Alison McGuinness
Solicitor, Clyde & Co LLP
Biography
I attended Royal Holloway from 2006-2009 and studied psychology. I am now an associate solicitor at Clyde & Co LLP, an international law firm. I am based in the London office in the insurance and disputes department. I specialise in dispute resolution, specifically in specialist insurance litigation although I also do more mainstream commercial litigation and arbitration as well. I represent both claimants and defendants and also advise insurers on policy coverage, and my work frequently has an international element to it.
What did you enjoy most about your time at Royal Holloway? Any favourite memories of campus?
It sounds cliché, but the best thing about Holloway was the friends I made. I am still best friends with some of the people I lived in Founders with in my first year, as well as those who I met through the hockey club and dance society. Favourite memories of campus have to include when it snowed and people were building snowmen in the courtyards in Founders; hockey socials in the Stumble Inn; and the annual dance show in the SU. There were also some memorable fancy dress nights at the SU which included some pretty horrific last minute outfits cobbled together from the shops in Staines. The only thing I do not miss is the 3am fire alarms in Founders when someone burnt toast.
Where did you start your career?
When I left university, I did the law conversion course, the graduate diploma in law, and then completed the legal practice course the following year. At that point, training contracts were like gold dust and I struggled to get a single interview. It did not help that I did not really know at that point what type of firm I wanted to work in, or what area interested me.
As I was keen to gain some quasi-legal experience I applied to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and got a job there as an adjudicator specialising in travel insurance disputes. I ended up enjoying my role there so much I took time off from applying for training contracts and worked there for around four years. By that point I had developed an interest, and gained a lot of experience, in insurance and dispute resolution. With that in mind I applied for training contracts again, but focused my search on firms specialising in insurance disputes. I was keen to work for a small firm to gain as much hands on experience and client contact as possible, and got a training contract with a niche firm in the City called Caytons Law who specialise in professional indemnity litigation, primarily acting for insurers and their insureds such as solicitors, architects, surveyors etc. in negligence claims brought against them. I completed my training contract there (which included a 3 month secondment to a managing general agent), and stayed on for a further year at which point I decided I wanted a wider range of dispute resolution work and the opportunity to do international work, so I left to work at Clyde & Co.
What attracted you to a career in law?
I have always enjoyed problem solving, strategising and drafting - three fundamental skills a lawyer needs. It is also interesting, although challenging, to work in a world that is continually changing as new laws are brought in and new judgments are made. It is a very prestigious career I can honestly say I am proud of what I do, although it can be really hard work sometimes! I also like the fact that a career in law nowadays does not necessarily mean you have to work in a law firm for the rest of your life - the skills you gain are valuable and transferable and there are many in-house or quasi-legal opportunities out there as well.
What advice would you give to students considering a career in law and applying for vacation schemes and training contracts?
The best bit of advice I can offer is to try and work out what type of law you are interested in, and focus your search on firms that have some specialism at least in one area of interest. Then tailor each application to the specific law firm you are applying to. My original mistake was to take scatter-gun approach and hope for the best, without even thinking about whether I actually wanted to work for a specific firm, or do the work they were known for. Law firms get a lot of applications so you need to convince them you have not just blindly included them in your search for a training contract and show commercial awareness in their areas of expertise. I would also say that whilst vac schemes are great, they are not the only way of gaining experience and not the only thing law firms will be interested in on your CV. I never completed a vac scheme, and the main reason I got both my training contract and my subsequent role at Clyde & Co was down to my experience at the Financial Ombudsman Service and the invaluable dispute resolution skills and insurance experience gained there. Also, if you do a vac scheme, make sure it's with the type of firm you are generally interested in. My final piece of advice is to be resilient! It is competitive and you might not get your first (or second, or third) choice firm, but ultimately it does not matter and the firm you train with does not have to be the firm you stay with for the entire duration of your career. Focus on the type of firm you want (for example, City, high-street, boutique etc.) and try and find a firm with expertise in an area you are genuinely passionate about - it will make your job so much more enjoyable!
What do you feel are the key qualities someone needs to work as a lawyer in your field?
As a litigator, I have to be incredibly organised and it can get very high-pressured particularly when there are court deadlines in play, so a certain ability to thrive under pressure is always good. I would say that an eye for detail is essential - a lot of what I do involves studying complicated contracts and lengthy letters from opponents so being able to pick out key points and think creatively are also invaluable skills, as is being able to succinctly summarise complex facts / legal positions. Good communication and drafting skills are a must, and you must be able to appropriately tailor your approach to suit your audience, to enable you to work well in a team, with your managing partner and so you can communicate effectively with both your clients and opponents. I think you have to enjoy a challenge and be genuinely interested in the work you do. Finally, you cannot take things personally in my field of work as letters from opponents in litigation can tend to get quite heated!