“Anyone considering joining needs to be fully on the ball as to what’s going on in the business world”
I joined Withers as a Paralegal in the Milan office in 2003 and then trained with the firm in London, doing seats in Litigation, Wealth Planning and the London corporate team. I have been seconded to the Milan office since late 2006.
My work covers international capital markets with specific focus on issuer equity offerings and domestic and cross border mergers and acquisitions, naturally with some commercial work thrown in for good measure. There is a substantial amount of cross border work, between the US, Italy and the UK at the moment. Although my clients are often UK and Italian issuers trying to list on the AIM Market in London or in Italy, I am now particularly involved with issuers in emerging markets, such as Kazakhstan, seeking primary and AIM listings in London. It’s a truly international work arena and the exposure being given to me is great.
Working in the Milan office has been very enjoyably given its dynamic and fast paced nature. This is partly due to the size of the team in Milan and also due to the nature of the work that we are involved in. Both factors have been great for my career and personal development. The smaller size of the team means that I get involved in all aspects of the transaction, from the initial pitch to the potential client right through to closing the deal. For example, last year I handled a 100 Million Euro IPO on AIM largely on my own, dealing with everything from the pitch to the company with the Partners, the initial all parties kick-off meeting, the due diligence exercise right through to the end. Of course, I had lots of support from both London and Milan and usually on a deal of this nature, I would be working with a junior team of 3 or 4 people, a more senior solicitor and a Partner. The support allowed me to have more face time with the client and to develop and take the relationship forward – a role which I’m certain would have gone to a more senior lawyer had I been working in a larger firm.
I think the Firm actively looks for people whose characteristics are similar to our clients – dynamic, commercial and entrepreneurial. Our clients tend to be phenomenal entrepreneurs and great people to work with and anyone considering joining needs to be fully on the ball as to what’s going on around them in the business world.
I’m into snowboarding, so being based in Milan is perfect for easy access to the Italian and Swiss slopes! In fact, it’s also perfect for the beaches and lakes during the summer. I also enjoy catching up with friends over a glass of wine and travelling around the world.