How I became a future trainee solicitor at Ashurst

Introducing Oyinbrakemi

Oyinbrakemi Ebi-Ogbomah is future Trainee Solicitor at Ashurst LLP and LPC MSc student in Law, Business and Management at the University of Law. 

Journey to a legal career 

I graduated with a Law degree from the University of Birmingham in 2020.

I was initially drawn to the complexity of law. Particularly the fact that you have to solve problems for clients whilst bearing in mind their commercial objectives. In doing so, you can really build a long-term relationship with clients.

To pursue my interest further, I completed internships at a variety of law firms, specialising in different practice areas. After learning more about criminal and family law, I became set on a career in commercial/corporate law. I’ve been fortunate enough to complete a vacation scheme at Macfarlanes as well as working in the legal team of fintech, gohenry.

Applying for training contracts 

Whilst applying for training contracts, there were various factors that I had considered. I wanted to train at an international firm as I had always been intrigued by multi-jurisdictional deals and transactions.

Additionally, I wanted to train at a firm that had a medium-sized trainee intake. Ashurst ticked all of these boxes and more. Ashurst’s projects practice area is highly ranked within numerous legal directories such as Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners. I was also drawn to the opportunity of completing a secondment, whether international or client.

As an LPC MSc student at the University of Law, I have just completed my Core Practice Area exams which consisted of Professional Conduct and Regulation, Business Law & Practice, Dispute Resolution and Real Estate.

Now, I’ve started my electives: Banking & Debt Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions and Public Companies & Equity Finance. I’m also working on the MSc element of the course which involves coursework. 

Advice for aspiring legal professionals

1. My first tip for aspiring legal professionals is to try and experience as many practice areas as possible and be open-minded. There are so many different areas of law, and it can be daunting to decide on which to pursue a career in. So, I’d suggest networking with firms and professionals in your areas of interest.

2. My second piece of advice is to research firms thoroughly. It’s crucial to know what makes a firm stand out from its competitors and what makes a firm attractive to clients.

3. My last piece of advice is to develop your commercial awareness. The legal industry is constantly changing, and clients expect their legal advisers to be aware of and understand any recent developments. As well as being aware of recent developments, it’s necessary to take a proactive approach and pre-empt how any developments would affect clients and the firm.

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