A day as a legal trainee in the Marriott Harrison real estate team
I am in the second seat of my training contract within the firm’s real estate team, which covers all areas of commercial real estate law from buying, selling, lending, and developing. Here is a typical day of a trainee in this team.
09:00-9:30
I typically arrive at the office just before 9am. I start my day by getting a coffee and going through any emails I have received overnight. After responding to any urgent emails, I can begin to plan the day ahead.
09:30-10:30
Every two weeks the fee earners in the real estate team receive webinar training. Today’s webinar is on the Building Safety Act 2022, which is currently being brought into force in stages. The webinar covers the key aims of the act and the notable changes which it will introduce. The latest regulations published, cover higher risk buildings which will be subject to stricter regimes under the act.
10:30-11:30
As the latest regulations may have implications for some of our clients, I am asked by an associate in the team to carry out further research and put together a help sheet that can be circulated in advance of an open table discussion we are going to have on the act.
11:30-13:00
After my research task, I receive an email from one of our lending clients, instructing us on the review of a tenancy agreement. I review the key terms of the agreement and put together a report to highlight any potential red flags and I share it with the client.
13:00-14:00
I leave the office to get some lunch. It is a nice day in the City so I take a walk around before heading back to the office.
14:00-15:00
After lunch, I finish off drafting a lease for a commercial unit in London. I send my initial draft to a partner for review. Once the partner has taken a look at my work, we sit down together and run through any amendments, and I will have the opportunity to explain my thought process.
15:00-15:30
Alongside a senior associate and a partner in the team, I am supporting on a private equity deal that the corporate team are working on. We have a catch-up call with the various Marriott Harrison teams involved - including employment, banking and commercial - to provide an update on the due diligence process. Participating in these calls and hearing from other teams provides a valuable learning experience for trainees.
15:30-17:00
Following on from the call, I am tasked with reviewing planning permission documents and any building regulation approvals we require for the properties involved as part of the deal. I share my findings, which will feed into the due diligence report we draft for the client.
17:00-17:45
Marriott Harrison has entered a five-a-side tournament, organised by one of our real estate clients. I am organising the tournament internally so I put together a list of colleagues and liaise with the client regarding the supply and design of our kit for the day.