Allen & Overy

Rachel Holdstock

Litigation has proven to be an excellent seat to kick off my training contract.  The work is varied, interesting, intellectually challenging and fast moving – a combination which quickly advances your skills and gives you a broad experience of the type of work that passes through the department.

At one end of the spectrum, I have worked on behalf of HBOS regarding transparency of bank charges, which went all the way to the House of Lords, and at the other end I have participated in negotiations with a view to avoiding litigation altogether.  I have also had the opportunity to get involved in various arbitration matters, a fast growing method of dispute resolution in which Allen & Overy is one of the leading international practices.

All of the matters tend to involve an element of research, which can often be quite academic as well as commercial.  Other tasks include document review, bundling, taking minutes on Conferences with Counsel and taking documents to court to be filed.  Each task is a vital part of the department's work and as such you feel like a valued member of the team.

The working environment in Litigation is very welcoming and because the work involves a lot of collaboration you soon get to know your colleagues.  I sit in the Regulatory Investigations Group within Litigation and we meet every third Thursday to listen to presentations on topical news within the area.  Trainees are very much encouraged to research and deliver these presentations themselves and, although initially nerve-wracking, they are a great opportunity to hone your presentation skills and add value to the Group.  So far I have presented on the Office of Fair Trading's Annual Report and a speech by Hector Sants, the FSA Chief Executive.

During my time in Litigation I have also attended a variety  of social events, including a 'Bad film and a curry' night and the new Friday afternoon quiz where the winning teams are richly awarded in chocolate glory!