Francis Clay - Associate
You spent four years at an investment bank. What made you decide to switch to law?
I was in Tokyo and working on distressed Asian debt. It was a relatively new market so many of the deals we were doing needed significant legal input. I had to talk to lawyers a lot and I got more and more interested in that side of the work. I liked the people I came across from Freshfields and when I got to know them, I asked if bankers ever crossed over.
Presumably they said yes!
That’s right. They said that although you’ve got to go back to studying, it’s really a sideways step. You can use the experience you’ve got as a banker plus you’ll have some invaluable insights into how financial clients work and what their needs are. I’m really enjoying it and I’ve been able to get stuck in more quickly than someone who didn’t have the same practical experience.
It’s quite a different world. Was there a big culture shock?
Magic Circle firms have an aura. They're demanding places. But the culture at Freshfields makes it easier for you to perform. It's remarkably lacking in arrogance, considering so many people here are at the very top of their game. Having worked abroad for a number of years I expected to have a very different background to most other people at the firm. This has not been the case. In my first seat I met a number of people who spoke Japanese, one of whom was a qualified sushi chef! In the other seats, there was a real mix and I’ve liked everyone I’ve met so far.
How about in terms of the work itself?
There’s been more variety and it’s been really challenging, exactly what I’d hoped for. In fact, I’ve been surprised at how much responsibility I was given. If you show yourself to be capable, people will trust you, if you ask for more, you'll get more. And if you're ever stuck, people will always take the time to explain things to you. Everyone I've met here is remarkably good at explaining things.
Francis Clay
Associate
Japanese at Sheffield University
GDL at Oxford Brooks
LPC at Oxford Institute of Legal Practice
Seats: Finance (Structured and Asset), Real Estate, Corporate, Tax
Joined August 2006
Qualified into Finance (Structured & Asset)