Maurice Conway
Position
Second seat Trainee
Key Facts
Read Law & Business at University College Dublin
Joined A&O
March 2009
Last day in the office!
05 Mar 2010
Well not exactly! But it is my last day in the Litigation department anyway! I have spent six months here and it has been absolutely terrific. I have done a real mix of work, from small pro bono cases to international treaty arbitration disputes involving large corporations and governments. I have picked up a range of new skills that will hopefully benefit me in my next seat which is..
“One of the best parts about the training contract is that you move every six months so you get to experience different areas”
First day on the job
Corporate! Next week I start work in the Corporate department in mergers and acquisitions. One of the best parts about the training contract is that you move every six months so you get to experience different areas and in a way its like starting a new job each time, new people, new surroundings and different work. It keeps things interesting and helps you broaden your knowledge and skills and by the end of it you should have a good idea of the area that suits you. I met my new trainer for coffee this week and he seems really nice and is keen to get me involved in the new deals that are kicking off there now.
The end of the big freeze
I got back from carnival in Colombia on Monday expecting it finally to be warm in London (maybe not like South America but up from freezing!) Unfortunately we're not quite there yet! I started a year ago almost to the day at A&O and I remember that soon after we started there were lunch time BBQ's on the roof terrace so I'm hoping they are just around the corner. The Summer in London is a lot of fun and everyone is in a good mood (most the time) and with the World Cup kicking off it should be even better (although sadly Ireland will not be part of it because of an unspeakable act).
So with a change of weather and a change of seat I'm pretty excited heading into the next six months. There is a lot to look forward in the second year of your training contract and I will hopefully be going on a client secondment or an international secondment to another A&O office six months from now. A year into my training contract I feel like I have found my feet and I am really looking forward to making the most of the opportunities in store in the next 12 months!
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