Holly T

As a state-school educated woman, the first of my family to attend university and to enter the legal profession, I understand the difficulties that candidates from similar backgrounds may be facing. While studying History at UCL I became interested in the role of a commercial solicitor but I knew very little about the industry and had no connections to the legal profession. After studying topics that intersected with commercial law and gaining some in-house legal experience, I realised that a career as a commercial solicitor could allow me to explore my academic and non-legal interests in a highly dynamic environment.

I self-funded the GDL and spent the next year focusing on securing a training contract while pursuing opportunities in environmental sustainability. I benefited hugely from the AS Aspire mentoring programme, which allowed me to vastly improve the content of my applications, my overall approach to the application process and my exposure to a wide range of commercial law firms. After securing my training contract with Baker McKenzie, I worked as a senior analyst at a FinTech start-up before completing the LPC.

The attributes that I had perceived as disadvantages ended up becoming my unique selling points. This has also been reflected in my experience of working as a trainee at Bakers, where my individuality has been championed. This is why I am excited to advise AS members on how they can market themselves effectively and remain confident and motivated during what can be a tough process. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any general questions about working as a commercial solicitor, the application process and life as a trainee at Baker McKenzie.