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Kristin Kufel, from Plauen, Germany - Trainee.
I always wanted to study law and become a lawyer but I never really knew the area of law in which I wanted to specialise. I decided to study in the UK, thinking this might open doors to an international legal career.
Unknown to me at the time, the realities of differing jurisdictions can even make practising law UK-wide a problem, not to mention the difficulties you might face if you wish to work internationally.
After completing the LLB at Glasgow University, I was confronted with the fact that even Law Societies don't always know the right way to go in order to be able to work in different jurisdictions. The easiest and quickest way seemed to be to qualify as a Scots lawyer first and then to explore international possibilities.
When, after a really pleasant 20-minute interview with two partners of Dickson Minto I was offered a traineeship here, it seemed like all my wishes had come true at once. I had been looking for a traineeship for a while and completed several summer placements but had never been quite convinced about the opportunities offered by the relevant firms.
For me, DM was 'love at first sight'. It all started with the interview, which was an enjoyable experience as it did not include patronising HR checklists or intelligence tests.
When I began, I was afraid my colleagues might discover they had made a mistake in offering me a traineeship. I was nervous about whether I had the abilities necessary for a law firm of this stature, but I was positively surprised. I received a very warm welcome and was 'eased into' the legal work. Contrary to my initial fears, I have always been able to approach senior assistants or partners with questions and I have been given helpful guidance on every occasion.
I quickly found out that in addition to its great reputation as a legal firm, DM has also gained fame for its active social life. The unsocial working hours are largely based on myth and while the occasional late night is, of course, inherent in the kind of work that we do, the firm also values social events such as the Christmas dinner, go-carting excursions, team lunches, etc., which allow everyone to get to know each other on a personal basis. And there is no ominous hierarchy which might make you too afraid to approach, let alone even speak to partners or more senior people. Quite the contrary.
For me, doing company law and getting involved in the large-scale international transactions typically done by DM offers an international perspective which I would not have found anywhere else. I was asked to travel to Germany within my first six months at the firm and from the start I was able to make use of my language skills.
I am now in the middle of my second seat. The combination of friendly supervision, guidance, hands-on work experience, and exposure to legal work of a complexity I would have never dreamed of becoming involved in have made the past months an invaluable experience which I have greatly enjoyed.
However I am still only at the beginning and I think that two years will not be sufficient to learn everything I need to know! I am enormously impressed by the expertise of my colleagues who invest a great amount of time and care in training us. This involves regular Wednesday morning training sessions (facilitated by the supply of bacon rolls), lunchtime training sessions and the Monday morning bulletin, a useful group review of recent commercial and legal articles.
It is the client-focused professionalism combined with the open, friendly working environment that defines the challenges and pleasures of working at DM. And every trainee spends at least six months in the firm's City of London office, benefiting not only from the working experience but also from the DM flat and a generous London allowance.
DM has introduced me to the workings of a truly excellent law firm and, at the same time, the international legal career I always dreamed of.
