I arrived at Edwards Wildman having spent two years working as a personal tax consultant in London. Prior to that, I studied law at Bangor University and subsequently completed the LPC at the College of Law.

I chose to apply to the firm because I wanted a balance between high quality, varied and international work and a personal training experience. The firm's small trainee intake and reputation for sound training within a friendly, colleagiate office environment appealed to me. My first real encounter with the firm was my training contract assessment day. Although the process was rigorous and challenging, the ethos of the firm and the friendly and approachable attitudes of those working within it really shone through. I left feeling that my interviewers had shown a real interest in me as an individual and that, were I to receive an offer, I could be sure that I would be a good fit with the culture and personality of the firm.

Fortunately, I have not been disappointed. Since commencing my training contract, it has become clear that Edwards Wildman is a firm that values personalities. The range of backgrounds, skills and interests among my trainee intake is testament to that fact.

The firm makes a real effort to include trainees in the social side of things early on. In the run up to my training contract I received regular contact from the firm and was kept aware of important developments such as the upcoming merger. Future trainees are invited to a number of social events before joining, making it much easier to quickly settle into the firm in your first few weeks. Since joining, we have been invited to a number of social events with people across the firm. The various firm sports teams also proved very eager to sign up their new recruits (here's hoping my first foray into conker-swinging as a sport results in slightly less injury than a fellow trainee's attempts to show off on the football pitch!).

I'm currently in my first seat in the Employment team. The team is very busy at the moment and I've had the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of interesting and challenging matters already. In my first few weeks I have attended a number of meetings and have an Employment Tribunal hearing and a mediation coming up. I have been involved in work on matters including race discrimination, breach of contract and restrictive covenants and am currently working with my supervisor on a pro-bono project for a victim of human trafficking.

I would heartily recommend Edwards Wildman as the firm for any future lawyer who wants excellent training and exposure to exciting and varied work in a supportive environment which encourages you to shine as an individual. At Edwards Wildman you will not just be one in a hundred trainees churning through the system. Instead, you are able to work on "big firm" matters in a "small firm" atmosphere where the emphasis is as much on your ability to play hard as your willingness to work hard.