Rob Evans

• Degree: Aerospace Engineering, UMIST
• Joined: August 2008
• Practice area/group: Corporate
• Office location: London
• Favourite place: San Diego

Having originally trained as an engineer, I spent four years working for a multinational engineering firm before deciding on a change of career to law. I was attracted by the variety offered by a career in law, and when I found out more about Hogan Lovells I was particularly impressed by its breadth of practice. I applied for a training contract at the same time as applying for the law conversion course.

The people I met on the assessment day made me feel completely at ease and I instantly knew this was the kind of firm I wanted to work for. I was especially impressed by the contact I had with the firm before I started my training contract, which included invitations to events. Also, because all trainees are brought together for the City LPC before training begins, we got to know each other very well; when training began at Hogan Lovells we knew most, if not all, of our fellow trainees.

The breadth of Hogan Lovells practice is exceptional, so I would always recommend as varied a training contract as possible. My training began with a seat in Pensions – a great start thanks to the quality of work and team support – followed by my second seat in Commercial and Regulatory, where I was involved in several commercial projects. One highlight was a review of distribution agreements for a major automobile manufacturer that required interaction with lawyers across numerous jurisdictions. I gained my contentious experience in Projects, Engineering and Construction Litigation, where my engineering degree proved especially useful.

My final seat was a secondment to Save the Children, which was a fantastic experience. Client secondments provide an opportunity to understand how in-house lawyers work, exposing you to a business environment that requires a legal team proficient in almost all aspects of the law. At Save the Children, the small legal team had to deal with issues prompted by both the UK and international programmes. The provision of a trainee by Hogan Lovells to Save the Children is also a reassuring reflection of the firm’s ongoing commitment to pro bono work.

In October 2010 I qualified into the Commercial and Regulatory group. I advise on a wide range of the “day-to-day” agreements that keep a business running – such as supply and distribution, outsourcing, consultancy and advertising agreements. The group has a varied client base across a number of different sectors including retail, media, communications and engineering and manufacturing. I also get involved with regulatory compliance issues and reviewing and drafting standard terms of sale.