My experience in Pinsent Masons Birmingham office

Following our induction day in London with the other vacation scheme students, I was ready to join the Birmingham office, meet the team and get stuck in.

Having met a few people at an office open evening in December, I was reassured by the warm welcome I received again on Tuesday morning.

From the security guards in reception to the partner I shared an office with, everybody is genuinely friendly, approachable and welcoming. You may only make a fleeting fortnight visit, but people are really interested to involve you and you gain an invaluable insight into how a law firm works on a daily basis.

For the two weeks, I sat with the Restructuring and Insolvency team, located on the same floor as the Corporate and Banking teams. I enjoyed experiencing a new area of law and was pleased to see an insolvency process from its early stages to when administrators are appointed and take control of the company. I was involved in a number of different matters right from the first day, and my tasks included:-

• researching complex areas of law;

• taking notes on all parties conference calls and company board meetings;

• drafting documents (for example, deeds of release) using the Precedents Express system;

• attending court to file notices of intention to appoint administrators and notices of appointment of administrators; and

• assisting the team with any other ad hoc tasks.

We also had 4 morning presentations to learn about the firm’s other departments and life as a trainee. This was a great way to meet other people within the firm and ask any questions.

Aside from the interesting work and down-to-earth environment, why pick Birmingham? I have lived in Birmingham for the past 5 years during university and for work. It is a lively city that has a lot to offer, from quirky cocktail bars and foodie joints to eclectic cinemas, beautiful green spaces and luxury shopping facilities. It’s also fairly compact, meaning that it’s easy to get around and enjoy all parts of the city. Pinsent Masons’ Birmingham office is located on the doorstep of Snow Hill station (the business district of the city) and a stone’s throw away from New Street (Birmingham’s main train station and home to the new retail centre Grand Central that links to the famous Bullring shopping centre).

I would highly recommend anyone to apply to the Birmingham Pinsent Masons vacation scheme to experience first-hand the collaborative culture and vibrant city for themselves!