Hello! My name is Farah Alaradi and I’m about to start my third year at the LSE, studying the BA in Law and Anthropology. I applied to the Freshfields MENA work experience program to be able to experience the work done by solicitors in an international firm first-hand and be better prepared for my post-university career, and was lucky enough to secure a 2 week placement.

I sat with the Global Transactions team in the Bahrain office for both weeks. The Bahrain office’s small size was actually a highlight of my experience, not only did I get to know my colleagues quite well, but I was also able to get a lot of hands-on experience in assisting with the tasks a trainee may typically complete. I had the opportunity to liaise with and help out with tasks assigned by the Dubai office, had my first experience of dealing with Arabic language legislation and more. The experience was thoroughly educational and equipped me with skills I wouldn’t have had many other opportunities to develop.

This opportunity really cemented my desire to work as a commercial solicitor in the future- being part of the office’s work, being allowed and encouraged to work with documents related to ongoing transactions as well as generally being included in matters as if I was a trainee helped make the scheme an extremely valuable and enjoyable experience. Reviewing documents, running redlines, creating presentations and drafting client emails were just some of the tasks I was assigned throughout my two weeks at Freshfields, providing insight into both the day-to-day life of a lawyer and the complexity and calibre of the firm’s work, which deepened my understanding of transactional legal work as a whole.

The Bahrain team were also incredibly kind, supportive and wonderful to learn from. They were so generous with their time, answered every question and were always willing to teach me how to do something before having me try it out. The office had such a welcoming and supportive culture, and I felt like my colleagues were invested in my professional growth.

I’d like to extend my thanks to Harnek Shoker, Ghalya Bukhowa and everyone at Freshfields who I got the chance to meet and who made this scheme possible. I’m excited to see what comes next, and grateful to have had the chance to do this!