Michela

School: Sharnbrook Academy

Employer: Weightmans LLP

Job Title: Trainee Solicitor Weightmans LLP

Qualifications:

• Commercial Law LLB, Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice LPC, Master of Laws in Legal Practice LLM.

Profile

Following my time at Sharnbrook I attended the University of Greenwich to study a Commercial Law Undergraduate degree from 2016 to 2019. I graduated with a First class Degree and went on to secure a 1 year fixed term role at HSBC in Canary Wharf where I worked in the Central Legal Team as a paralegal. My role included Intellectual Property management and review of commercial and finance contracts. I then started the LPC and a Masters degree of which I graduated in 2021 with a distinction in both. My journey then took me to an international law firm called Pinsent Masons who sent me on secondment to Barclays Bank in Canary Wharf. In this role I sat within the Data Privacy Team and was responsible for the review and implementation of new Standard Contract Clauses following the Schrems II remediation. During both of my roles I was applying for training contracts to qualify as a Solicitor, but the process is very demanding and not always as simply as it seems. After 3 years of application cycles, I obtained a training contract at Weightmans LLP, top 40 law firms, and commenced by training contract in September 22. I have worked in Weightmans Innovation team, Regulatory healthcare team and am now sitting in the CyXcel team, Weightmans Cyber and Data Protection team. I am due to qualify in September 2024 and am on track to qualify into the Cyber and Data protection Team. I am currently specialising in Ransomware attacks, AI, and general Data Protection advise. I am also Co chair of Weightmans London Corporate Social Responsibility committee and am actively involved in industry activities, such as talking on a panel at a recent AI event.

I undertook a Commercial Law LLB at the University of Greenwich from 2016 - 2019 obtaining a 1st Class degree. I then undertook the Legal Practice LPC and Master of Laws in Legal Practice LLM from September 2020 to September 2021 obtaining a Distinction in both.

Advice to students

Get involved! your network is really important in any industry so the more you get involved and get your name out there, the more events you will be invited to and the more opportunities open up... and be yourself!

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