Ben Higson

• Degree: Law, University of Bristol
• Joined: 2007
• Practice area: Corporate (Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure)
• Office location: London
• Favourite place: New York, USA

I joined the then Lovells as a senior associate in the International Corporate practice in 2007. I was made Of Counsel in 2008 and elevated to the partnership on 1 May 2009. Prior to joining Hogan Lovells, I worked in another leading international firm.

I began my career working as a projects lawyer, but soon realised that what I most enjoyed was transactions and making mergers and acquisitions happen. Before moving to Hogan Lovells, I’d considered most of the leading international law firms based in London. I was keen to join a firm that had a distinctive market position and strong sense of direction. Hogan Lovells appealed to me thanks to a combination of top-flight work, high quality practitioners and international opportunities, as well as the ability to maintain a collegiate environment, where every member of the firm is recognised as being fundamental to its ongoing success. My decision to join has been more than vindicated.

I now specialise in public and private acquisitions, restructurings, joint ventures and general corporate advisory work, with a particular focus on transactions in the international energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. My work involves transactions across the globe and in the past year alone I have travelled to the Far East, Russia, Europe and the US. The work is high profile and international, and while the atmosphere is exceedingly professional and ambitious it is also informal, with a supportive, non-hierarchical ethos. Hogan Lovells also has a tenable advantage in its breadth of practice and unrivalled geographical spread. All our departments and international offices are genuinely self-standing, which means trainees have a breadth of training and a wide choice when it comes to seats and qualification opportunities.

As a partner who works closely with our graduate recruitment and people development teams, I spend a great deal of time talking to graduates and students – and lawyers and trainees at the firm – about their aspirations for a career in law. My advice to them is that the work of most of the large international law firms is very similar, but what differentiates firms is their culture and their people. I believe Hogan Lovells distinguishes itself in this respect, and offers myriad opportunities and an exciting future for lawyers at all levels.