OXFORD

LAW
LAW
Pia Dutton
Barrister,
3 Verulam Buildings
Keble College, BA
Jurisprudence 2009
BCL, 2011
WHAT: “A jury consists of twelve persons
chosen to decide who has the better
lawyer”, said Robert Frost. The idealists
around us usually recognise that the law,
properly understood, is a fundamental
pillar to a functional democratic society.
Speaking personally, the thought of
persuading judges and juries that my
interpretation of the law and facts should
conquer all other possible alternatives
seemed a thrilling and challenging
prospect; so it was I became a barrister at
3 Verulam Buildings.
WHY: I am fortunate in that 3 Verulam
Buildings provides the opportunity for a
diverse practice. I have enjoyed being
involved in varied work, ranging from
banking and commercial litigation to
petitioning the UN Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention on behalf of Burmese
and Omani political prisoners.
ADVICE: The best piece of advice I can
give any hopeful lawyer is to fail. Deeply
intelligent people, as most Oxonians
are, have a great fear of failure. But
a necessary characteristic of being a
barrister is to “fearlessly” defend the
rights of your clients. Resilience and
determination are respected qualities
at the Bar and necessary to a robust
practice in the law.
TOP TIPS: It is no secret that the Bar
is a place that requires excellence, so
put as much on your CV as possible
that makes you stand out. Compete
in essay competitions and for prizes
– whether from your College, the
University or the Inns of Court; Moot
- often and in as many competitions
as possible; Publish - in student law
reviews, legal blogs or online journals
if you are knocked back by the
obvious publications.
But most importantly, do minipupillages.
Not only will this help
you to demonstrate that you are
making a focused and considered
application, but also, this is a
decision which potentially affects the
next 40 years of your life – so best to
ensure you’ve made the right choice!
Anna McIntyre
Trainee Solicitor, Hogan
Lovells
Hertford College, BA
Jurisprudence, 2014
WHAT: I am 9 months into a 2 year
training contract with Hogan Lovells
International LLP, currently sitting
in Investigations, White Collar and
Fraud, having spent my first seat in
Corporate Pensions. My current role
involves assisting clients (both claimants
and defendants) in navigating court
proceedings; from assessing the viability
of possible claims at the very outset to
pursuing the final enforcement of court
orders.
WHY: The clients I’ve worked with so far
have often been FTSE 100 businesses, or
involved in litigation covered extensively
in the press, which makes the work very
exciting. You’re at the forefront of the
developments in the case – you’re often
the one physically running down to court
with the claim form in hand. The work is
very challenging – often researching a
point of law that has been rarely, if ever,
covered before – but is also as a result
very rewarding and frequently groundbreaking.
I’ve also had the opportunity to get
involved in the amazing pro bono
work we do – I’ve won an employment
support allowance case for a disabled
client, claimed criminal injuries
compensation for a victim of human
trafficking and helped deliver sexual
consent workshops to students at
comprehensive schools.
EARLY CAREER: In order to secure my
training contract, I increased my legal
work experience by working as a
paralegal in the university holidays.
In my second year, I attended the
summer vacation scheme at Hogan
Lovells, with a successful training
contract interview at the end.
TOP TIPS: If you decide a career in
commercial law is right for you, start
by also picking the firm that’s right
for you – the big name firms are not
all the same! For example, I knew
I wanted the opportunity to pursue
both high-profile commercial work
and pro bono work.
Find out which firm is right for you
by going to as many law fairs and
recruitment events as you can, and,
if possible, by going on a vacation
scheme at the firms that stand out.
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