Dentons Trainee Profiles

Hear from some of Dentons' current trainees below!

Bremner Fountain-White

Trainee Solicitor

University of Leeds – Law LLB (1:1)

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a second seat trainee in a split Corporate/ Banking seat. I will be going into my third seat in September 2023 where I will be on secondment with one of Dentons banking clients. 

What course did you study and where?

As above 

Why did you decide on a career in law?

I wanted to make a difference. Law governs each and every sector and society through precedents and statute. I wanted to be a part of this and work in an ever-changing role where each day your role is updating with new laws and regulation. I was particularly interested in commercial law because it is relevant to daily life. Being able to understand and decipher how everyday problems may affect clients, and the solving of these problems, was something that also sparked my interest in law.

What attracted you to the firm?

I think my attraction for Dentons grew as I worked as a paralegal. I believe you do not really know what a firm is like unless you are working there (whether that be as a vacation student or paralegal for example) as this allows you to really embed yourself into the firm. Two things that attracted to me Dentons were the people and the quality/exposure to work at such a junior level. Everybody is approachable and the work I was involved with was of high quality. Most of my transactions were liaising with qualified solicitors on the other side which highlights the exposure Dentons allows to junior roles.

What was the application process like?

For me, I was one of the few in my cohort who didn’t do a vacation scheme at Dentons having already working as a paralegal in Real Estate. When I applied for the Training Contract, I went for the direct entry route compared to the vacation scheme. The application process was challenging but personal. In the interview especially, both partners were eager to get to know me as a person and what made me ‘tick.’ I spent a considerable amount of time on my application and getting to know the firm and would advise anyone applying to Dentons to do the same!

What’s a typical day like as a trainee solicitor/what does your training contract involve?

I always log in early – around 8am. I prefer to get started early and clear my inbox from the night before, before others log in. There is no such thing as a typical day in the training contract as you never know what you might get asked to assist with. In my current seat there is a good mix of refinancing work and corporate transactions such as share purchases, asset purchases, group restructuring and incorporations. You can be sure that each day will challenge you and test your limits but that brings a sense of achievement, and I would recommend grabbing every opportunity with both hands.

What part of your job do you enjoy the most?

The tangibility of my job. Whether this be an asset purchase agreement for our client, acting for lenders or borrowers on refinancing deals or part of a new real estate development that is in the process of fit out – being able to see the finished product is really rewarding because I can say ‘I was a part of that!’

What are the challenges?

Each day is its own challenge. Resilience is key and being able to manage your time effectively will stand you in good stead. You may find yourself on many deadlines in one week as well as drafting new documents, on client calls and having to complete trainee tasks that are part of the role. If you can plan your time and be methodical, it will really benefit you in the long term!

There are a lot of stereotypes about working in law, can you debunk a myth?

You are not a spare part, and you are involved with actual work that does make a difference. I think there is a common misconception that trainees at large firms are given mundane tasks and are not challenged. Dentons is NOT like that!

What are your career ambitions?

I want Dentons to be my future. I want to grow at the firm and rise through the ranks. Ideally, I want to progress the partnership and shape Dentons for the next generation of lawyers.

Why should future trainees consider applying to the firm?

Dentons really is a firm where I feel at home. I honestly cannot sit here and tell you a time that I have never felt proud to work for Dentons. The new strategy will, over the next five years, continue to grow the firm and lawyers alike. There is serious investment in lawyers at all levels but especially at a junior level. They want the best and want us to be the best we can. It really is an exciting time to be a part of Dentons and if you feel you can make a difference then this really is the firm for you!

Tawana Robertson

Solicitor Apprentice

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a First Year L7 Solicitor Apprentice currently sat in the Anti-Money Laundering team, after having previously sat in the Conflicts team and the Office of General Counsel. I study at BPP University and live with my parents in London.

What A-Levels or equivalent did you study?

I studied English Literature, Politics, and Maths A-Level

Why did you decide on a career in law?

I decided on a career in law because it is a challenging industry that requires intricate knowledge. I believe that commercial law combines my skill of attention to detail with my growing understanding of how businesses operate.

By working in law, I could engage with diverse clients, including high-profile companies or individuals, and aid them in navigating complex contractual matters, regulatory compliance, intellectual property concerns, and many more issues.

What attracted you to the firm?

I was attracted to Dentons’ variety of practice areas. There is a plethora of sectors that I could specialise in, including Dispute Resolution, Banking & Finance, Real Estate, and Corporate. Many sectors have subdivisions too.

Dentons also stood out to me because its solicitor apprenticeship programme has a clear, organised six-year structure which allows us to sit in a total of 8 different departments during our course. I believe that the opportunity to have an array of experience across the firm will help me pick up a range of transferable skills and allow me to specialise in a practice area I am truly passionate about.

What was the application process like?

The application process was a four-stage process. The initial stage was a written application form which mainly asked to explain why law and why Dentons. The second stage was a psychometric assessment to understand my literacy and numerical skills. The third stage was a virtual interview which involved a question appearing on my device and I then had a couple of minutes to answer. This was the stage I personally found the most challenging because I was unable to refilm or expand on my answer once the time was up. The final stage was a virtual interview with two lawyers and an assessment centre, which was the most exciting point.

What’s a typical day like as a solicitor apprentice?

A typical day as a solicitor apprentice is dependent on what team you are working in. I am working in the internal Anti-Money Laundering team which involves the process of carrying out ‘client due diligence’. This entails collating a series of documents and information about the clients we onboard. We are required to complete these checks in order to assess any potential risks (i.e., if there have been reports or issues relating to Money Laundering, sanctions etc). I complete a mix of low to high-risk clients for the team, which is really thrilling because there can sometimes be difficulty in assessing matters such as shareholders in private companies.

What part of your job do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy the responsibility and independence that comes with the job. In such a short amount of time, I have already been exposed to so many things. Learning from lawyers who have been at the firm for years has been beneficial to my development as a lawyer. It can be daunting to take on such huge tasks, such as assessing High Risk clients without much supervision, but I love the challenge. As my team is really supportive, I can call upon them when I'm stuck, and they allow me to have a lot of freedom as well. Due to this, I have become more confident in my legal research skills.

What are the challenges?

Solicitor apprentices typically face the challenge of balancing work and university with life outside of their studies. The amount of content can sometimes not fit directly into our given study day so sometimes I have to complete university work during the weekends or during any quiet periods I have at work. It all depends on your organisation, but it is manageable.

There are a lot of stereotypes about working in law, can you debunk a myth?

A stereotype is that most legal issues are solved primarily in court. A lot of the work is centred around negotiations outside of court. Most of the work for clients is typically written and lots of the common tasks revolve around reviewing documents. Having soft skills such as people skills, and attention to detail are very important attributes that relate to the world of corporate law.

What are your career ambitions?

My focus is to decide which legal practice area I would like to qualify in at the end of my programme and I am to achieve this by being open minded towards the different types of work I could be given. I also have an ambition to progress through my firm and gain more experience working with big clients. Also, reaching partner-level is a difficult but rewarding process which I could see my future-self aspire to reach one day.

Why should future apprentices consider applying to the firm?

They should consider what motivates them to choosing Dentons. It is vital to complete in-depth research about our firm’s values and culture. This is not only beneficial to your understanding, but it also demonstrates that you care about the firm you're applying to. Also, it is very important to highlight your skills during the application process by citing any relevant experience. Whether it is law-related or not, presenting your best strengths and attributes and linking those to the role of a solicitor apprentice will place you in a better position.

Fattah Abdulattif

Trainee Solicitor

University of Nottingham, University of Law - LLB 2019, LPC and Business Law MSc 2021

I am a second-year trainee and my journey at Dentons so far has been a fantastic two years. I applied to Dentons mainly due to my international background and wanting to work for a firm with a large international presence. During the year between finishing my Legal Practice Course and beginning my training contract, the firm kindly allowed me to spend a year working as a paralegal in the Legal Delivery Centre. This was a very educational experience, allowing me to get to grips with responsibilities such as time recording and adapting to the culture of the firm. 

I have always felt that all of my colleagues are some of the most approachable people I have met. In the Milton Keynes office where I am based, my favourite part about the job is how the people around me are encouraging, supportive, and always ready to offer their guidance, no matter how busy they may be. During my seat in the People, Reward, and Mobility team, I was exposed to a large variety of work and clients. Specifically, as part of the employment team, I was able to play a significant role in both contentious and non-contentious matters. This included large international projects for clients spanning about twenty-five jurisdictions, working on the employment aspects of corporate deals and bids, and attending employment tribunal hearings. I really enjoyed this seat both because of the variety and the subject matter. The team is also very unique as it works seamlessly across the offices in the UK, which allows for more collaboration and efficiency. 

Dentons also offers a number of both international and client secondments, and I have recently completed a six-month secondment with a client. It has been a very different experience dealing with fleet and asset finance transactions and projects, and has helped me to become better at understanding the expectations of clients and to view and engage in legal practice from the very different perspective of a client. I have developed lots of independence while on secondment, and become less apprehensive about communicating with counterparties and external parties independently. Even while on secondment, Dentons has allowed for me to remain a very active part of the firm, with firmwide and office wide social events such as golf days, charity balls, afternoon teas, and brunches. This has meant that I am able to visit the Milton Keynes or London office even while on secondment to maintain my contact and relationships with my colleagues, and to catch up with them every couple of weeks. 

I feel that a big part of why I enjoy working at Dentons so much is the value that is placed on trainees. From the various seminars and training sessions, it is very clear that Dentons values its young professionals highly and is willing to invest the time and resources not only through extensive training sessions to prepare us for each new seat, but also through things such as a recent working styles session, and the innovation project scheme which all trainees take part in. Taking part in schemes such as the innovation project allows trainees to harness technology, become better versed in the use of it, and to conduct training sessions and explain the use of their projects to their respective teams. This not only allows for greater longevity and efficiency as technology evolves but shows a certain level of responsibility given to trainees to lead the next steps on the use of technology in various situations. 

Overall, working at Dentons has been and continues to be a very positive experience, and I look forward to continued growth through my career.