Name: Donny Surtani
Male
Newly Qualified Solicitor at Herbert Smith LLP

 

My name is Donny Surtani and I was born in 1980 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  When I first came to London in 2000, I knew I wanted to 'do law', with little understanding of what that was or what I was getting myself into.

I initially could not afford to come to the UK as an international student, so after my A Levels I took an accounting course (CIMA) which enabled me to find a reasonably well-paid part time job in London to fund my law degree.

In my first two years at the London School of Economics, I went along to law firm drinks evenings and presentations, and started to get a feel for the unique selling points of City firms.

I chose City law because of the promise of top quality work (both in complexity and in practical significance), the chance to mingle with some of the City's brightest and most personable people, and a continuation of the cosmopolitan, international environment that I had enjoyed so much at university.

I made a number of applications and got a handful of interviews, and during the summer before my final year at university, I did vacation placements with Freshfields in London and Allen & Overy in Hong Kong.  When it came to training contracts, however, I chose to accept an offer from Herbert Smith, because I got a very welcoming vibe from the place and was keen on having a balanced training experience between contentious and non-contentious work. The firm does appear to be a true meritocracy, there seems to be a genuine desire here for diversity within the workforce.

There's no sense in covering it up; during the course of a two-year training contract, occasionally the work can be mundane and the hours can be long. But there are three reasons why it shouldn't deter you.

Firstly, it isn't nearly as bad as some horror stories make it out to be, and on the whole you do pick up valuable learning and skills along the way (although you may not notice it at the time!)

Second, when it does happen, people generally have a good attitude and the atmosphere is enjoyable.

Third, supervisors do generally respect the fact that trainees need work-life balance, and for the most part they won't interfere with your life outside work if there's a way to avoid it.

The firm has not disappointed in terms of the breadth of seat options that it offers. If the training contract was three years long instead of two, I'm sure I'd find enough seats that I'd enjoy to fill those slots! The creation of the Advocacy Unit and the wide range of secondments on offer provide good options for trainees looking for something a bit different. I was lucky enough to spend three months (during my litigation seat) seconded to the High Court as a judicial assistant to two judges, and gained valuable insights into how judges view cases – and how they deal with vexatious litigants!

The unexpected bonus for me during my training contract has been the variety of pro bono programmes on offer. There are lots to choose from (both legal and non-legal) and there is a genuine commitment to them across the firm. It makes for a very enjoyable change from routine and gives those who do it a valuable feel-good boost.

I recently took on my first case for the Free Representation Unit and enjoyed taking the case to an amicable settlement. I've just started my post-qualification job as an associate at the firm in September 2006 and I am finding that life as an associate is hectic but a lot of fun!

Legal practice is a fantastic career choice for people who like to think, research and analyse, and who enjoy coming up with practical solutions to people's problems.  I've been kept fairly busy, but I feel like I know a few things that are actually useful.