Rachel H

BPP university alumni

My Law Firm

Profile:

I am currently an associate in the Commercial Litigation, Financial Services and Investigations team at Hogan Lovells (3 PQE). I studied law at King’s College London. I applied to Aspiring Solicitors (‘AS’) at the end of my first year of university feeling daunted by the move from rural Blackpool to London and seeking a support system to help me in my pursuit of a legal career. I attended over 10 AS events and subsequently applied to 6 law firms I had interacted with through AS. I believe it gave me a competitive edge over other candidates.

My most important contact with Hogan Lovells was with a Partner from their IP department through the AS Ask an Ambassador (now AS Mentors). It was an invaluable opportunity to gain insight from an influential woman in a global law firm that I would not otherwise have had access to. I was able to meet that Partner on my Vacation Scheme and I know it helped me obtaining a training contract. AS’s dedication to promoting diversity in a profession that is still dominated at the Partner level by white males never ceases to amaze me. Aspiring to partnership as a woman means AS’s support in finding a law firm that embraces flexible working at partnership level was of vital importance to me.

Applying for vacation schemes was challenging but the personal and detailed advice from the AS team was invaluable. I developed my interview skills and was given some very kind words from Chris to embrace my strong northern accent as a strength and not a weakness when applying to firms.

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