Victoria Ellison

• Degree: LLB Law, University of Leeds
• Joined: Autumn 2006
• Working in: Corporate
• Office location: London
• Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption

Having decided on a career in the legal profession I was faced with the task of choosing where to apply for a training contract. Prompted by a desire to work with high profile clients at an international level, I researched various City firms and spoke to as many people as possible, both at firms and law fairs; my first experience of Hogan Lovells was at a university careers workshop. I subsequently completed a vacation scheme at the firm, which provided a useful insight into life as a practicing solicitor and the type of work I might be involved with. The opportunity to meet people and experience the firm’s atmosphere first hand proved invaluable and I decided this was the firm for me.

Moving to London to begin my training contract could have been daunting, but when I started at the then Lovells in autumn 2006 I found the firm incredibly welcoming. The two-week induction course enables you to meet your fellow trainees and forge lasting friendships, allowing you to settle in before taking your first seat.

My first seat with the Insurance and Reinsurance Litigation team introduced me to new concepts and commercial practices, and helped me settle into working life. My second seat with the Corporate Transactional team was very different; I found it interesting and satisfying to work with clients seeking to expand their businesses, whether by acquisition, listing on the stock market or other means. My third seat on the Business Restructuring and Insolvency team involved several high-profile projects and lots of client contact.

Having decided to pursue a career in corporate law I spent six months on client secondment with the in-house corporate legal team at SABMiller plc. This exposed me to a variety of corporate projects and allowed me to see the role of a private practice solicitor from a client’s perspective. On completion of my training contract I took three months off to visit America, spend time with family and friends, and indulge my passion for the theatre. When I returned to join the Corporate team in November 2008 I felt refreshed and ready for action.

Since qualifying I have worked on a broad spectrum of projects for various clients, from large-scale transactional work to smaller internal restructuring and corporate advisory work. The training is continual, so as well as gaining valuable experience my skills continue to develop and, as a junior solicitor, I have been encouraged to work in as many areas of the team as possible rather than specialise too early.

Overall I would definitely recommend a legal career at Hogan Lovells. The firm’s international reputation for high quality work and varied clients was a huge draw for me. It is obviously important to choose the right firm for you, so my advice to students is to make sure you obtain as much information as you can before applying.