Trainee Solicitor Clara Pike-Siew on choosing the right firm and life at Foot Anstey

What were you looking for in the firm you trained at? 

“I'm someone with a non-traditional background – I didn't grow up in the UK and I didn't come to law straight out of university – so I wanted to train somewhere with an open, friendly and progressive culture.

 I also highly prioritised training at a firm that is a business that's well managed. Foot Anstey stood out as there was a clear sense that it has its own strategic and extremely successful business story.

Finally, I was a candidate that was applying to training contracts with academic mitigating circumstances. It’s no secret that the process of applying to training contracts is a tricky one, so I focused on firms with balanced and holistic selection processes that I thought were most likely to identify my potential for a career in law.”

What kind of support do you have as a trainee?

“I think what makes Foot Anstey special, is really the flexible and abundant opportunities for professional and personal growth that are available.

I realised this as I spoke to more senior trainees and associates around the firm about their journeys at Foot Anstey. There is room for each person to chart the path that best suits them. For example, I was assigned a training buddy at the beginning of my training contract and even watching her growth as a junior has been an inspirational experience.”

You're a member of Asian Connections – can you tell us more about that?

“Being part of a minority is an aspect of working life that many legal practitioners, myself included, can find challenging.  I think because of that, Asian Connections is important to me because it turns this element of challenge into an opportunity to celebrate heritage, learn from each other and to network across the forum.”