James Nepaulsingh - Trainee Solicitor
"Before university, I taught English at a Tibetan refugee settlement in the foothills of the Himalayas. Then after my degree, I worked in Japan for two years. So at first sight, law might seem a strange choice, but I really liked the academic challenge.
When I researched which firms to apply to, the firm which appealed consistently was Freshfields.
The training here is known for its flexible seat system and it really gives you the opportunity to stretch yourself.
The people are surprisingly friendly, open and honest. They're also incredibly approachable. I have yet to come across anyone with an ego problem.
A lot of the work is multi-jurisdictional and highly complex. You need to be flexible and pay close attention to what's going on or you end up getting completely the wrong end of the stick. It's also important to be sensitive to other cultures, which is where my time in Japan comes in useful.
At Freshfields, people expect you to perform at your best all the time, so you have constantly to be on the ball. It can be tough when lots of things are going on at once. For instance, I'm currently doing a detailed billing narrative to send to one of our clients, while at the same time implementing changes to the terms of a revolving loan facility for £233 million. They are two quite different tasks and you have to be well organised to make sure each is carried out perfectly.
And attention to detail is crucial: a dropped full stop or minor typographical error could not just be embarrassing but cost the firm a significant sum."
James Nepaulsingh
Trainee Solicitor
English Language and Literature at Oxford
GDL and LPC at Nottingham Law School
Seats: Energy and Infrastructure, Corporate
Joined February 2007