Before I went to the university, I was still uncertain of the career I wanted to pursue. I started as a math major in my freshman year, but quickly discovered that it was very different to the maths I was used to in high school. At that point in time, I joined the university debate team as a creative outlet. This led to the realization that I might enjoy a more expressive career, so I applied to transfer to law and the rest is history.

While I was in my penultimate year, I applied for the internship program at Baker McKenzie and was lucky to get through the scholarship scheme. At that time, I was like a blank sheet of paper, devoid of any practical knowledge of the legal fields. I worked with two mentors who were eager to share their wealth of knowledge with me, and I knew then that I would love to work somewhere where the leadership takes so much pride in training and developing new talent.

During my Training Contract, I rotated through five different practice areas. Then, when I qualified, I decided to specialize with the Banking & Finance group. The environment here is fast-paced, and working on multiple deals requires great care and excellent multitasking skills. And since most transactions we’re involved with have a multi-jurisdictional element, I find myself working with foreign counsel on a daily basis.

It’s hard to single out what I like most about Baker McKenzie. The spirit of collaboration? The international diversity? The variety of work opportunities on different teams? But in the end, I’d have to say it’s the leadership culture here. At the end of the day, the Partners and senior team members working so hard to train junior team members and help us develop our skills has a tremendous impact on our careers.