Having read History at Leeds University and following a few months of rather panicked soul-searching, I decided to embark on a career in law. Law initially attracted me because of the structured career path, and wide variety of possible work to get involved in. However, other than that I did not know what to expect.

As such I was extremely grateful when EAPD (or Kendall Freeman as it was then) agreed to have me in the office for two days so I could get a feel for working in a law firm. Immediately I was impressed with the ethos of the firm. It was clear from the outset that they were very happy to have me on board for those two days, integrating me into the firm instantly. I didn't hesitate to apply for the vacation scheme that summer.

The vacation scheme itself lasted two weeks and included a number of entertaining group tasks, as well as client work for the firm. Again, I was made to feel very welcome and we were even drafted into the firm's five-a-side football team that week. What struck me the most about the firm was the high calibre of work for what at the time was a relatively small city firm, and the considerable reputation that the firm carried for its training. As such it was an easy choice for me to accept the training contract here.

Following the offer, I undertook the GDL and LPC at the College of Law in London and during this time Kendall Freeman made a considerable effort to keep in touch with us all. We were invited to a number of parties and functions including a James Bond themed trainee winter party. we were always kept up to date with the latest events, which notably included the merger with EAPD in January 2008.

Having started in September 2008 my first seat was in the Regulatory and Transactional group. This was a challenging first seat as the group expects a lot of its trainees, however this only added to the experience. I was fortunate enough to work on a number of deals including one from beginning to end. It did involve overseeing a board meeting of an insurance company by myself (which is quite a scary experience I can assure you!), and despite the fact it didn't actually complete until 9pm on New Years Eve, it was very rewarding – a celebratory glass of champagne or three helped too!

For my second seat, I was seconded to the Enforcement Division of the Financial Services Authority. This is another new opportunity for trainees at EAPD and provided me with some terrific experience. The job itself was a cross between being a lawyer and a policeman as the team investigated alleged breaches of the financial regulations by seizing documents, analysing their content and interviewing the perpetrators. The seat gave me a chance to learn skills that I would not have been able to do at EAPD such as performing taped interviews, dealing with individuals who are the subject of the investigations and therefore not keen to cooperate, and drafting of Warning Notices.

I am now about a month into my third seat back at HQ in the commercial litigation department. Once again this is very different to the seats I have done previously. I am currently involved in a large industrial matter due to go to ICC arbitration next month and have assisted on providing competition law advice to an online fashion retailer. As you can see the work is extremely varied.

Overall, the culture at the firm is friendly, yet very professional. Extra-curricular activities such as pro-bono work, social events, and sporting escapades are encouraged whilst the firm expertly maintains its considerable client base to leave many other City firms in the shade.

For trainees, the opportunities continue to grow at EAPD. We now have overseas secondments to both the US and Hong Kong. The recent addition of an IP and Private Equity and Venture Capital practice and a private equity practice have added new areas of law that trainees can experience. Whilst a merger with a US firm may put some people off, the ethos of the firm has not changed and the reputation for a good work/life balance remains. If you want to work in a collegiate atmosphere and gain some great experience during your training contract, all whilst working with high profile clients, I would strongly advise applying to Edwards Angell Palmer and Dodge.