this. At Pinsent Masons, where I am a trainee, we have a Disability Network and a specific Neurodiversity Network. Both work to support people across the business in their day-to-day working lives. It’s heartening and encouraging to see the firm make such significant strides in enabling its neurodiverse community and providing a forum for support and education.

The legal industry has come a long way. But inclusion is a journey rather than a destination and firms should always be seeking to adapt, improve and advance. Recruitment practices should facilitate the attraction of neurodiverse talent in a range of ways such as advertising an accessible assessment centre. For example, clearly setting out what to expect on the day, ensuring that any sensory needs are met (quiet room/no harsh lighting etc.), and providing equipment that might support neurodiverse candidates, such as noise-cancelling headphones.

The use of both in-person and virtual recruitment events serve to broaden access for all students and graduates, featuring neurodiverse employees speaking about their experiences of the legal profession. Regularly inviting dynamic and engaging speakers to be a prominent feature of the training programme to help inform and educate is incredibly powerful and demonstrates a commitment to representation. Preferably these speakers would have experience with neurodiversity or be neurodiverse themselves and be far more interesting than simple tick-box online training, which can also be quite patronising.

My experience is that people are often surprised when I disclose that I am autistic and say things like, “You can’t tell!” I know that they are not trying to be offensive, but it betrays a lack of understanding of how autism can present itself (particularly in adult women) and also assumes that being autistic is inherently deficient in some way; that it is good that it is not outwardly obvious. Actually, being autistic can be amazing! Proper education and training would hopefully go some of the way to debunking common myths surrounding autism and neurodiversity.

I think it’s important that neurodiverse employees are open about any conditions that need reasonable adjustments, so that the firm knows how to support them best and help them thrive. Furthermore, it’s also key that line managers know how to signpost support to the disabled individual in the first instance. Again, if autistic and other neurodiverse individuals feel confident in sharing their story, then awareness and support will hopefully become better, as will the signposting.

The issue of adult autism diagnoses (particularly for women) has recently been discussed a bit more in the mainstream media. The Organisation for Autism Research has found that 50% of boys with autism are diagnosed before age 11, and only 20% of females with autism are diagnosed prior to this age. Scientists believe that this is because females are better at “masking” their autistic traits. The legal profession now has an opportunity to embrace this momentum around late and female diagnoses and promote an environment in which everyone feels empowered and confident to be open about their experiences at work. After all, being able to be yourself at work and access the support you need is the foundation to a fulfilling career.

I don’t want aspiring autistic lawyers to feel like I did; like there are no role models and that they cannot be themselves at work. If reading this encourages even one individual to seek a diagnosis, or be open about an existing diagnosis, then that can only be a good thing in enabling an important dialogue and breaking down the stigma.

Concetta is a trainee solicitor in the property team at Pinsent Masons.

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The rise of artificial intelligence, important developments on FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) terms, and the eagerly anticipated inauguration of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) all make it an interesting time to be a patent lawyer.

Indeed, the evolving nature of the legal discipline which wraps its fundamental legal principles around the world’s latest innovations is one of the reasons why Mark Marfé is so enamoured with his work.

“It’s really exciting going back to the basic legal principles and figuring out how they apply to new technologies,” Pinsent Masons partner Marfé explains. “You get to collaborate with technicians and engineers to work out what’s going on under the bonnet and also meet with business executives so that you can pragmatically assess the liability and whether there is a real opportunity in a new piece of tech.”

This also happens internally at a team level with his colleagues at Pinsent Masons, Marfé tells us. Members of the IP team regularly have ‘brown-bag lunches’ where discussions and training sessions take place about the latest developments in the sector.

We’ve already touched upon what some of those topics might be. Marfé explains how AI tools are now being used for a wide range of things from generating images from written prompts to AI robot inventors.

The former has raised new questions in relation to the rights attaching to the various in-puts and out-puts on these AI systems (a topic that Legal Cheek covered recently). The latter has yielded a Supreme Court case on whether an AI can be labelled the inventor on a patent, a case which could involve granting legal personhood to an AI system for the first time. The hearing is set to take place in March next year.

If you’re more interested in macro legal trends than AI, there’s something for you too. The launch of the Unified Patent Court, which the UK opted out of joining back in 2020, is set to launch in spring 2023. This marks a whole new set of patent jurisprudence with Marfé noting that “it will be interesting to see how the new case law sits alongside national patent decisions”.

Another area of recent development has been FRAND terms, with the Supreme Court ruling in Unwired Planet v Huawei seeking to find a balance between licensors and implementers. Such cases tend to involve so-called ‘patent trolls’, who own portfolios of patents, and implementers struggling to negotiate what fair and reasonable licensing terms might be for standard essential patents. “It’s particularly interesting to see how this will play out in IoT [Internet of Things] and how the use of arbitration will develop in this area,” remarks Marfé.

In short, it’s an exciting time to be an IP lawyer and the next decade certainly has a lot in store. So what does it take to break into the industry?

With a background in life sciences, having done his undergraduate degree in cellular and molecular pathology, Marfé’s enthusiasm for the innovative is perhaps unsurprising. But he stresses that it is the enthusiasm that counts rather than his STEM background per se: “You need to have an enthusiasm to learn in this field which is constantly developing”.

He especially enjoys the strategic element of advising clients, be that helping them grow their businesses or overseeing and guiding them through a dispute. “The variety is great and you also get to work with interesting people on international projects”, says Marfé, who confesses being “hooked” on IP from the moment he worked on a matter involving Blackberry during his training contract.

As for skills a budding IP lawyer must possess, Marfé points to flexibility, an eye for detail, both commercial and legal knowledge, and good project management.

Of course it helps that the team at Pinsent Masons is “a very collaborative and interesting group of people, who enjoy collegiately sharing ideas and acting as a soundboard on the latest developments and enabling each other to be at their best”, says Marfé.

Mark Marfé will be speaking alongside other Pinsent Masons lawyers at ‘Going for growth: hot practice areas of the 2020s — with Pinsent Masons’, a virtual student event taking place tomorrow (Wednesday 30 November). You can apply for one of the final few (and free) places to attend the event.

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Life as a trainee isn’t easy, so a friendly and supportive culture can be crucial to getting you through the difficult moments. Fortunately, the results are in, and Legal Cheek can reveal the law firms where it’s smiles and backslaps all-round.

The 2,000 plus respondents to the Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey 2022-23 were asked to rate the supportiveness of their peers on a scale ranging from 1 — ‘not at all supportive’ to 10 — ‘highly supportive’. Likewise, partner approachability could be quantified from 1, or ‘not at all approachable’ to 10, or ‘highly approachable’. Firms are then scored from A* to D on the Legal Cheek Insider Scorecard for each category.

Although over thirty firms feature on the two shortlists, scoring A*s for peer support or partner approachability, only Bristows, Fletchers, Hill Dickinson, RPC and TLT secured the top grade in both categories. The results are listed alphabetically below:

Best law firms for peer support 2023

Addleshaw Goddard, Ashurst, Bristows, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Clyde & Co, Dechert, Express Solicitors, Fletchers, Forsters, Gibson Dunn, Goodwin Procter, Hill Dickinson, Norton Rose Fulbright, Pinsent Masons, RPC, Taylor Wessing, TLT, Travers Smith, Watson Farley & Williams, Weightmans

Best law firms for partner approachability 2023

Accutrainee, Ashfords, Bird & Bird, Bristows, Debevoise & Plimpton, Dentons, Eversheds Sutherland, Fieldfisher, Fletchers, Gateley, Hill Dickinson, Morrison Foerster, Orrick, RPC, Russell-Cooke, Shakespeare Martineau, Squire Patton Boggs, Taylor Vinters, TLT.

Respondents were also given the chance to submit anonymous comments to justify their scores and provide further insights into their firm’s supportive rookies and approachable partners. Here are a selection of comments from the firms shortlisted above:

How supportive are your peers?

“Very collaborative, and very friendly peer group. They’re genuine friends who I can go to for support, share tips and insights into the work.”

“There is no culture of competitiveness between the trainees. Everyone supports each other.”

“All of the trainees within my office are incredibly supportive of each other and there is no feeling of competitiveness when it comes to getting NQ jobs. The trainee chat is very active and you know that, no matter how stupid the question, you always have somebody to go to.”

“I love my trainee cohort, we have bonded really well and regularly meet up for lunch and coffee. We also have a WhatsApp chat that we use to check in on each other. The benefit of a large cohort is having a lot of people around you to build a support network.”

“Excellent culture with many opportunities to extracurricular. A very supportive environment.”

How approachable are your superiors?

“There’s a real open door policy — meaning that if I leave the door to my office open, my superiors are likely to stop by for a chat.”

“Including partners — there’s no hierarchy or delegation through associates. Partners will call you directly and ask for your thoughts which is a great learning opportunity.”

“All very approachable which surprised me the most about working with Partners.”

“Every single person (at all levels) is approachable and can always spare time to help you.”

“No matter the level of seniority, every partner that I have experienced working with or spoken to outside of a department has been incredibly welcoming, approachable and helpful. They want you to succeed and you know you could go to them with any issue you had.”

The winning law firm in each category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2023, sponsored by BARBRI and BPP University Law School, on Tuesday 14 March 2023.

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The results are in! Legal Cheek’s exclusive survey reveals the law firms with the highest scores for training and quality of work.

The Legal Cheek Trainee and Junior Lawyer Survey 2022-23 questioned over 2,000 trainees and junior associates on what life is like at the UK’s leading law firms, with a handful of firms scoring an A* in the training and quality of work categories.

Respondents rated the training they’ve received on a scale of 1 to 10 — with 1 being ‘very poor’ and 10 being ‘excellent’. Similarly, respondents rated the quality of work from ‘not at all stimulating’ to ‘highly stimulating’. Firms are then scored from A* to D on the Legal Cheek Insider Scorecard for each category.

With these two categories being the centrepiece of a training contract, achieving the highest possible grade is a sure-fire way to attract the attention of training contract seekers.

A total of six law firms scored A*s and feature in the shortlist for both categories: Burges Salmon, CMS, Farrer & Co, Mills & Reeve, Osborne Clarke and Willkie Farr & Gallagher. Below are the results listed alphabetically:

Best law firms for training 2023

Addleshaw Goddard, Allen & Overy, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Burges Salmon, CMS, Clifford Chance, Dentons, Farrer & Co, Freshfields, Herbert Smith Freehills, Linklaters, Macfarlanes, Mayer Brown, Mills & Reeve, Osborne Clarke, Pinsent Masons, RPC, Shoosmiths, Slaughter and May, TLT, Travers Smith and Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Best law firms for quality of work 2023

Akin Gump, Burges Salmon, CMS, Farrer & Co, Forsters, Hogan Lovells, Latham & Watkins, Lewis Silkin, Mills & Reeve, Mishcon de Reya, Osborne Clarke, Ropes & Gray, Shakespeare Martineau, Shearman & Sterling, White & Case and Willkie Farr & Gallagher

Through submitting anonymous comments in the survey, respondents could expand on their scores to give further insight into their experiences at their firm. Here is a selection of comments from some of the above firms:

How would you describe the training you have received?

“People are interested in your day to day development as well as the broader picture of how you develop key skills as a junior lawyer. There is an active effort to keep you from doing too much of the same thing. Everyone has so much time for trainees and you can tell they take real enjoyment and supervision and teaching.”

“Training is consistent, well planned and practical.”

“The continued support and guidance has really helped my ability to move between different departments smoothy, understand the areas of law I’d like to work in and provide career guidance for the next steps to qualification.”

“Very high end. I’ve been working directly with very senior people since I started. I’m allowed to make tasks my own and take ownership of them which I’m very pleased about. I’ve developed hugely in a short period of time.”

“Supervisors and the wider teams are genuinely invested in the provision and quality of training (largely because we are seen as the future of the firm).”

How stimulating is the work you are given?

“Throughout my training contract there has been a recognition of when I’ve been reaching my comfort zone and a constant effort to keep pushing me further whilst supporting me at the same time. I have been able to run my own matters and take real ownership over pieces of work.”

“Trainees get involved in top work from day one. No photocopying or printing!”

“As a trainee I have received a broad range of work from the more classic “trainee” tasks to leading workstreams, drafting contracts and leading on client calls.”

“I’ve been given a broad range of contentious and non-contentious work. The breadth of work includes drafting documents, assisting on the signing process for large scale transactions and preparing documents for court hearings.”

“The work is overall of great quality and there is lots of trust from the team.”

The winning law firm in each category will be announced at The Legal Cheek Awards 2023, sponsored by BARBRI and BPP University Law School, on Tuesday 14 March.

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