Plum - SJ Berwin UK Graduates

houSe 

StyLe 

our resident fashion gurus 

share some workwear tips 

the good, 

the Bad, 

the ugLy 

it’s just an interview… 

what could possibly go wrong? 

prospective lawyer Magazine 2012-13 

London 

caLLing 

london living in a nutshell 

SLowe 

you want 

to Be a 

Lawyer? 

we talk to one of sJ Berwin’s 

heavyweight litigators about 

gun-running, the Queen’s bed, 

and catherine zeta-Jones 

SJB at 30 

sJ Berwin turns 30 this year 

– we take a look at the story so far

THIS 

YEAR WE 

CELEBRATE 

OUR 30TH 

BIRTHDAY. 

HERE IS 

OUR STORY 

SO FAR. 

‘07 

‘02 

Advises Nomura on spin-out 

of Guy Hand’s Terra Firma. 

The number of partners reaches 100. 

Turnover reaches £105m. 

Pro Bono Committee is established 

‘99 

Opens its Madrid office 

‘89 

Advises on its first European Private 

Equity fund – Electra Private Equity 

Partners – which raised nearly £500m ‘90 

Opens its 

Brussels office 

‘84 

Advises Rothschild 

Investment Trust on the 

merger with Charterhouse 

Rothschild PLC 

‘82 

Stanley Berwin founds 

SJ Berwin with 5 partners and 

10 other members of staff 

A founding member of legal sector Alliance. 

Reaches 1250 members of staff. 

Acts for OK! in dispute with Hello re ‘”spoiler” pictures 

of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas’ wedding 

‘06 

ILFA is launched. 

Moves offices to 

10 Queen Street Place 

‘00 

Opens its Munich 

and Paris offices and 

reaches 400 lawyers 

‘88 

Stanley Berwin dies. Advises British Land 

as the first property investor to venture 

into sale and leaseback properties. 

Reaches 106 members of staff 

‘86 

Moves offices to 

222 Gray’s Inn Road 

‘12 

SJ Berwin celebrates 

its 30th birthday 

‘01 

Becomes carbon neutral. 

Reaches 750 members of staff 

‘95 

Forms and acts for the 

Barings Bond Holder 

Action Group and launches 

private prosecution against 

Nick Leeson which was 

then taken over by the SFO 

‘93 

Advises 3i on raising 

their first Eurofund 

‘87 

Negotiates BVCA 

Statement Guidelines 

‘09 

Opens its Dubai, 

Hong Kong and 

Shanghai offices 

‘05 

Opens its 

Milan office 

‘98 

Opens its 

Frankfurt and 

Berlin offices 

06 TAKE A SEAT 

What you can expect from a training contract 

20 FOREIGN EXCHANGE 

Fancy working abroad? We review the 

opportunities available to SJ Berwin trainees 

24 TIME OUT 

Working in-house for our clients within London 

26 SLOWE YOU WANT TO BE 

A LAWYER? 

An interview with Partner and former Head of 

Chambers, Richard Slowe 

28 LONDON CALLING 

A snapshot of trainee life in the City 

34 SECTORS 

The One Firm approach explained 

50 HOUSE STYLE 

Don’t know what to wear around the office? Pick up a 

few ideas here 

53 TEAM SJB 

Find out how you can get involved in team sports at 

SJ Berwin 

54 VACATION SCHEME 

One of our vacation scheme students tells you what a 

vacation scheme is really like 

55 A BRIEF HISTORY OF MINE 

Trainees at SJ Berwin have a multitude of different 

experiences 

28 

26 

36 CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY 

See how you can get involved in SJ Berwin’s 

Corporate Responsibility programme 

42 THE GR TEAM 

Meet the friendly faces who will be your first 

point of contact with the firm 

44 THE APPLICATION PROCESS 

SJ Berwin’s recruitment process in a nutshell 

46 THE GOOD, THE BAD AND 

THE UGLY 

Our Graduate Recruitment & Trainee 

Development Partner, Nicola Bridge, has 

provided you with some top interviewing tips 

49 COMMERCIAL AWARENESS 

How commercially aware are you? Find out here 

56 INDUCTION TO SJ BERWIN 

SJ Berwin attempts to make starting your new job that 

bit easier 

58 FUTURE TRAINEES 

Get to know your comrades before your first day 36 

2 – plum plum – 3

welcome 

when people ask me “what’s different 

about sJ Berwin?” i answer “we’re the 

most dynamic and fresh-thinking of 

the big law firms.” 

if you train here you’ll be with 

like-minded people: very bright, very 

commercial, very energetic young 

lawyers who want to make a real 

difference, for their clients, for their firm 

and for their own careers. 

we have a large annual intake of 

trainees. competition is fierce because 

of our award-winning training 

programme and the very high quality 

of our work and client base, including 

household names like Barclays, Hilton, 

Marks & spencer and nintendo. 

Here it’s all about the client – about 

matching our knowledge, energy and 

creative thinking to the business needs 

of our customers and exceeding their 

expectations for the speed, accuracy 

and impact of our advice. 

our strategy is to give all our people 

the opportunity to excel. if you join us 

you’ll quickly take on responsibility, 

get to deal with clients and contribute 

to major pieces of work – all with high 

levels of support, encouragement 

and training. 

our business is global and we are 

working on stacks of cross-border 

deals, giving advice across our 11 

offices in europe, the Middle east and 

china. you’ll get the chance of a 

secondment to an overseas office, an 

unforgettable experience building 

lasting friendships and acquiring 

know-how that will last a lifetime. 

Do make the most of the 

opportunity to come and meet us 

– if you’re looking for a future in a 

firm with a really creative and 

commercial style, with drive and 

above all with personality, then this 

is the place for you. 

Rob Day, Managing Partner 

i’m delighted to welcome you to this 

year’s issue of plUM, sJ Berwin’s 

annual graduate recruitment 

magazine. plUM is written and 

compiled by our current trainees to 

give you a better picture of what it is 

like to work at sJ Berwin. 

sJ Berwin is the youngest of the 

large international law firms – we are 

celebrating our 30th birthday this 

year – and we’ve always prided 

ourselves on our modern, creative, 

service-driven approach and our 

positive attitude to everything we do. 

Having been at the firm since its 

inception in 1982, i have seen it grow 

from a firm of fewer than 20 people 

to more than 1,000 staff today, with a 

total of 11 offices in eight 

jurisdictions across the world from 

Hong Kong to Dubai, paris to 

Madrid. For us, trainees are the very 

heart of the firm. we recruit to retain 

and many of our associates and 

partners have trained here. our 

trainees get the opportunity to take 

on responsibility early, deal with 

clients and make a major 

contribution to the high quality of 

work we produce. 

the legal marketplace has changed 

significantly since 1982 and the road 

ahead remains challenging and 

dotted with uncertainties. Despite 

this, we had a great year in 2011- 

2012: for example, we established a 

new energy and infrastructure 

department, hired a number of new 

partners, consolidated our previous 

year’s growth with continued 

financial success and have been 

involved in some of the highest 

profile transactions, such as the 

Universal Music/eMi merger. we 

hope to continue to emulate this 

success going forward. 

i hope that you enjoy this year’s 

plUM and that it helps you to decide 

whether you would like to join us. 

Stephen Kon, Senior Partner 


6 – plum 

take 

a Seat 

our trainees sit within distinct 

practice groups and sub-groups 

– from corporate Finance to 

litigation, from real estate to 

Banking and Finance, we deliver 

the full range of commercial 

legal services. 

WE hAvE A nuMbER of 

DiffEREnt CoRPoRAtE 

DEPARtMEntS in SJ bERWin 

AnD tRAinEES CAn ChooSE 

to Sit in Any of thEM. 

tRAinEES CAn ChooSE fRoM 

CoRPoRAtE DEAlS (With 

SPECiAliSMS in Equity 

CAPitAl MARKEtS, MERgERS 

AnD ACquiSitionS AnD 

PRivAtE Equity), invEStMEnt 

funDS AnD finAnCE. 

there is a lot of overlap between 

the different corporate teams, for 

example you will probably encounter 

private equity work in all of the 

corporate departments. therefore, 

we have provided a few examples of 

the different types of work trainees 

will undertake in each of the 

corporate departments. 

Corporate Deals with 

specialisms in Mergers and 

Acquisitions, Equity Capital 

Markets and Private Equity 

Emma Murie 

the diverse range of international 

work means that trainees gain 

experience in a wide variety of 

transactions, from Mergers & 

acquisitions, deals and 

restructurings, to real estate joint 

ventures and even initial public 

offerings (ipos) or public takeovers 

of companies. common trainee 

tasks include drafting ancillary 

documents, assisting with the 

various stages of due diligence, 

document management, creation of 

completion checklists, dealing with 

company filings at companies 

House and legal research. 

the team currently has a strong 

focus on the real estate, 

consumer/retail, natural 

resources and Financial 

institutions sectors. in the real 

estate sector we recently advised 

westfield on their £1.75 billion joint 

venture with cpp and apg in 

respect of the westfield stratford 

city development and other 

shopping centre transactions. we 

also advised one client on the sale 

of his interest in lenta (one of 

russia’s leading supermarket 

chains) which saw the company 

valued at over Us$2 billion. another 

recent transaction involved us 

working alongside the real estate 

and planning teams to draft the 

corporate documents in respect of 

our client’s plans, in joint venture 

with another party, to redevelop the 

eileen House site in elephant and 

castle, to which the Ministry of 

sound objected to the 

redevelopment over fears that 

residents of the completed 

development would complain about 

noise from the club thereby forcing 

it to close. 

aside from chargeable work, the 

team also encourages trainees to get 

involved in business development 

and marketing which includes 

researching companies ahead of 

meetings and drafting articles for 

various publications and clients. 

Caroline Swain 

My seat in the Deals team has been a 

fascinating insight into the frenetic and 

challenging world of management 

buy-outs, joint ventures and mergers 

and acquisitions. the team is highly 

regarded nationally and internationally 

and as a result the deals often involve 

household names. 

your work will be varied. each deal is 

different and from it will arise a 

myriad of issues. at the outset of a 

transaction you might undertake due 

diligence by reviewing information 

supplied by a target company and 

spotting potential issues. you will be 

in constant contact with your client 

and the lawyers acting for the other 

side; you will witness the parties 

planning and negotiating the deal’s 

structure as the commercial issues 

unfold, and subsequently help to 

re-draft the legal documents to 

reflect these changes. you may 

attend client and all-party meetings 

which will give you a real insight into 

the shape of the transactions you 

work on. throughout the process you 

will be involved in managing the 

transaction and ensuring that the 

necessary documents are produced 

and in agreed form in time for 

completion. then follows the much 

deserved champagne! 

if you are interested in transactional 

law, business and big corporate deals 

then this fast paced and rewarding 

seat is for you. 

plum – 7

investment funds and fund 

Establishment 

tessa Parkes 

sJ Berwin has been a driving force in 

the funds market for over 27 years, 

advising clients on all aspects of fund 

formation and structuring, from the 

more traditional “mega” funds and 

mid-market buyouts to advising on 

areas which respond to the constantly 

evolving environment, including 

infrastructure funds, debt funds and 

funds in emerging markets. 

now that all sounds very flash and 

exciting, however, as a recent 

graduate it didn’t much help me in 

answering the basic question: “what 

is a private equity fund?”. 

a private equity fund is a pool of 

money collected by managers at a 

private equity house who invest this 

money in the shares (the ‘equity’ part) 

of private companies (the ‘private’ 

part). the idea is that these 

companies (recent examples include 

all saints, american apparel and 

United Biscuits) are actively 

developed and improved, with the 

direction of the managers, during the 

life of the fund, which typically runs 

for 10 years, so that when they are 

sold a profit is made for the investors. 

when structuring any of these funds it 

is important to ensure tax efficiency, 

compliance with various regulations 

and administrative ease. trainees can 

become involved at any stage, with as 

much responsibility and contact with 

fund managers/investors as they feel 

comfortable with. 

recently i was tasked with running a 

“transfer” whereby an investor 

transferred its investment in a fund to 

a new investor. this was a great 

opportunity to draft and review the 

necessary documentation as well as 

liaise with all parties involved, 

including our colleagues in the paris 

office. prior to this, i worked on a Main 

Market ipo of a fund which was to 

provide development finance in 

emerging markets. 

8 – plum 

finance 

nicholas brocklebank 

and Marco toracca 

the Finance department acts for 

entities that are either lending or 

borrowing capital which is to be used 

to acquire new assets or restructure 

existing holdings. the Finance 

department’s clients include a range 

of major banks, investors, venture 

capitalists and private equity houses. 

structurally, the department is an 

integral part of the firm, working 

closely with the corporate, real estate, 

investment Funds, energy and 

infrastructure and reconstruction and 

insolvency departments. Deals 

typically also involve close working 

relationships with our overseas offices 

and instructing local counsel. 

the Finance department is loosely 

divided into leveraged/acquisition 

financing, funds financing, real estate 

and structured finance as well as 

general advisory work. as a trainee 

you have the opportunity to focus on 

the areas that interest you the most, 

however you are encouraged to 

participate in all work streams. 

while the partners and associates of 

each deal will focus on the drafting 

and negotiation of the key documents 

(for instance, facility agreements and 

security documents), trainees will be 

responsible for the management of 

“conditions precedent” to be satisfied 

before signing and the drafting and 

negotiation of ancillary documents, 

such as corporate authorisations and 

fee letters. your work as a trainee is 

therefore genuinely important to the 

success of a deal (if the conditions 

precedent are not satisfied the funds 

cannot be drawn) and requires active, 

first-hand engagement with foreign 

counsel, clients, senior lawyers and 

other departments. 

in addition to transactional work, 

trainees also carry out research tasks 

and projects. this is serious stuff, but 

the Finance department is a famously 

friendly area within the firm, which is 

particularly good at providing regular 

training and all the supervision and 

support you could need. 

as a trainee you will be involved in 

all aspects of life in the department. 

this includes everything from client 

networking events and completion 

drinks to being “properly schooled” 

by partners in the dark arts of 

departmental table football 

and baking! 

Energy & infrastructure 

gaurav Sharma 

energy and infrastructure (“e&i”) is an 

exciting area to experience within a 

law firm. not only is regulation 

constantly changing but the challenge 

to deliver energy in a sustainable way 

has changed the dynamics of how 

companies now operate. at sJ Berwin, 

e&i is the newest department and has 

big ambitions. leveraging off our 

international recognition in investment 

Funds and real estate, the e&i group 

is sector driven and gives trainees 

exposure to a variety of work including 

joint ventures, M&a, financing 

and advisory. 

you will perform a variety of tasks, for 

example i have been involved in the 

financing of a power plant in south 

sudan, carried out a legal review for 

a fund planning to acquire a 

gas-fired power station and assisted 

the team working on one of the 

largest infrastructure projects 

currently in europe. 

the e&i team is relatively small 

compared to other departments, 

which gives trainees the perfect 

chance to take on “associate-level” 

work and gain real responsibility. also, 

as the e&i team is still in its early 

stages, there is huge scope for 

trainees to get involved in the client 

development side of the department 

and assist in preparing pitches and 

researching different energy markets. 

sJ Berwin is well placed in targeting 

clients from emerging economies and 

therefore trainees can expect to gain 

exposure to a broad range of clients 

ranging from funds and banks who 

finance projects, to project companies 

who want to construct or sell particular 

plants or assets. 

at sJ Berwin, 

e&i is tHe newest 

DepartMent anD 

Has Big aMBitions 

plum – 9

10 – plum 

yoU’ll Be MaDe to 

Feel part oF tHe 

teaM as everyone is 

increDiBly sUpportive 

Commerce & technology 

and outsourcing 

Ruth hennessy 

trainees in the commerce and 

technology department encounter a 

huge variety of industries such as 

retail, it, betting and gaming, 

pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, 

hotels and leisure. the department 

advises on a wide range of 

commercial matters within these 

industries including non-contentious 

intellectual property, e-commerce, 

franchising, agency and distribution, 

data protection, advertising and the 

sale of goods and supply of 

services (the list goes on!). the 

work involved engenders close 

relationships with clients and 

requires specialised industry 

knowledge to understand the 

context in which clients operate. 

trainees take on significant 

responsibility from day one. typical 

trainee work includes drafting and 

amending agreements (often 

completing first drafts based on 

client’s instructions), terms and 

conditions and privacy statements, 

carrying out research, writing 

attendance notes of meetings and 

conference calls and advising other 

departments on commercial issues. 

trainees also assist in the bimonthly 

know how meetings, 

presenting recent case law and 

legal updates to the whole team. 

particular highlights of my seat so 

far include attending meetings with 

a major pharmaceutical client in 

relation to potential breaches of 

various supply contracts, drafting 

and amending a multi-million 

pound outsourcing agreement, 

negotiating and drafting terms and 

conditions relating to the 

distribution of a high-profile hair 

care product, and researching and 

advising on product placement 

rules for a children’s toy retailer. 

a seat in the commerce and 

technology department will offer 

you the chance to build commercial 

awareness and gain exposure to a 

range of clients. 

intellectual Property 

Suna Mirza 

if i decided to set up a law firm and 

used the trade mark “sJ Mirza”, 

would i be infringing the “sJ Berwin” 

trade mark? or would i get into 

trouble with the team at polo ralph 

lauren if my designs included 

images of a polo player? 

intellectual property (“ip”) is an 

interesting and dynamic area of law 

and has a key role to play in everyday 

things we take for granted, from the 

compilation of football fixtures to the 

technology behind music downloads. 

the department advises clients in 

relation to all aspects of their ip, 

including trade marks, patents, 

designs, copyright and database 

rights. you will have the opportunity to 

work for high profile clients from a 

range of sectors, including fashion, 

gaming, pharmaceuticals, toys, real 

estate and food and beverages. 

trainees are involved with managing 

the trade mark portfolio for clients. 

you will also find yourself involved in 

high profile litigation, ranging from 

responding to a request to disclose 

documents and preparing your 

client for a deposition as part of 

patent infringement proceedings in 

the Us to researching the 

advertising standards agency’s 

rules in relation to advertising a new 

cosmetic product. there are also 

plenty of opportunities to get 

involved with presenting recent 

cases at the department’s weekly 

know-how meetings or assisting 

with writing articles for client 

updates and ip journals. 

the department is well integrated and 

very supportive, so there is plenty of 

opportunity to work with everyone, 

take responsibility over matters and 

really get stuck in! 

plum – 11

litigation 

victoria Keenan 

we all have certain ideas about 

litigators, that argumentative bunch of 

debate-loving lawyers who have a bit 

of a reputation for stirring things up. 

But what is it really like to sit in the 

litigation department as a trainee? 

one of the best things about the 

department is the sheer variety of 

matters that you will work on. at times, 

working here can be a bit of a 

juggling act, so you’ll need to be very 

organised and manage your time 

well. if you’re lucky, you’ll get to go to 

court, which is a fantastic experience 

and a great way to see how 

everyone’s hard work comes together. 

Don’t worry, you won’t be asked to 

stand up in front of a Master at the 

royal courts of Justice just yet. what 

you can expect is to really get to 

know the ins and outs of your clients’ 

cases. trainees attend client 

meetings, draft letters and emails, 

and generally make sure that 

supervisors are up to date with each 

case’s latest developments. you’ll be 

expected to undertake some of the 

key supporting tasks, such as 

putting together the trial bundles. 

working in this department will really 

hone your writing skills and your 

attention to detail, because it is so 

important to get this right. 

legal research will also become an 

important part of your life. you’ll be 

looking into new clients, getting to 

grips with their business and 

researching points of law (from 

discrete half an hour research tasks 

to those more substantive ones that 

take several days), which can be 

very pleasing for those of you who 

loved to be buried knee-deep in law 

reports at university. 

trainees are involved in the firm’s 

marketing efforts as well, which 

means that you could be writing 

articles about recent legal 

developments or current affairs. 

you’ll be made to feel one of the 

team as everyone is incredibly 

supportive and you’ll have regular 

training sessions to keep you up to 

speed on the latest legislation, case 

law and legislative proposals. 

Reconstruction & insolvency 

Richard Pilgrim 

the range of work that the 

reconstruction and insolvency (“r&i”) 

department covers is one of the most 

diverse in the firm: advising insolvency 

practitioners, directors, creditors or 

prospective purchasers of insolvent 

companies or companies considering 

a solvent restructuring. the work can 

include litigating or defending 

litigation, applying to court for 

directions or consent to litigate, 

transactional work selling, buying or 

restructuring the business or assets of 

distressed companies or groups and 

advising directors on their duties and 

liabilities in the event of an insolvency. 

the r&i department is a small, friendly 

department. as such, trainees are 

afforded a lot of responsibility from the 

outset and you are guaranteed a 

range of work throughout your seat. 

insolvency also adds an interesting 

dimension to the work – insolvency 

practitioners are bound by insolvency 

rules, and do not wish to take 

commercial or personal risk as they 

are essentially agents of the company 

(and receive only their fees), and 

creditors and purchasers use their 

“commercial” advantage to 

manoeuvre behind the scenes to 

achieve the best results for 

themselves. advising directors on 

matters which may involve them being 

personally liable is also interesting. 

given the breadth of work there are 

few typical days. trainees may be 

involved in drafting court documents 

or preparing bundles, drafting 

transactional documents, taking notes 

of meetings with clients, attending 

court and legal research tasks. More 

everyday tasks include drafting the 

internal know-how bulletin and 

preparing presentations on insolvency 

cases for the regular departmental 

know-how meetings. 

financial Markets 

Anne-Marie Sugrue 

the Financial Markets group is a 

pan-european group of specialists 

that advises on all aspects of 

financial regulation in the UK and 

the european jurisdictions where 

sJ Berwin has offices. 

this area of law is rapidly evolving 

due to greater legal scrutiny and 

political intervention as a result of 

the fallout from the financial crisis. 

some of these reforms have been 

well publicised in the media, for 

example the new requirements 

relating to the minimum amounts of 

capital a bank must hold and the 

stricter regulation of alternative 

fund managers under a new 

european Directive. 

in order to perform certain activities in 

the UK and eU, you need to be 

authorised and regulated by the 

Financial services authority (although 

this is soon to be restructured). this 

includes anything from running banks 

and insurers to running a fund 

management business or providing 

corporate finance advice in an M&a 

deal. we assist firms in becoming 

Fsa-authorised and advise on their 

ongoing regulatory responsibilities. 

trainees can be expected to liaise with 

overseas lawyers, draft notes for 

clients on their regulatory requirements 

and assist in putting together 

applications for authorisation. if you 

prefer contentious work there is the 

opportunity to advise on the 

enforcement side of regulation, for 

example you might compile responses 

to Fsa enforcement notices on behalf 

of clients. the work and clients are 

unparalleled - i have spotted the 

matter i have been working on that 

Friday a couple of days later in the 

sunday newspapers! 


Real Estate 

hannah Cooper 

British land, the crown estate and 

M&s are just a few of the high profile 

clients represented by sJ Berwin’s 

real estate department. such a 

prestigious client base creates a 

variety of interesting and complex 

property deals for trainees to get their 

teeth into. By the end of their seat, 

whether grabbing a sandwich or 

going shopping, a real estate trainee 

will be spotting properties that they 

have worked on throughout london. 

on larger scale transactions such as 

the disposal of a property for British 

land, the trainee plays a 

fundamental role in keeping track of 

documents and correspondence 

and liaising with support 

departments. trainees also play a 

key role in keeping all members of 

the team informed of progress, often 

being relied upon by associates and 

partners to provide updates. 

the high value property transactions 

and development projects that 

appear in the press make up a large 

extent of the work, but the day-today 

management of property 

portfolios such as regent street, 

which is owned by the crown estate, 

also make up a considerable 

proportion of work in the 

department. typical trainee tasks 

include management matters, such 

as a licence for a tenant to alter their 

premises, drafting and negotiating 

licences and liaising directly with the 

client and the tenant’s solicitors. this 

early responsibility greatly improves 

the ability of the trainee to manage 

cases, a skill which will be invaluable 

upon qualification. 

supervision and training are at the 

core of the department so whether 

the trainee is assisting on a 

significant transaction or negotiating 

a licence they will always have 

guidance on hand. a seat in real 

estate is challenging because 

trainees are often dealing with many 

matters at once but it is a fantastic 

opportunity to gain insight into the 

responsibilities you will face as a 

newly qualified lawyer. 

Property litigation 

hannah o’Connor 

as the only trainee in the property 

litigation department, you are given 

a fantastic insight into a variety of 

issues across the real estate 

spectrum, including lease renewals, 

break clauses, squatter evictions, 

forfeiture and dilapidation claims to 

name but a few. 

as work in the department is 

litigious, trainees will be expected 

to assist with formal court 

proceedings which may involve 

reviewing pleadings, drafting 

orders, diarising deadlines, 

co-ordinating parties and, naturally, 

bundling. property litigation also 

allows trainees the opportunity to 

draft contentious letters, draft 

advice to clients, research a wide 

range of issues and updates in the 

law and manage pro-bono cases. 

trainees are also encouraged to 

participate in client calls and 

attend meetings and hearings. 

the department is a small team, 

which gives trainees a greater 

degree of responsibility and the 

opportunity to work closely with the 

entire team, who are always available 

to provide any guidance or support 

if needed. property litigation is a 

thoroughly recommended seat 

where you will receive great training 

and the chance to really engage in 

some fascinating aspects of 

property law. 

Corporate Real Estate 

Alex henderson 

the corporate real estate team is 

part of the real estate department 

but its work is a mix of corporate, 

funds and finance in the real estate 

sector. the team falls within the real 

estate department because it 

advises clients on a range of 

transactions where the underlying 

asset is always real estate. the work 

is at the cutting edge of innovative 

structuring and commercial advice 

so the team is in high demand 

throughout the city and acts for a 

number of high profile clients. 

trainees gain broad corporate 

experience and will deal with funds 

as well as corporate structures and 

joint venture arrangements. Despite 

the name, there is no ‘real estate’ 

work beyond liaising with real 

estate colleagues. trainees are 

often invited to meetings with clients 

and are encouraged to develop a 

full understanding of the transaction 

rather than complete discrete tasks. 

there is a lot of responsibility and 

plenty of opportunities to develop 

your drafting. 

trainees are given a lot of freedom 

to manage aspects of the 

transaction such as producing 

ancillary documents and 

maintaining completion agendas 

and are expected to keep things 

moving. this, together with busy, 

fast moving clients, can make for a 

daunting challenge to trainees but 

presents the opportunity for 

significant development to those 

willing to take it on. 


16 – plum 

oUr oFFices 

in BrUssels, 

MaDriD, Milan, 

MUnicH paris anD 

lonDon worK 

togetHer on a 

regUlar Basis 

Eu, Competition & Regulatory 

Saraswan Mukherjee 

eU, competition and regulatory is 

one of the most prominent 

departments in the firm attracting 

high-profile companies on a regular 

basis and providing the opportunity 

to work on multi-jurisdictional 

matters. a seat in this department 

also offers an opportunity to engage 

with regulatory frameworks relating 

to public procurement, telecom, 

water and electricity in addition to 

competition law. our offices in 

Brussels, Madrid, Milan, Munich, 

paris and london work together on a 

regular basis and there is a 

possibility of being sent to Brussels 

for a seat. 

competition law aims to preserve 

and enhance the degree of 

competition in the market where 

required by prohibiting anticompetitive 

practices such as price 

fixing, bid rigging and market 

sharing. it scrutinises the behaviour 

of dominant firms in the market and 

seeks to determine if it is abusive. sJ 

Berwin represents clients under 

investigation by national and 

european competition authorities or 

seeking clearance from regulators 

for proposed mergers, acquisitions 

or joint ventures. the eU, 

competition and regulatory 

department at sJ Berwin also 

provides compliance advice to 

corporate entities and acts for third 

parties in merger investigations both 

at a national and an eU level. 

the tasks one may expect as a 

trainee in this department include 

research, analysis of the market 

structure, carrying out merger filing 

analysis and responding to 

questionnaires sent by regulators 

on behalf of the clients. 

Distinguished scholars are invited 

to speak at departmental seminars 

on know-how and trainees are 

responsible for editing the weekly 

departmental newsletter that is 

circulated to clients. 

Construction 

natasha hartrup 

as a trainee within the construction 

team you have the opportunity to get 

involved with a variety of work with 

some of the firm’s blue-chip clients 

and the team is increasingly involved 

in international energy and 

infrastructure work and UK-related 

development work. 

trainees in the construction team 

have a significant amount of 

responsibility from the outset. For 

example, if building works have 

been carried out at a particular 

development, a trainee will be 

responsible for ensuring that the 

tenant or landlord has received third 

party rights notices or collateral 

warranties giving them a right of 

action against the party that has 

carried out the works. 

the seat also offers you the chance to 

work alongside other departments, 

for example, you could find yourself 

working with the Finance team on a 

series of care home projects. you will 

be required to ensure that all 

construction documentation has been 

received from the relevant parties and 

is in an agreed form. the team also 

advises throughout the life of projects 

on disputes that may arise during or 

after construction and you may be 

asked to carry out research on 

aspects of claims. 

sitting within the construction team 

allows you to use and expand upon 

your knowledge of contract law 

and assists your understanding of 

how contracts, deeds, assignments 

and novations operate in relation to 

each other. there is always drafting 

work to be done and trainees will 

often be asked to amend 

appointments for architects, project 

managers and engineers. 

plum – 17

Planning & Environment 

verity Ellis 

the planning and environment group 

is recognised as one of the leading 

teams in the UK. the department 

advises clients on specific matters 

and supports the corporate real 

estate and Finance departments on 

large deals as part of the due 

diligence process. 

the planning practice is involved in 

high-profile development projects, 

drafting and negotiating complex 

planning agreements between 

developers and local authorities, 

identifying planning issues on real 

estate and corporate transactions 

and dealing with appeals against 

refusals to grant planning permission. 

work in the environmental practice 

may relate to issues such as 

contaminated land, nature 

conservation, pollution control, waste 

management, renewable energy and 

compliance with UK and european 

environmental policy and regulations. 

the team is also highly involved with 

the wider energy and infrastructure 

sector within the firm. 

a trainee in the planning and 

environment group can get involved 

with a wide range of tasks, whether it 

be research into aspects of planning 

and environmental policy and law or 

assisting with drafting documents in 

relation to large developments. 

trainees also assist with the business 

development side of the department, 

drafting sector updates for key 

clients and helping to choose 

interesting topics for bulletins. as this 

is a contentious seat you are also 

very likely to be dealing with judicial 

review cases, which is a fantastic 

opportunity to understand both the 

court process and get to grips with 

every aspect of the case you are 

working on. 

Employment 

Matthew Pearson 

employment and pensions is a 

popular seat at sJ Berwin, and if you 

are lucky enough to join the team for 

six months, you can expect to join a 

fun and outgoing group and 

experience a good variety of 

contentious and non-contentious work. 

your seat could include work from any 

of the following areas: 

Contentious – you will assist the team 

in acting for corporates or high-networth 

individuals in defending or 

bringing claims in the employment 

tribunal (examples include unfair 

dismissal, whistleblowing or 

discrimination), drafting and 

negotiating compromise agreements 

and researching points of law. 

non-contentious – you will almost 

certainly be given the opportunity to 

draft an executive’s service agreement 

or a consultancy agreement. i have 

drafted a variety of documents, from 

compromise agreements through to 

helping prepare a guest policy for a 

major international hotel chain. 

Corporate – a large part of the work 

the team does is assisting on 

corporate deals, where there will 

almost always be employment issues 

to consider. as a trainee, you can 

expect to assist with reviewing 

documentation for due diligence 

exercises and drafting reports, 

through to helping draft warranties 

and indemnities in sale and 

purchase agreements. 

in addition, you will be responsible for 

preparing and presenting the weekly 

know-how session to the team, which 

really helps you gain a solid grounding 

in the general principles of 

employment law. you will also 

participate in regular client seminars 

the team holds which are always both 

interesting and entertaining. 

tax 

Patrick hamm 

sJ Berwin’s tax department is one of 

the largest in the city, with a range of 

expertise to support the tax needs of 

all of our clients, whether they are 

financial institutions, corporates, 

private funds or high-net-worth 

individuals. the department 

specialises in a mixture of advisory 

and transactional work, including 

advising on and implementing tax 

efficient structures, explaining 

complex statutory requirements, 

drafting and negotiating agreements 

and advising on a taxpayer’s 

obligations to HMrc. 

During my time in the department, i 

have been involved in a wide variety of 

different matters. i have helped to 

advise our investment Funds team on 

specific tax implications of setting up 

and raising new funds. the evolving 

nature of tax law brings particular 

challenges to this area and it is a 

frequent task to analyse important 

pieces of proposed tax legislation and 

consider the impact they could have 

on our clients. examining corporate 

structures and their tax treatment is 

also a common trainee task in the 

department and i have recently 

assisted with different pieces of 

advice on the tax consequences of 

international structures operating in 

the UK. 

tax is integral to many of sJ Berwin’s 

clients as it can have significant 

financial consequences and helping to 

provide valuable solutions to complex 

tax problems is exciting and insightful. 

while the volume of complex law will 

lead to moments of blissful ignorance 

as a trainee, making progress in this 

area of law is incredibly valuable for 

you and our clients. 


foRE ign 

Ex ChAngE 

DubA i 

bRuSSElS 

MADR i D 

PAR i S 

hong Kong 

fRAnKfuRt 


Dubai 

Andrew Erskine 

Dubai is a unique place to live and work in; 

from the heat and the sand to the towering 

landscape all around. it is a bustling city 

and this is reflected in the office. the 

secondment to Dubai is currently a 

litigation/arbitration seat and you will gain 

great experience in some interesting cases 

and aspects of law, in a jurisdiction which is 

still developing from day-to-day. the work is 

diverse and busy, with the prospect of 

having to deal with several different 

jurisdictions and legal frameworks, in what is 

the relatively compact geographical area of 

Dubai. as global recognition of the Dubai 

international arbitration centre continues to 

increase, the work and issues that arise 

constantly produce new solutions and 

developments. after the major deterioration 

in the property market in 2008 Dubai is 

slowly beginning to build again and the city 

is constantly busy with almost unlimited 

activities and events on offer. 

the office is small but growing all the time 

with an excellent team spirit. the 

accommodation is a good size and 

currently situated just outside the centre of 

town, but the metro commute on the 

automated trains still beats any journey in 

london. there is plenty of exploring to do 

and an excellent social life to get involved 

with, particularly revolving around trainees 

from other firms. you may not get the expat 

tax breaks but the rest of the experience is 

well worth six months out of london. 

brussels 

Caroline Selman 

if eU and competition law is your thing, 

then where better to do it than Brussels, the 

(un)official capital of europe, with the 

commission on your doorstep and the 

european parliament in sight? 

the quality of work is excellent. without a 

bundling task in sight, you’ll find yourself 

involved with research, drafting or 

attending meetings at the commission. 

whilst i have mainly been involved with 

work relating to eU and competition, the 

Brussels office also carries out a wide 

range of other work, from corporate to 

shipping law. the team consists of people 

from all over europe and beyond and a 

walk down the corridor may mean passing 

a conversation in Flemish, French, italian or 

spanish. although it isn’t necessary to 

speak French (the working language is 

english) it is an excellent opportunity to 

brush up on your language skills. 

the Brussels trainee network provides you 

with an instant group of people to meet 

and socialise with, whilst a trip to place lux 

on a thursday night will quickly 

demonstrate that Brussels is bursting with 

young professionals. Brussels has a wealth 

of bars and restaurants for you to indulge 

in waffles, moules-frites or steak americain. 

Brugge and ghent are just a short train 

ride away (or why not jump on the thalys 

and have a weekend in paris?). 

overall, the Brussels seat is unlikely to be 

one you regret, allowing you to combine 

interesting and challenging work with living 

in a unique and exciting environment. 

Madrid 

Emily Morton 

although the Madrid seat counts as a 

corporate seat, and i have supported 

associates and partners on a variety of 

corporate transactions, i have worked with 

many other departments, such as the 

litigation, arbitration and real estate teams. 

this allows you to improve your 

understanding of different areas of spanish 

law and enables you to work with most 

people in the office. you are given a lot of 

responsibility from day one. i’m currently 

drafting a statement of claim for arbitration, 

helping out on some corporate due 

diligence and doing some translations for 

planning and real estate. i have been 

working in a mixture of english and spanish 

which has improved my language skills on a 

daily basis and has meant that i have had 

exposure to international clients. 

the social side of la vida española is 

unique. whilst (contrary to popular belief) 

spaniards work hard, they also play hard 

too. you will be living in a modern flat in 

Malasaña (the “shoreditch” of Madrid), 

next to a little square full of bars and cafés 

which becomes really lively at evenings 

and weekends, and which is only a twenty 

minute walk from the office. the Madrid 

office is much smaller than the london 

office and is located in the heart of 

Madrid’s high end shopping district, Barrio 

de salamanca. everyone has been very 

welcoming, there is always someone 

around if you fancy some cañas/tapas and 

we frequently go out on Friday and 

saturday nights. 

i would highly recommend the Madrid seat 

to anyone who has a good grounding in 

spanish. living and working in one of 

europe’s most lively cities is proving to be 

an invaluable and unforgettable experience. 

Paris 

Charlotte Symes and Mariam Akanbi 

there are two seats available to london 

trainees in sJ Berwin’s paris office: you 

can choose either investment Funds or 

corporate Mergers and acquisitions. Both 

seats provide a fantastic opportunity in 

terms of work and cultural experience. 

in the corporate seat you will be working on 

French matters and providing assistance to 

members of the team by translating 

contracts from French into english, drafting 

english legal documents, managing 

completion checklists and carrying out legal 

research. some knowledge of French is 

useful as it allows you to become involved in 

a greater breadth of work and the chance to 

integrate into the French speaking team. you 

will be immediately immersed into the 

language on a daily basis. 

in the investment Funds seat you will be 

working in english. the work is varied and 

international, so you may work on funds 

domiciled in France, luxemburg, Mauritius 

and the UK. trainee tasks include 

responding to client queries, carrying out 

research on new regulations and laws or 

on the requirements for setting up a fund. 

you may also be asked to draft the 

summary of terms and risk factors for a 

fund’s private placement memorandum 

and to create first drafts of the limited 

partnership agreement and subscription 

agreement for a fund. 

it is extremely important to take your coffee 

and lunch breaks seriously – a sandwich at 

your desk is a definite no! this is a great 

opportunity to sample all the great cafés 

and restaurants nearby. at the weekend 

you can visit one of the many galleries, 

museums or simply become the ultimate 

flâneur! you could take a Macaron making 

class, discover the city on a velib’ bicycle 

(the Boris bike of paris) or see a jazz show. 

Most places in France are easily accessible 

and there will be around 40 other trainees 

from london in other law firms’ paris offices 

so there are plenty of opportunities to 

make new friends! 

hong Kong 

Josie liao 

i thoroughly enjoyed spending three months 

in our Hong Kong office. it is a relatively 

small team so my level of responsibility and 

client contact was high. 

the work was varied, and i was able to turn 

my hand to a range of matters comprising a 

good mixture of corporate and litigation 

work for a variety of clients from Hong Kong, 

mainland china and elsewhere. one of my 

main responsibilities was dealing with a 

massive restructuring of a group of chinese 

companies who operate designer goods 

stores. this task included setting up several 

offshore vehicles. this was a great 

opportunity to get to grips with working in a 

different language and culture as well as 

honing my case management skills. 

i had a high end serviced apartment 

located just a short stroll away from the 

heart of the city, which is lucky as the food 

and nightlife in Hong Kong are second to 

none: it truly is the asian city that never 

sleeps. the streets are full of great 

restaurants offering a stunning array of 

cuisines, from traditional cantonese food 

such as Dim sum, to other authentic asian 

dishes, as well as western fare – the vast 

choice of sushi bars was a personal 

favourite. Hong Kong also knows how to 

party and many times i found myself in the 

lively lan Kwai Fong district sipping a 

cocktail with colleagues after work. the rest 

of asia is on your doorstep for weekend 

getaways with singapore, shanghai, taiwan 

and tokyo within easy reach. all in all a 

great seat! 

frankfurt 

Adele behles 

the Frankfurt seat is principally a corporate 

seat, however, you may be required to assist 

other departments. For example, i have also 

been involved in work for both the eU and 

real estate departments. 

there is no equivalent “trainee” role in 

germany which, coupled with the size of 

the corporate team in Frankfurt (around 20 

people), means that you are treated more 

like an associate than a trainee. During my 

seat i travelled to clients as the sole sJ 

Berwin representative and was also able to 

represent clients at notary appointments. 

a good level of german is essential as, 

although everyone speaks english and a lot 

of work is drafted in both english and 

german, the better your german is the more 

variety of work you can get involved with. 

During my seat, the office relocated to a 

new building in the heart of the city, with 

a view over the opera house. 

accommodation is provided in the west 

end, a stone’s throw from the office and 

the city centre. Frankfurt is more relaxed 

than london whilst retaining all the 

benefits of a big city, including a diverse 

nightlife. plenty of events take place 

throughout the year, ranging from 

christmas markets, where you can sample 

glühwein, to street festivals in the summer 

where Frankfurt’s very own ebbelwoi and 

grüne soße are a must try. 

Frankfurt is a great city to live and work in 

and a seat in Frankfurt is a fantastic 

opportunity to gain practical experience 

as well as an appreciation for how 

cross-border transactions are conducted. 


timeout 

Marks & Spencer 

Jordan hurwitz 

working within a client of the firm, which 

also happens to be one of the UK’s 

leading and most reputable retailers, is 

not something that every trainee solicitor 

gets the opportunity to do. as such, 

working in-house at Marks & spencer 

(M&s) is something that i feel very 

privileged to be doing. 

i spent six months in M&s’s commercial 

contracts division and obtained a great 

insight into the inner workings of the 

company. i was given a great deal of 

responsibility and independence and 

drafted and reviewed a wide variety of 

commercial and it agreements. i would 

often attend meetings with individuals 

from across the business to take 

instructions and better understand their 

commercial requirements. as a result, my 

drafting skills and commercial awareness 

developed significantly and, in case you 

were wondering, working at M&s does 

mean M&s food for lunch every day! 

Being integrated into a client’s team is an 

eye-opener in the sense that you experience 

business operations first-hand, thereby 

developing a detailed understanding of the 

business and its culture. it is that knowledge 

and understanding which enables a private 

practice solicitor to provide the highest 

possible level of service, bespoke to each 

individual client, which sJ Berwin always 

seeks to achieve. 

a client secondment offers variation to 

your training contract, is a great addition 

to your cv and is an experience that i 

could not recommend highly enough. 

Westfield 

Josephine Curry 

another one of the client secondments 

available to trainees is at westfield’s head 

office in Holborn. westfield operates one 

of the world’s largest shopping centre 

portfolios with 110 shopping centres 

across australia, Brazil, new zealand, the 

UK and the Us. 

the seat involves a broad range of 

commercial and corporate work. one day 

is never the same as the last but my work 

typically includes reviewing, drafting and 

negotiating documents including 

agreements and licences dealing with 

confidentiality, pr and marketing, 

sponsorship, brand alliance, filming in the 

centres and experiential bookings. as well 

as taking instructions from internal clients 

such as members of the Marketing, 

events, it, Finance and Hr teams, i 

regularly liaise and negotiate direct with 

commercial contacts and their legal 

advisers on the other side. 

westfield regularly hosts high-profile 

events and celebrity appearances – for 

example i worked on the contracts for the 

“avengers assemble” premiere at 

westfield london and was invited along to 

the premiere! westfield’s status as an 

olympic sponsor and the proximity of 

westfield stratford city to the olympic site 

has also meant that i have been exposed 

to a wide variety of olympic work. 

this is a fast-paced seat that is a great 

way to develop client contact skills and 

experience life in-house. it would suit 

trainees who want to get a lot of 

responsibility and independence and to 

gain a unique perspective on the firm’s 

role as an external legal adviser from the 

client’s perspective. 

MA in law with business 

Adam Runcorn 

sJ Berwin offers its trainees the opportunity to study 

for a Masters in law with Business alongside their 

training contract. the Masters programme allows 

trainees to develop their commercial understanding 

of the strategic and financial challenges facing our 

clients and is a great opportunity for trainees to set 

themselves apart by developing their understanding 

of the needs of the client and the rationale behind 

the client’s strategic decisions. it’s also helpful for 

understanding the finance terminology that is 

commonly used in client meetings! 

the Masters is divided into two classroom-based 

modules on “Business analysis and strategy” and 

“Business Finance” and two independent research 

projects, one of which is conducted as part of a 

client placement. the client placement enables 

trainees to investigate the business dynamics of a 

key commercial sector for one of sJ Berwin’s clients 

and report their findings in a board room style 

presentation to the Bpp tutors, sJ Berwin training 

partners and the client. i was lucky enough to spend 

two weeks in zurich working in the strategy and 

M&a department of amcor (as well as spending a 

weekend skiing with some of the team!). the client 

placement allows trainees to build lasting client 

relationships whilst gaining a better understanding 

of the complex array of commercial pressures that 

our clients face. 


SLOWE 

YOU WANT 

TO BE 

A LAWYER? 

DESCRIBED BY LEGAL 

DIRECTORIES AS “TENACIOUS” AND 

“HAVING GRAVITAS TO DEAL WITH 

THE HEAVYWEIGHT SLOGS”, 

RICHARD SLOWE HAS HAD A 

VARIED CAREER. HAVING FIRST 

QUALIFIED AS A SOLICITOR, HE 

THEN CROSSED OVER TO THE BAR, 

BEFORE JOINING SJ BERWIN IN 

1990 AS HEAD OF THE ADVOCACY 

GROUP. HE THEN BECAME THE 

FIRST SOLICITOR ADVOCATE TO 

APPEAR IN THE HIGH COURT. 

WILL LAWRENCE AND 

VICTORIA KEENAN MOVED 

IN TO FIND OUT WHAT 

PEARLS OF WISDOM HIS 

TIME WITH SJ BERWIN HAS 

YIELDED OVER THE YEARS. 

Your CV says you are a commercial 

strategy specialist. What does this 

mean exactly? 

I like fighting wars, not battles. I 

prefer thinking things through at the 

strategic level; deciding the best 

course of action and watching things 

pan out. You get a great sense of 

progress without the nitty-gritty of 

the detail. 

Did you always want to be a lawyer? 

I wanted to be a ski instructor or a 

gigolo but wasn’t up to it! I suppose I 

fell into law to some degree. My father 

was a lawyer and so, when my elder 

brother went into property, it was 

assumed that I would go into law. 

What made you choose SJ Berwin 

after practising at the bar and being 

head of chambers for 14 years? 

I had done a lot of work at the bar 

with SJ Berwin and I liked what I saw. 

I looked around at other firms (big 

and small), but SJ Berwin had this 

entrepreneurial feel to it; it was 

young, dynamic and moving up in 

the world. There was a feeling of 

excitement about the place. 

Having been at the firm since it was 

much smaller how do you think it 

has evolved over the years? 

The firm has changed with age, as 

everything does; youth turns to 

middle age. The firm is much larger 

now, and it’s harder to be as 

entrepreneurial when you’re bigger. 

It’s not like you can meet with five 

partners in a room and make a 

decision about the future of the 

practice; more people need to be 

involved in decisions, and this takes 

longer. Still dynamic and relatively 

young, yes, but it’s a grown-up 

business now. 

Is it true that you had a night out 

with Catherine Zeta-Jones? 

The firm was instructed by OK! in the 

House of Lords. OK! had bought the 

rights to the CZ-J wedding photos 

but rival magazine Hello! published 

them first having taken them 

surreptitiously during the ceremony. 

We were on a no-win-no-fee 

conditional fee agreement. We lost 

outright on the part of the case we 

thought we would win and just 

scraped home on the part we 

thought we would lose! So in the end 

we won what was a very exciting 

case that was right at the forefront of 

the developing law on the right to 

privacy. After all that I deserved an 

evening with CZ-J as my bonus but I 

am not telling whether I got it or my 

partners will want their share! 

AFTER 

ALL THAT 

I DESERVED 

AN EVENING 

WITH CATHERINE 

ZETA-JONES 

AS MY BONUS 

You must have been involved in 

some amusing cases over the years. 

They were nearly all amusing to me 

even if not to my clients. I acted for 

the man who broke into Buckingham 

Palace and sat on the Queen’s bed 

and I acted for mercenaries who 

sent guns to Sierra Leone. It was all 

fun right to the end. My very last 

case at the bar was all about a 

Bentley known as “Old Number 

One”, so called because in 1929 it 

entered the Le Mans race and 

because its engine capacity of 6 

litres was the largest in the field it 

was assigned the race number of 

No.1. It was in the process of being 

sold to my client Scimitar for £10 

million (that’s the company that used 

to make the Robin Reliant three 

wheelers), only it had had so many 

repairs done over the years that 

Scimitar didn’t believe it was the 

original anymore. The question the 

court had to decide was: when is 

a rebuilt car a new car? Well, 

unfortunately, we lost the case. 

Scimitar went bust and the vendor ran 

off to South Africa with the proceeds 

before his bank could get them! 

What is the biggest trainee mistake 

you can recall? 

I was in the High Court and the 

judge took issue with my pupil’s 

notes. He said he couldn’t read them 

and told me to ask my pupil to read 

them out. I turned around to my 

pupil, only to find him fast asleep 

and snoring. He’s now a successful 

QC in Leeds. 

What qualities do you think make 

a good trainee? 

The power of analysis and a logical 

mind. It’s really the ability to look at 

a situation critically and form an 

opinion on a solution. All too often 

trainees give all the reasons why 

something can’t be done, without a 

solution. Excellent trainees have the 

courage to stand up and say ‘we 

should do it this way’. Although I will 

always ask for a trainee’s opinion, 

sometimes you have to make your 

opinion known to others. 

Is there any advice you have 

for applicants? 

Passion. When I started I used to have 

to wear a bowler hat and a stiff collar. 

Things are a little more relaxed in 

terms of dress now, but the hours are 

not. I only used to work from 9:30am to 

5:30pm with a good hour for lunch for 

a game of snooker. The hours people 

work now are longer across the City. 

So if I have any advice it is that you 

must have a passion for the law or you 

won’t enjoy it. 


london 

Calling 

we take a look at some of the best 

places to live near to sJ Berwin’s london 

office and also select some of our 

favourite places of interest in the area. 


a stone’s 

throw from 

the office 

1 the Shard 

standing 309.6 metres, the shard 

is the tallest building in the eU. 

2 tate Modern 

Housing the UK’s collection of 

modern and contemporary art 

from 1900 to the present day. 

3 the folly 

one of london’s hot new 

dining destinations. 

4 the globe 

catch a unique performance at 

shakespeare’s globe. 

5 one new Change 

enjoy a spot of retail therapy. 

6 oyster Shed 

a unique gastro pub on the bank 

of the thames. 

7 borough Market 

the only fully independent market 

in london. 

8 taylor St baristas 

in search of great coffee in london? 

look no further. 

9 St Paul’s Cathedral 

visit one of the most famous and 

recognisable sights of london. 

3 

1 

4 

5 

6 

2 

30 – plum plum – 31 

7 

8 

9

dalston 

Monthly rental: £800 

transport to work: overground 

to shoreditch and then walk 

Monthly cost to get to work: £60 

travel time: 30 minutes 

Battersea 

(clapham Junction) 


transport to work: overground and tube 

Monthly cost to get to work: £112.20 


west 

hampstead 

Monthly rental: £750-850 

transport to work: tube or the 

city thameslink 



aldgate 

east 

holland park 


transport to work: walk 




transport to work: tube or bicycle 

Monthly cost of getting to work: tube £116 


London 

Bridge 





South 

kensington 


transport to work: tube 



waterloo 





Victoria park 


transport to work: cycle 



angel 


transport to work: walk or tube 


travel time: 40 minute walk or 10 

minutes on the tube 

clapham 

Monthly rental: £600-700 

transport to work: tube 



where 

to live 


sectors 

During your training contract with sJ Berwin you will ‘sit’ in four 

departments over two years: however, this does not mean that you 

will simply be liaising with your immediate colleagues, you will also 

be part of a “sector” at the same time. 

What is a Sector? 

the firm is moving towards a “one Firm” approach which 

means that all departments in all offices have the same 

strategic vision and work together in order to achieve this 

vision. in order to implement this across the firm, sJ 

Berwin utilises cross-departmental “sectors”. 

sectors reach across the different departments and 

encourage people in different parts of the firm to work 

together. therefore, when you start as a trainee at sJ 

Berwin, if you have a particular interest in a specific 

sector, you can follow that one sector through your 

different departments and, if you decide to do a client or 

overseas secondment or complete the Ma law with 

Business in conjunction with Bpp and undertake the final 

module with a client, you can tailor those choices to your 

chosen sector. 

34 – plum 

What Sectors does SJ berwin have? 

some of the sectors we have at sJ Berwin include: 

• communications, Media and technology 

• Betting and gaming 

• Healthcare 

• Financial institutions 

• retail 

how do Sectors work in practice? 

the chart on the opposite page demonstrates how our 

“retail sector” works in relation to one of our clients, 

M&s, and how you might be involved with retail related 

work in your different departments. you can, of course, 

be involved with your specific sector in different 

departments that are not shown below (for instance, the 

firm has retail clients in corporate, intellectual property, 

employment and reconstruction and insolvency), this is 

simply figurative of how one client, in the retail sector, 

crosses departments and types of work. it is anticipated 

that, as the firms grows and gains more clients, the 

departments in each sector will increase. 

Case Study: Marks & spencer 

real estate 

we advise M&s on mainstream real estate transactional 

work. in particular, we have been instructed by M&s on 

a number of high profile property transactions 

including the new westfield store in 

stratford and working with the paris 

office, M&s’s store on the 

champs elysees. 

construction 

we review building 

contracts and other 

construction 

documents relating to 

M&s’s properties. we 

help to ensure the 

buildings are in an 

acceptable state 

before they are 

handed over to M&s 

and that, if there are 

problems with the 

building works, M&s have 

recourse against the 

contractors (and other 

relevant parties) involved in the 

construction of their properties. 

property Litigation 

M&s have over 700 stores in the UK and each 

has a chain of leases, a range of licences and the 

potential to become the subject of a dispute. the work 

largely involves issuing lease renewal proceedings at 

county courts all over the country. there are also more 

substantial parts of litigation, for example, we have 

worked on a service charge dispute where there was 

disagreement over the sum owed by M&s to the landlord. 

tax 

we advise M&s on an ad hoc basis in relation to tax 

matters that arise out of other matters, for instance, we 

recently advised M&s on the vat treatment of 

beauty products supplied to M&s (in the 

UK) from a supplier established 

outside the UK and with no place 

of business in the UK. 

Berlin Brussels Dubai Frankfurt Hong Kong london Madrid Mila 

n Munich paris shanghai 

eu 

commerce & 

technology 

we are currently 

advising M&s on their 

newly-launched 

beauty range, and 

on the restructuring 

of M&s’s UK 

logistics supply 

chain in order to 

rationalise the number 

of warehouses and 

suppliers used by M&s 

in the UK. this involves 

negotiating, drafting and 

finalising contracts and 

undertaking any necessary 

due diligence. 

we advise M&s on a variety of matters, 

including their relationships with suppliers, the 

interaction of intellectual property and competition law, 

regulatory work relating to the supply of electricity, and 

the use of land as grocery stores. 

plum – 35

corporate 

responsibility 

36 – plum 

For SJ Berwin, Cr iS not JuSt aBout “Doing gooD” 

– more than anything it iS aBout “gooD BuSineSS” 

anD our Cr programme iS a FoCal point For thiS 

reading Scheme 

guy francis, trainee 

every tuesday lunchtime around 

10 volunteers (including partners, 

associates and trainees) from sJ Berwin 

are whisked away in cabs to the 

riverside primary school in southwark 

to assist pupils in year four with their 

reading. we sit (in tiny chairs!) and listen 

to the children read various books and 

articles, helping them with the more 

difficult sections and discuss the text to 

help improve their comprehension skills. 

Many of the children we listen to do not 

get the opportunity to practise reading 

at home and this scheme gives the 

children’s confidence a real boost. 

the scheme is rewarding, great fun to 

participate in and always makes for 

a pleasant break from the office! 

Mentor Scheme 

Emma Murie, trainee 

sJ Berwin runs a mentor scheme with the charter school. partners, associates and 

trainees give pastoral and academic support to students aged 14 and above. 

i currently mentor a gcse student who is preparing for her French speaking exam 

on leisure activities and hobbies. our meetings mostly involve chatting away in French 

about zumba classes (what is the French for ‘zumba’?!) and the recent plotline of 

neuf zéro Deux Un zéro (or 90210). it’s hugely rewarding to see the improvement in 

her confidence after only a few sessions et c’est bon pour moi aussi parce que je 

voudrais pratiquer mon Français! 

Charity work 

Max Krasner, trainee 

sJ Berwin is proud to say that, even in these 

troubled times, we have not lost our sense 

of corporate social responsibility. each 

year the firm elects one or more specific 

charities to support for the coming year. 

all members of staff, in all offices, at all 

levels, are encouraged to nominate 

worthwhile causes. the proposals are then 

voted on by the firm. this year, ray Black, a 

partner in the ip department was successful 

in his proposal to support the nspcc, the 

British Heart Foundation, norwood and 

cancer research UK. in order to raise more 

money than we have ever achieved before, 

ray is cycling across the Usa. we are also 

organising numerous events including 

running (or in some cases staggering) up all 

of the gherkin’s steps, table tennis 

tournaments, quiz nights, cinema nights and 

a zumba-thon (not to be confused with a 

zumba-thong, which is a real thing - google 

it). there has been a fantastic demand for 

all the charity events and initiatives 

organised this year and trainees have 

played a big part in its success. Being a 

trainee isn’t all about document 

management and impressing your 

supervisors (though it’s mainly about that), 

sometimes you have the opportunity to help 

make a real difference. charity work is fun 

and rewarding, so sign up, get involved and 

be part of the next big charity challenge. 

plum – 37

london Marathon 

nicola Kerr, Partner 

when you join sJ Berwin you can become 

involved in fundraising for the charities we 

support, and i would encourage you to do 

so. this year i “ran” the london Marathon to 

raise money for the British Heart Foundation, 

one of sJ Berwin’s charities of the year. 

Having run a few marathons 20 years ago, 

in a sprightly manner, i seriously 

underestimated the effects of age and 

weight gain. those who witnessed me 

running (ok stumbling) along the thames 

path will have gathered i am no athlete. 

stick-wielding octogenarians urged me to 

speed up, brisk walkers over-took me, and 

complete strangers felt obliged to yell 

support. so the training was uncomfortable, 

undignified and slow – although nothing 

compared to a broken heart, plainly. 

the generous donations made by 

colleagues and clients inspired me to keep 

going and to outpace a couple of rhinos 

(although a herd finished ahead) and 

runners heaving large metallic structures. 

My worst fears were unfounded: quitting/ 

walking was not an option (the st John’s 

ambulance brigade circled nervously on 

motorbikes but didn’t intervene), lucozade 

and day light lasted until i got there, the 

road opening behind me was less inhibiting 

than pedestrians with shopping bags and 

push chairs crossing in front, i managed to 

wee in a park without getting arrested, 

vaseline was not required until mile 22, the 

skies didn’t open until mile 23 (causing my 

husband and sons to abandon the British 

Heart Foundation cheering post at mile 24). 

Hideous: but worthwhile. Broken hearts will 

be mended! 

Choir 

Kevin Carpenter, trainee 

the sJ Berwin choir was formed in 

conjunction with singingworks. we meet 

every Monday from 6pm to practise singing 

(although there is a lot of chatting too). we 

sing a wide range of musical genres 

ranging from “primal scream” at charity 

concerts to Handel’s “ombra Mai Fu”. 

sometimes we meet just to sing and 

release the stresses of the day, other times 

we are more focussed on specific events 

such as practising sinatra’s “Fly Me to 

the Moon” which we sang at the office 

choir of the year competition at christies 

auction House (and for which we received 

rave reviews from the judging panel). 

singing in the sJ Berwin choir allows me 

to meet members of staff from all areas of 

the firm, move outside of my comfort zone, 

work in a team and have a lot of fun. it 

doesn’t matter if you can’t read music or 

have no previous experience: as long as 

you have enthusiasm we look forward to 

welcoming you. 

singing in tHe sJ Berwin 

cHoir allows Me to 

Meet MeMBers oF staFF FroM 

all areas oF tHe FirM, Move 

oUtsiDe oF My coMFort 

zone, worK in a teaM anD 

Have a lot oF FUn. 

Privy Council 

appeals 

tom homfray, trainee 

sJ Berwin encourages its trainees to be 

involved in pro bono (i.e. not-for-profit) work 

during their training contracts. During my 

litigation seat i assisted with a caribbean 

armed robbery case. we represented the 

appellant who had already served 10 years 

of a lengthy prison term in the Bahamas for 

his part in “holding up” a restaurant. the 

appeal was heard before the privy council 

(the Bahamas being a commonwealth 

nation). My role was to support my 

colleagues and counsel in preparing the 

hearing bundles and liaise with officials in 

the Bahamas. our counsel’s strategy was 

to focus on the case of r v turnbull, and the 

fact that the Judge at the initial trial had 

erred by allowing our client to be identified 

by a witness in court, rather than pursuant 

to an identification parade. the appeal 

hearing took place in March 2012, and in 

May we received news that our appeal had 

been upheld, and the remainder of our 

client’s prison term was quashed. we 

received a heartfelt message of thanks from 

our client who was now in a position to meet 

his daughter for the first time. the 

experience added variety to my training 

contract and the skills i learnt from this will 

transfer into developing my career. 

the environment 

Committee 

verity Ellis, trainee 

the environment committee at sJ Berwin 

aspires to improve the environmental 

performance of the firm, and is committed 

to ensuring that the firm and its staff are as 

“green” as possible. the firm holds an 

annual “environment week”, aiming to 

highlight key issues within the firm and on a 

larger scale. a recent initiative was a “zero 

waste to landfill” campaign. this included 

introducing more types of recycling bins 

- not a very glamorous cause, but one that 

could make a big difference if everyone in 

the firm takes part. 

sJ Berwin won a platinum award, the 

highest award possible, in the clean city 

awards 2011 and was also ranked as one 

of the “sunday times Best green 

companies” in 2010. the firm was also 

shortlisted for “environmental law Firm of 

the year” at the Business green leaders 

awards in 2011 and 2012. 

environmental and other sustainability and 

corporate responsibility issues are 

becoming an increasingly important part 

of client relationships. the firm is now often 

asked to provide information on its 

environmental performance and 

demonstrate its environmental credentials 

in pitches to potential clients, as they 

themselves become more and more aware 

of sustainability and corporate 

responsibility issues. the environment 

committee has been a great way to meet 

people across the firm and i would 

encourage everyone to join up! 

International lawyers 

for africa (IlFa) 

ofei Kwafo-Akoto, trainee 

in response to the growth in the african 

economy and business interest in the 

african market, sJ Berwin established ilFa, 

a groundbreaking initiative which aims to 

develop the legal skills and expertise of 

lawyers in africa. the award-winning 

programme provides selected african 

lawyers with three months of work 

experience in leading international law 

firms and corporations and extensive 

international legal practice training. 

there are plenty of opportunities to 

contribute to ilFa as an sJ Berwin trainee; 

as a member of the working committee 

i have been responsible for assisting with 

various matters including writing letters to 

High commissioners and organising the 

annual ilFa gala dinner held at the law 

society. i have also been involved in the 

production and the design of the ilFa 

brochure, planning the training 

programme as well as organising (and 

participating in) social events with the 

ilFa candidates. 

Being a part of ilFa provides a fantastic 

insight into the business development 

issues facing international law firms and 

corporate clients as they forge links with 

their african counterparts and a great 

opportunity to network, develop new skills 

and increase your knowledge. 


national autistic 

Society: advocacy 

for benefits 

Elizabeth Calvert, Associate 

sJ Berwin’s pro bono work with the national 

autistic society (“nas”) primarily involves 

assisting with difficult social security cases. 

the work is varied, interesting, challenging 

and ultimately rewarding. the nas selects 

complex cases for sJ Berwin to represent 

people at their appeal hearings for Disability 

living allowance, employment support 

allowance and incapacity Benefit. the 

cases are problematic due to the inherent 

difficulties that surround asperger’s 

syndrome as it is a complex condition 

characterised by an impairment of social 

imagination, interaction and communication. 

we assist with witness statements, collating 

evidence and representing clients at their 

appeal hearings, generally getting involved 

in a case once an application to appeal has 

been lodged and before an appeal date has 

been set. through this scheme sJ Berwin is 

able to support the nas by offering 

representation at appeals at social security 

tribunals. the clients are often daunted by 

the appeal process and are in need of 

support and encouragement. there is 

plenty of scope to get involved in drafting 

witness statements and to use advocacy 

skills. sJ Berwin also provided the nas with 

advice and comments on the draft autism 

act 2009 and in assisting with gary 

McKinnon’s Judicial review of the secretary 

of state’s decision to allow his extradition to 

the Us to stand trial for hacking into Us 

government computers. 

Fairbridge Project 

William lawrence, trainee 

last year the firm, along with banks and 

other corporate entities, participated in the 

“Fairbridge charity challenge”. the 

objective of the challenge was to raise as 

much money as possible for the Fairbridge 

charity. Fairbridge works with young people 

aged 13-25 that other organisations find 

difficult to engage – giving them the 

motivation, self-confidence and skills they 

need to change their lives. in 2010, 

Fairbridge helped more than 3,500 take their 

first step. Most were classed as having 

‘multiple needs’, such as homelessness, 

substance misuse or a history of offending. 

a team of sJ Berwin trainees took second 

place in the tough corporate challenge – 

which was to turn £500 into £5,000 in just 

four months. led by adam runcorn and 

with the backing of corporate partner 

richard lever, the team smashed through 

the £5k target to raise an amazing £11,550. 

sJ Berwin just lost out to architects arup 

who pipped us to the post. richard lever 

who led the team said: “well done to all for 

an amazing result. this demonstrates the 

great generosity of our trainees to give up 

their valuable free time to help those less 

fortunate than ourselves whilst broadening 

their commercial skills.” 

Diversity 

Suzannah hacking, trainee 

what does diversity mean at sJ Berwin? 

we are a practical law firm: we do things 

because they are the right things to do, 

not because they are fashionable. we 

have long believed that a workforce and 

management team that has a blend of 

ideas and backgrounds gives us the best 

chance of coming up with great solutions 

to client problems, but it also ensures our 

internal management is fair and open; we 

reward success no matter what 

background or beliefs. that’s diversity. 

we aim to build a team that is open to 

understanding and embracing the points 

of view of others. these may be about 

religion, ethnicity, sexuality, gender or a 

multitude of other dimensions. our 

philosophy is simple - respect the views 

and experiences of others and expect the 

same in return. 

we celebrate various religious festivals by 

communicating internally what they mean 

to those who celebrate them, we have a 

lgB group who meet over a drink to 

network, we have many nationalities and 

languages, we value each. 

toynbee Hall 

Caroline Swain, trainee 

For a number of years a team from sJ 

Berwin, including sJ Berwin’s future 

trainees studying the lpc, have attended 

the toynbee Hall Debt advice clinic 

offering free debt advice to people in 

east london. i have had the opportunity 

to interpret complex legal contracts and 

explain the key points in simple language 

to clients many of whom do not have 

english as their first language. 

the variety of work and clients mean that 

the work is both interesting and diverse. 

often you will meet the same clients each 

week but until you arrive at the clinic you 

do not know who you will meet (or how 

long you will be there!). Despite this 

uncertainty, the thing that is always clear 

is that those who attend the clinic always 

leave feeling as though someone is 

supporting them in a situation that often 

has, unfortunately, become desperate. 

SJBenefits 

all trainees are entitleD 

to “opt-in” to tHe 

Following BeneFits: 

Bupa health insurance 

For those sports men and women, and 

those just conscientious about getting 

health care as and when they need it, the 

firm’s opt-in health insurance scheme could be for 

you. with a taxable charge coming out of your 

salary it won’t feel entirely free come pay-day but it 

does provide peace of mind and excellent service 

should you require it 

in-house gp 

and physio 

perhaps one of the most useful of 

sJ Berwin’s benefits is the in-house gp. available 

for selected periods during working hours, the 

gp can be seen by prior appointment or you can 

try to get an appointment on the day. what’s 

more, the service is paid for by the firm. For the 

athletes among you or those that just like to 

indulge, sessions with a sports physio can be 

booked on wednesdays 

pension Scheme 

another opt-in service provided through 

the firm is the pension scheme. the 

scheme is available to trainees after six months’ 

service so you needn’t make up your mind right 

away upon joining 

concierge 

you’ll never need to wait in line at your 

local dry cleaner (or find one for that 

matter!). the in-house concierge 

provides dry-cleaning and shoe repairs at good 

prices. trainees have been spotted taking weeks’ 

worth of shirts to be cleaned and pressed 

corporate discount on 

gym membership 

the firm arranges a number of corporate 

discounts at leading gyms in the city to ensure 

an easier route to staying fit 

Showers and changing 

Facilities 

For those whose idea of a good start to 

the day includes a run or cycle to work, the firm’s 

newly refurbished showers and changing facilities 

should come as good news 

Season ticket Loan 

Fear not, you will make it to work no matter 

the size of your student debt! with annual 

season tickets for public transport 

potentially costing over a grand, it’s comforting to 

know that the firm will arrange payment for the 

ticket with interest-free monthly instalments coming 

out of your salary 

cycle to work 

the government’s cycle to work 

scheme works through salary sacrifice 

and gives you full use of a bicycle and safety 

equipment at potentially half the price. it’s a great 

way to do your bit for the environment as well as 

saving money and keeping fit 


Sharon 

(Head of graduate 

recruitment and trainee 

Development) 

the first time you see me will probably 

be on the sJ Berwin stall at your 

university law fair, or at one of our 

presentations at your university. please 

do come over and say hello - we’re 

always more than happy to answer any 

questions you have about the firm. 

when i’m not out on the road meeting 

you all, i’m heading up the graduate 

recruitment team – my role is to ensure 

we recruit the best possible candidates 

for the firm, and to make sure that you 

get a great feel for what sJ Berwin is 

like at presentations, open days, or on 

vacation schemes. i look after all of our 

future trainees before they join, and am 

always around for a word when you 

start your training contract. i also work 

with nicola Bridge and ylan steiner, the 

graduate recruitment & trainee 

Development partners, to make sure 

that we are succeeding in attracting the 

best possible candidates to sJ Berwin. 

christina 

(graduate recruitment officer) 

when you come through the doors 

for your second interview, i’ll be 

one of the friendly faces that will 

guide you through your case study 

and introduce you to our trainees. 

i work closely with our campus 

representatives organising our 

university events, so i’m sure i’ll 

see you on campus soon. i’ll also 

be here when you start to help you 

settle in during the induction weeks 

of your training contract. 

the 

gr 

team 

Jenni 

(assistant graduate 

recruitment Manager) 

you will also first meet me at fairs and 

receptions, and i’m the person who is 

responsible for the graduate advertising 

that will probably be your first taste of 

life at sJ Berwin. i review lots of your 

applications (so make sure you take 

your time over them – we really do look 

at them all!), and i’ll also conduct some 

of your interviews, with sharon and 

some of our senior associates. 

Victoria 

(trainee Development officer) 

and we’re here for you right the 

way through your training contract! 

i’m here for all of our current 

trainees, helping them through seat 

allocations, development and 

training needs, appraisals, and 

eventually qualification. 

anna 

(graduate recruitment 

administrator) 

when you call the graduate 

recruitment line you’ll probably 

speak to me. i’m usually the first 

point of contact for all candidate 

queries so, as you can imagine, 

i’m pretty busy when there are 

application deadlines and interviews. 

i also work with the team to ensure 

the smooth running of all our events 

and activities and i look forward to 

meeting you at one of these! 

as part of sJ Berwin’s flexible benefits scheme, staff 

are able to buy apple products 

• Purchase from a range of Apple products including iPads, Macbooks, iMacs, 

as well as a number of accessories 

• Spend anything between £300 and £3,000 

• Spread the cost over 24 months, interest free 

SJBenefits 

corporate 

diScount on 

gym memBerShip 

the firm arranges a number of corporate 

discounts at leading gyms in the city to 

ensure an easier route to staying fit 


tHe aPPlICatIon 

ProCeSS 

44 – plum 

vacation Scheme Application 

Deadline: 31 January 2013 

1st round interview (Feb/Mar) with 

a member of the graduate recruitment 

team and a senior associate 

vacation Scheme 

Easter: final year law/non-law 

students and graduates 

Summer: penultimate year law students, final 

year law/non-law students and graduates 

2nd interview takes place at the 

end of the vacation scheme 

Consists of: 

interview with two partners 

case study 

critical reasoning test 

training Contract 

training Contract Application 

Deadline: 31 July 2013 

1st round interview (aug/sept) with 

a member of the graduate recruitment 

team and a senior associate 

2nd interview takes place 

during september 

Consists of: 

interview with two partners 

case study 

critical reasoning test 

FaQS 

alice Meadon 

i really like the look of SJ berwin, what can i apply for? 

you can apply for an open day, a vacation scheme, 

a training contract, or a combination of these options. 

we recommend that you apply for one of our vacation 

schemes as the majority of our training contracts are 

obtained by people who have attended a vacation 

scheme at the firm. Joining us for either an easter or a 

summer vacation scheme will give you a great taste of 

what the firm is about and allow you to meet some of 

the fantastic people we have at sJ Berwin. 

how do i apply? 

it’s really easy – we have an online application process, 

which is done via cvmailUK. to access our application form, 

go to our website, then go to the graduate recruitment 

section and click on the “apply now” link. you can use the 

same form to apply for an open day, vacation scheme, 

training contract, or a combination of these; simply state 

your preference(s) on your application. 

What happens if my online application is successful? 

if your application to attend an open day is successful, you 

will be invited to one of our open days at the london office. 

if your application for a vacation scheme is successful, you 

will either be invited to an open day or to attend an interview 

at our offices with a member of the graduate recruitment 

team and one of the senior associates from the firm. 

if your application for a training contract is successful, you 

will be invited to attend a first-round interview at our offices 

with a member of the graduate recruitment team and one 

of the senior associates from the firm. if you are successful 

at your first-round interview you will be invited to attend an 

assessment day, which will consist of a critical reasoning 

test, a case study and a presentation and an interview with 

two partners. 

How to aPPly 

we are recruiting now for training contracts commencing 

in august 2015 and February 2016. there are 40 places 

available, 20 in each intake. 

in order to apply for an open day, easter / summer 

vacation scheme and / or training contract, please 

complete and submit our online application form, 

available on the graduate recruitment pages at 

www.sjberwin.com/gradrecruit 

What are your academic requirements? 

we prefer our candidates to have a strong and consistent 

academic background – we look for a minimum of aaB at 

a level and a predicted or actual 2:1 or above at degree 

level, it does not matter if this is a law or non-law degree. 

whilst our application process is competitive, and good 

grades are important, we do assess each application as 

a whole. 

What do you look for in a future trainee? 

we are on the lookout for bright, articulate individuals, 

who have energy and enthusiasm and who are strong 

team players. 

it is also important that our future trainees have great 

analytical skills and a keen interest in business, law and, 

of course, sJ Berwin! 

What do you offer your trainees before they start? 

For each of the gDl and the lpc we offer our future 

trainees payment of all fees and a grant. For those who 

study in london, the grant is £7,250, and for those who 

study outside of london, the grant is £6,250. 

our future trainees study the lpc together at Bpp 

Holborn. However, if you have already completed the lpc 

elsewhere we will still consider your application. if you 

have already completed, or you are in the process of 

completing, the gDl and/or the lpc, we’d be happy to 

discuss partly funding your course(s). 

Who can i get in touch with if i have any extra questions? 

please feel free to contact us at 

graduate.recruitment@sjberwin.com 

we are always happy to help. 

you only need to complete the form once, indicating 

what you wish to be considered for, e.g. an open day 

and a vacation scheme. if your preferences change 

once you have submitted your form, please send us a 

brief email before the relevant deadline and you can let 

us know at a later stage if you now wish to be 

considered for a training contract. 

we will keep in contact with you via email. to review these 

emails, you can access the cv Mail website. 

plum – 45

46 – plum 

tHe gooD, thE bAD, 

THE UGLY 

what should you do to prepare for 

the interview? what really impresses 

interviewers? our graduate 

recruitment & trainee Development 

partner, nicola Bridge, has 

provided you with some top 

interviewing tips and some of the 

common interview mistakes that 

applicants make. 

plum – 47

tHe gooD 

1 Before you even get to the interview stage you should 

make sure your application form is pristine. 

2 First impressions count - turn up on time, be smart, 

well dressed, make sure you smile - you’d be 

surprised at how many people don’t! 

3 Make eye contact during the interview when you’re 

answering questions, avoid looking down and if 

you’re being interviewed by more than one person 

look at each one of them equally. 

4 research the firm you are interviewing at really well 

so that you know what they do. For example, it’s good 

to demonstrate that you’ve read about sJ Berwin in 

the press or a deal we’ve done so that you can ask a 

question about it. it demonstrates you are genuinely 

interested in the firm. 

5 Be keen and enthusiastic. we’re looking for people 

who’ve got good team player skills and commitment. 

6 lastly, and most importantly, interviewing is about 

establishing a rapport with the interviewer. i’m not 

sure that’s something that you can teach someone. 

we are lucky enough to have a lot of candidates who 

come across very well on paper so in an interview i 

think about whether the candidates are people that 

i’d actually like to work with. 

tHe baD 

1 try not to rehearse your answers. sometimes if a 

candidate has rehearsed answers to potential 

questions they miss the point of the question that we 

have actually asked. 

2 Do not fidget: do something with your hands, even 

place them on the table in front of you or put them in 

your lap. Just try and be as relaxed and as confident 

as you can be in such a situation. 

3 Don’t waffle! give reasonably full answers but try to 

be concise at the same time. 

i went For 

Honesty anD saiD 

‘MaKing waves: tHe 

DaviD HasselHoFF 

BiograpHy’. 

tHe ugly 

still, in the back of your mind you can 

console yourself with the thought that 

there is always going to be someone 

who has had a more disastrous 

interview than you… 

“i recently heard about quite an awkward chap who didn’t 

know whether he should shake hands with a female 

senior colleague (ceo) or politely kiss her on each 

cheek. He decided to do both. after shaking hands he 

leaned in for the continental option. the petite ceo 

remained upright. at this point he panicked and ended 

up kissing her on the forehead!” 

Jason Munro, trainee 

“i was asked what the last book i read was at one interview. 

i went for honesty and said “Making waves: the David 

Hasselhoff Biography”. turned out the partner interviewing 

me had read it as well.” 

Alex Westbrook, trainee 

“During my university interview the interviewer fell asleep 

whilst i was talking. then he woke up after a humbling 

silence and said “But that’s all entirely spurious, isn’t it?”.” 

Richard Pilgrim, trainee 

“i once interviewed a candidate who said he wanted to be 

a lawyer because you earn loads of money and get loads 

of women. He actually gave that answer in an interview!” 

nicola bridge, Partner 

Stop. How commercially aware are you? 

when it comes to gaining a training 

contract, one of the essential tools in any 

applicant’s skill set has to be commercial 

awareness. legal recruiters seem to place 

great emphasis on this elusive expression, 

yet many would-be applicants seem 

perplexed as to what it is and how they can 

get some – take our quiz and find out what 

you can do to improve yours: 

How did you do? 

mostly as 

you are…Joey essex 

the good news is that you can do a lot to 

improve your commercial awareness. Have 

you thought about reading some of the 

financial press? getting some work 

experience or getting involved in some 

extracurriculars? all of these will help 

improve your commercial awareness. 

mostly Bs 

you are…Boris Johnson 

you obviously have the enthusiasm and the drive but 

there are a few things you could do better. look at what 

areas you did not score so well on and think about what 

you can do to improve. 

mostly cs 

you are…Bill gates 

well done, you are well on the way to taking over the working world! 

However, remember to apply your knowledge – think about how 

developments in the market might affect sJ Berwin’s clients. 

answers to question 4: ForeX = Foreign 

exchange, aiM = alternative investment 

Market, ipo = initial public offering, lse = 

london stock exchange, cFo = chief 

Financial officer, vc = venture capital. 

48 – plum plum – 49 

2 

WhAt nEWSPAPER Do you 

noRMAlly READ (WE Don’t 

MEAn 5 MinutES bEfoRE An 

intERviEW)? 

a. oK! it has lots of pictures. 

b. the times. i particularly like the 

business section. 

c. the Financial times from cover to cover. 

1 

WhAt ExtRACuRRiCulAR 

ACtivitiES ARE you CuRREntly 

involvED in? 

a. i spend most evenings playing call of Duty 

so i don’t have time for extracurricular 

activities. 

b. i play for my local sports team and i 

volunteer for a charity. 

c. i am head of a university committee and in the 

past i have taken part in young enterprise. 

4 

3 

hAvE you PREviouSly 

hAD A Job? 

hoW MAny of thESE 

finAnCiAl ACRonyMS Do 

you KnoW thE MEAning of 

– foREx, AiM, iPo, lSE, Cfo 

AnD vC? 

a. 0-1 acronyms 

b. 2-4 acronyms 

c. 5 or more acronyms 

a. no, i just play the lottery every week. 

b. i have worked in a few bars and restaurants. 

c. i have experience in financial institutions/ 

accountancy firms/other law firms or 

related sectors.

House 

style 

MAKing A gooD fiRSt 

iMPRESSion iS vitAl, hoWEvER 

you ShoulDn’t fEEl liKE you 

hAvE to RAiD youR Piggy 

bAnK of EvERy PEnny to looK 

SMARt AnD PRofESSionAl. 

WE hAvE ChoSEn A SElECtion 

of thE tyPE of Clothing you 

CoulD WEAR ARounD thE 

WoRKPlACE At A PRiCE to 

Suit EvERy buDgEt AnD A fEW 

SiMPlE tiPS to AvoiD offiCE 

WEAR fAShion fAux PAS. 

50 – plum 

tipS 

Skirt 

£59.50 

bananarepublic.gap.eu 

Scarf 

£35 

topshop.com 

blazer 

£65 

next.co.uk 

trousers 

£119 (£79 in the sale) 

hobbs.co.uk 

bag 

£55 

uk.accessorize.com 

blouse 

£50 (£25 in the sale) 

oasis-stores.com 

ballet Pumps 

£28 

uk.accessorize.com 

1. sKirts anD Dresses sHoUlD toUcH yoUr Knee 

– wHen yoU are trying on clotHes sit Down 

anD see How Far tHey riDe Up (reMeMBer, 

yoU will Be sitting Down in yoUr interview!) 

2. BacKcoMBing May Be FasHionaBle on caMpUs 

BUt it is not appropriate For tHe worKplace. 

Keep it neat anD tiDy 

3. always wear a sHirt to interviews anD 

client Meetings 

Suit Jacket 

£199 (£149 in the sale) 

jaeger.co.uk 

Shirt 

£25 (or three for £66) 

hawesandcurtis.com 

Dress 

£75 

warehouse.co.uk 

high heels 

£65 

office.co.uk 

Mid heels 

£69 

jonaesbootmaker.com 

4. FaKe nails anD eyelasHes sHoUlD Be saveD 

For nigHts oUt anD not tHe oFFice 

5. wear sMart yet coMFortaBle sHoes tHat 

yoU can walK in witH ease – HigH Heels are 

By no Means preFeraBle 

6. accessories can MaKe an oUtFit, BUt try not 

to coMBine too Many clasHing coloUrs or 

Jangling Bracelets 

plum – 51

tipS 

1. MaKe sUre yoUr sHoes are polisHeD 

2. clean yoUr nails anD MaKe sUre tHey 

are neat 

3. always wear a tie to interviews anD 

client Meetings 

4. iron yoUr sHirt anD tUcK it in neatly 

5. a clean sHaven looK always 

looKs proFessional 

6. iF yoU Have a stripeD sUit on wear 

a plain sHirt (anD vice versa) 

Suits 

£159 in the sale 

moss.co.uk 

£183 in the sale 

tmlewin.co.uk 

Shirts 

£100 for four shirts 

tmlewin.co.uk 

£99 (or £28 in the sale) 

hawesandcurtis.com 

52 – plum 

tie 

£59 

thomaspink.com 

Cufflinks 

£25 (or £8 in the sale) 

tie-rack.co.uk 

Shoes 

£49 

marksandspencer.com 

£99 

jonesbootmaker.com 

rugby 

niiashie Adjaye, trainee 

sJ Berwin is lucky to have 10 or so 

“professional” rugby players who also just 

so happen to do a little law on the side. 

ably managed by tax partner John 

skoulding last season the team entered 

two sevens tournaments. 

carrying on the sJ Berwin tradition of a 

strong sevens team, in our first tournament 

of the 2011/2012 season we lost to 

ashurst, the eventual winners of the 

tournament in the law society sevens 

quarter finals. 

the team’s second outing saw the sJ 

Berwin team reach the semi-finals of the 

city of london sevens, only to be halted 

by an unfortunate loss to ig capital who, 

based on their sevens team composition, 

has treadmills and weights at every desk 

(which we weren’t bitter about in the 

slightest, honest). 

the 2012/2013 season sees sJ Berwin 

seeded for the law society sevens and 

the possibility of entering more sevens 

tournaments with other law firms which, 

inevitably, means more hotly anticipated 

socials and reminiscing with old law 

school friends. playing for the team is a 

great way to possibly get noticed by the 

england selectors or even just make 

friends around the firm. 

netball 

Ruth hennessy, trainee 

the sJ Berwin netball team (called, rather 

imaginatively, “sJ Berwin 1”) plays every 

tuesday come rain or shine (which, as 

the outdoor netball courts are in 

southwark, normally means rain). the 

team is an eclectic mix of trainees, 

secretaries and those working in 

accounts and business services. last 

season saw the team promoted to 

division 2 of 5 after a triumphant finish at 

the top of division 3 (we have the medals 

to prove it!). Despite facing tough 

opposition from teams like 

pricewaterhousecoopers llp, Deloitte 

llp and the Fsa, sJ Berwin have held 

their own in the big leagues and are on 

course for a respectable mid-table finish. 

playing for the team is an excellent 

opportunity to stretch your legs following 

a long day at the office and a great way 

to make friends around the firm. 

Football 

thomas Wilson, trainee 

sJ Berwin play against a number of other 

law firms as part of the london legal 

league. although the standard of football 

is (at times) a far cry from the tika-taka of 

Barcelona in their prime it does provide an 

excellent opportunity to take part in well 

organised competitive football. we play 

weekly at a selection of locations across 

london, including the london soccer 

Dome (previously known as the Beckham 

academy) - a fantastic indoor state of the 

art facility. needless to say, there is a 

(slight) disparity in the squad of players 

who are prepared to turn out on a balmy 

september evening compared with those 

who are committed enough (can be 

persuaded) to don the black and white of 

sJ Berwin for an 8.30pm kick-off on a wet 

and windy tuesday in January. so, as a 

takeover of sJ Berwin Fc does not appear 

to be on the cards in the immediate future, 

an influx of youthful talent to revitalize the 

squad would be greatly appreciated. 

Team 

SJB 

Cricket 

Joshua begner, trainee 

sJ Berwin’s cricket team led by its 

captain, Barry Mendelsohn, has pitted 

itself against some of the fiercest 

players in the financial and legal world 

over the summer months. the sJ Berwin 

team played a number of hard-fought, 

exciting games against westfield, rBs, 

KpMg and British land. playing for us 

(or even being one of our many 

spectators) is a great way to meet new 

people at all different levels both 

internally and externally. we are always 

ready to recruit for new members of all 

different levels although if you have the 

bowling ability of a pro that would 

certainly help. 

plum – 53

Vacation 

Scheme 

Joseph briggs 

a summer vacation scheme at 

sJ Berwin left me feeling confident 

and excited about pursuing a career at 

the firm and i would like to share some 

reflections on my very positive 

experience of the two week programme. 

the first thing you will notice about 

sJ Berwin is the modern and cuttingedge 

office environment. on the first 

day we were met by the graduate 

recruitment team, who were hugely 

welcoming and friendly, and throughout 

the programme they were always very 

honest and approachable. we then met 

with our individual trainee mentor and 

were introduced to our department. 

i spent two weeks in investment 

Funds. the team i was placed with 

were busy, energetic and always 

willing and interested to discuss the 

work in which they were involved. we 

were allocated to a supervising senior 

associate and partner, which would 

ensure that we experienced a variety 

of work from within the team. For 

example, i researched exchangetraded 

Funds, wrote up notes on a 

client conference call and i even had a 

go at drafting a ‘Deed of amendment’ 

from scratch. My trainee mentor was 

involved in the drafting and editing of 

the prospectus for a complex reverse 

takeover which involved understanding 

aspects of the aiM market and the 

refinancing of debt facilities. i was 

struck by the intricacy of the work and 

the real appreciation of commercial 

factors that was required. i also noted 

the significant responsibility that had 

been afforded to my trainee mentor. 

a broader perspective on the range of 

commercial activity at the firm was 

offered each morning when we would 

attend presentations from different 

departments. this was enhanced by an 

54 – plum 

informal ‘speed-dating’ session with 

trainees where we heard about their 

individual experiences of the different 

seats. we also participated in a 

business ‘negotiation game’ with 

trainees and learnt about the extensive 

range of skills that a successful 

commercial lawyer must master. 

a further highlight from the programme 

was enjoying a barbeque lunch with 

partners on the firm’s rooftop terrace, 

which has great views of the thames 

and other london landmarks. Here we 

were able to discuss broader aspects 

of the firm’s character and ambition, 

such as the focus on growing as an 

international firm. 

a range of social events was also 

organised, which encouraged a 

more informal and relaxed 

context in which to get to know 

the firm. we were invited to go 

bowling with trainees and 

attend a trainee-organised 

drinks party. the firm also 

hosted a future trainee party 

at the offices. the party had a 

Bollywood theme, with indian 

music, food and dancing, and 

it was good fun. i remember 

finishing the vacation scheme at 

sJ Berwin feeling that i had 

learnt a huge amount about 

commercial law, but also 

feeling that i had experienced 

many aspects of the firm’s 

truly unique culture and 

personality, and i would highly 

recommend applying so that you 

can experience this for yourself. 

a BrieF 

hiStory 

oF mine 

gareth Williams- 

Davies 

What did you do after 

graduation? 

i left Bristol after 

reading history and 

took a year out to 

play semiprofessional 

rugby 

for cardiff in the 

welsh premiership. 

then it was off to 

london and more rugby, during my gDl and 

lpc. after the lpc i went off to new zealand, Fiji 

and australia. 

have you managed to balance rugby and being 

a trainee? 

it’s been tough! it takes a bit of communication and 

understanding on both sides. 

has it been worth it? 

yes i think so. there are moments, like when i’m 

catching a 6am train on a saturday to a game 

down in cornwall, when i think ‘what the hell am i 

doing?’. on the other hand, it’s a great opportunity 

to network with other city types and get away from 

the stress of the office. leading the sJ Berwin 

sevens was also a highlight. 

natasha hartrup 

What did you do in your previous life? 

i worked for a financial data provider producing reports on 

institutional investors’ private equity plans. the fund managers 

would use the data to market their private equity funds to 

potential investors. 

What prompted the move into law? 

i often had to look at the terms and conditions in private 

placement memorandums of private equity funds. one day, 

on a trip to the Us to collect data from a fund of funds manager, 

a manager said ‘Don’t you want to be a lawyer, doing all that?’. 

i also lived with lawyers at university and had a general interest 

in the law. i very nearly did the gDl after university, but decided 

to work for a bit. eventually, i made the move. 

And after the lPC? 

went travelling! 

France, canada, vietnam, cambodia, norway, then skiing. 

it was a tad extravagant actually. 

Darren young 

What did you do in your 

previous life? 

i spent 15 years 

working in the music 

industry, fulfilling an 

early ambition to hang 

out with DJs and pop 

stars. i ended up in a 

project management 

role that involved 

negotiating deals with 

record producers and advising senior management 

on contractual rights and obligations. 

What prompted the move into law? 

working alongside in-house lawyers who negotiated 

commercial contracts on behalf of the record labels 

was the inspiration for my career change. i took the 

plunge and headed back to university to study the 

gDl and lpc part-time whilst continuing to work 

full-time. 

And how did you choose where to apply for a training 

contract? 

sJ Berwin has a reputation for being more openminded 

in their recruitment than some city law firms. 

i also liked the youthful, unstuffy style of the firm that 

i experienced on the vacation scheme week. 

plum – 55

induction 

hannah Cooper and Anne-Marie Sugrue 

every new trainee at sJ Berwin goes 

through a 12 day induction programme 

consisting of three key areas: 

the SJ Berwin specific introductions; 

the professional Skills course; and 

the Social programme 

the induction programme is designed 

to ease you into the sJ Berwin way of 

life and to make starting your new job 

that bit easier! 

During the SJ Berwin introductions 

module not only will you learn more 

about the strategy and culture of the 

firm from people like rob Day, our 

Managing partner, you’ll also have some 

essential training so that you can hit the 

ground running. 

on the introductions module you will 

learn about working with: 

• professional support lawyers – very 

experienced ex-lawyers. 

• document production unit – DpU is 

an invaluable department which 

amends and produces documents 

for you overnight. 

• your secretary – one of the most 

important people you will work with. 

• print room and post room – for 

photocopying, mailing and everything 

in between. 

• it provide a full range of training for all 

levels. they’ll even come to your desk 

to provide one-to-one training. 

the professional Skills course 

(“pSc”) is an sra requirement for 

completing the training contract. you will 

complete the bulk of it during the 

induction, and gain some valuable 

knowledge on: 

• the firm’s finances - how law firms 

make money, the legal and regulatory 

regime that applies to law firms and 

how you fit in to the process. 

56 – plum 

• introduction to 

the city – what 

really makes the 

city tick. 

• time recording 

– the necessary 

evil that is time 

recording; its 

importance and how 

to record every six 

minutes of your day! 

• finance and business 

skills – the financial 

services industry and 

the characteristics 

of different types 

of investments. 

• risk management 

– how to identify money 

laundering and other 

financial risks. 

• library and research skills 

– key tips to help you master 

this fundamental trainee skill. 

• legal writing and drafting – 

everything from your use of 

grammar to improving your contract 

drafting skills. 

• communication skills – develop your 

skills to make a persuasive 

presentation, structure a logical 

argument, and elicit information from 

others efficiently. 

• client care – ways of working with 

others, managing your time and 

organising your work streams. 

last but certainly not least is the 

Social programme. a variety of 

events ranging from a trip to a tree 

top adventure centre to cooking 

school and go karting. an evening 

of cocktail making followed by 

karaoke was testament to a well 

ordered programme! 

tHere really 

iS sUcH a 

tHing as a 

fREE lunCh 

all sJ Berwin employees get free lunch every day. 

with a hot option, as well as salads and sandwiches, 

there is always something to be enjoyed in the firm’s 

restaurant, Stanley’s, or as a take-away from the 

deli-counter or qS Express. 

the restaurant is also open for breakfast at subsidised 

prices and, if you’re working after 8pm, a free hot 

dinner is provided. 

57 – plum 

JuSt 

For you 

Enjoy the SJb roof terrace overlooking 

the thames. 

plum – 57

Alasdair glass 

Before i decided that a legal career 

was for me, city law firms were a 

blur of glossy prospectuses only 

distinguished by the quality of their 

stationery at law fairs. a vacation 

scheme helped me decide that sJ 

Berwin was the right firm for me and 

also guaranteed a training contract 

interview at the end of it. 

if, like me, you didn’t spend three 

years studying law at university and 

didn’t spend your last holidays 

loading your cv with relevant legal 

experience, you will likely be 

planning to study for the gDl. the 

course, supposedly, squeezes 

everything your law degree friends 

have learned into one year. 

although this might seem like a 

daunting task, i had a great time 

during the gDl. everyone who has 

58 – plum 

a training contract with sJ Berwin 

does their lpc at Bpp in Holborn 

and by the end of the year there is 

a real camaraderie with the other 

people in your intake. if you’re 

worried about being at a 

disadvantage by not having studied 

law at university – don’t be. about 

half of sJ Berwin trainees studied a 

non-law degree and there’s no 

discernible difference between law 

and non-law graduates. 

when i got my training contract in 

2009 my start date of august 2012 

seemed like an eternity away. two 

years is a long time between an 

interview and actually starting work, 

especially given how quickly city 

law firms can change. sJ Berwin, 

however, does an excellent job of 

keeping future trainees in the loop. 

there are initial drinks to introduce 

everyone to each other, if you 

haven’t already met on a vacation 

scheme, and department 

presentations to help you whittle 

down the choices for your seat 

rotation. sJ Berwin also runs a 

mentor system, which i’ve found 

really useful, where each future 

trainee is paired up with an 

associate allowing you to get 

invaluable advice and ask awkward 

questions about working hours 

without looking like a slacker. Finally 

the annual future trainee summer 

party, held on a boat this year, 

provides the perfect opportunity to 

drink a little too much and 

embarrass yourself in front of your 

future colleagues. all of this means 

i’ve got a rough idea of what kind 

of law i’d like to practise and that 

i know i’m going to enjoy working 

with the people i’ve met over the 

past few years. 

diary2012/13 

Law FairS 

09/10/12 eDinBUrgH 

16/10/12 caMBriDge 

17/10/12 nottingHaM 

29/10/12 QUeen Mary 

30/10/12 leeDs 

30/10/12 yorK 

07/11/12 Bristol 

10/11/12 oXForD 

12/11/12 newcastle 

12/11/12 Ucl 

13/11/12 warwicK 

14/11/12 BirMingHaM 

15/11/12 soUtHaMpton 

19/11/12 DUrHaM 

20/11/12 MancHester 

21/11/12 sHeFFielD 

26/11/12 Kcl 

08/12/12 city law live 

open dayS 

york 

11/10/12 

18.30 - 20.30 

Heslington Hall (H/g21) 

www.york.ac.uk/careers 

London 

17/10/12 

18.00 - 20.00 

london office 


cambridge (skills session) 

19/10/12 

16.00 - 17.00 

careers service 

www.careers.cam.ac.uk 

Leeds 

22/10/12 

18.00 - 20.00 

wharfedale room (Dales suite) 

www.careerweb.leeds.ac.uk 

manchester (skills session) 

24/10/12 

15.30 - 16.30 

careers centre 

www.careers.manchester.ac.uk 

spaces will start to fill from october as we receive applications. 

Editorial team 

anne-Marie sugrue (chief editor), Hannah cooper, Marco toracca, suzannah Hacking, victoria Keenan, will lawrence 

manchester 

24/10/12 

18.30 - 20.30 

the Midland Hotel (lancaster suite) 

www.careers.manchester.ac.uk 

warwick 

06/11/12 

18.30 - 20.30 

rootes Building (chancellors suite) 

https://myadvantage.warwick.ac.uk 

nottingham 

08/11/12 

18.30 - 20.30 

portland Building (room c20) 

www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers 

oxford 

13/11/12 

12.30 - 14.00 

Balliol college (ocr & ante room) 


Bristol 

21/11/12 

18.00 – 20.00 

goldbrick House (loft room) 

www.bristol.ac.uk/careers 

the deadline for easter/summer vacation schemes for 2013 is 31/01/13 

the deadline for submission of applications for training contracts commencing august 2015/February 2016 is 31/07/13 

Further information is available at www.sjberwin.com/gradrecruit 

graduate help desk 


t+44(0)20 7111 2268 

we look forward to receiving your application! 

Law: it’s a Big Deal 

these presentations will give you an overview of a city transaction from start to finish, which 

should help you understand what we do and the challenges we face. you’ll be able to chat with 

trainees and partners informally over a drink and nibbles before and afterwards, and there’ll be 

a prize draw in which you could win a place at an open Day in our london office. 

twitter.com/sj_berwin 

facebook.com/sjberwin 

head of graduate Recruitment 

sharon Doberer 

Assistant graduate Recruitment Manager 

Jenni steel 

Contributors 

niiashie adjaye, Mariam akanbi, Joshua Begner, adele Behles, nicola Bridge, Joseph Briggs, nicholas Brocklebank, elizabeth calvert, Kevin carpenter, 

christina churchman, Josephine curry, steven Davis, rob Day, verity ellis, andrew erskine, guy Francis, James gardner, alasdair glass, victoria Haffenden, 

patrick Hamm, natasha Hartrup, alex Henderson, ruth Hennessy, richard Holroyd, tom Homfray, Jordan Hurwitz, naomi inns, nicola Kerr, stephen Kon, 

anna Kowalska, Max Krasner, ofei Kwafo-akoto, Josie liao, alice Meadon, thomas Middleton, suna Mirza, emily Morton, saraswan Mukherjee, Jason Munro, 

emma Murie, Hannah o’connor, tessa parkes, Matthew pearson, richard pilgrim, adam runcorn, caroline selman, gaurav sharma, richard slowe, 

caroline swain, charlotte symes, Jonty warner, alex westbrook, simon whitney, gareth williams-Davies, thomas wilson, Darren young. 

Design & Art Direction 

creative services 

plum – 59

SJ Berwin LLp 

www.sjberwin.com 

sJ Berwin llp is a limited liability partnership registered in england no oc313176. it is regulated by the solicitors regulation 

authority. a list of the members of sJ Berwin llp and of the non-members who are designated as partners is open to inspection at 

10 Queen street place, london ec4r 1Be, its principal place of business and registered office. any reference to a partner in 

relation to sJ Berwin llp is to a member of sJ Berwin llp or to an employee or consultant with equivalent standing. 

sJ Berwin llp or an affiliated undertaking has an office in Berlin, Brussels, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, london, Madrid, 

Milan, Munich, paris and shanghai. 

© sJ Berwin llp 2012 

21434

Plum - SJ Berwin UK Graduates

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