Laura Garrett Brown - Solicitor, Commercial Property

Where did you go to University?

I went to Newcastle University and did an English Literature BA (Hons) degree. I later went to the University of Westminster to take the law conversion course (GDL) and then the College of Law, London to do the Legal Practice Course.

What department did you qualify into?

I am a solicitor in the Commercial Property department of Forsters. I have been at Forsters since September 2006, when I started my training contract here. I qualified in September 2008.

Why Commercial Property?

Commercial property was the first of my six four-month training contract seats and (while I also did three seats in other departments) I kept asking to come back to the Commercial Property department so by the time I qualified I had spent a total of 12 months here. A big part of why I chose Commercial Property is because it is a practical area of law. A client may have a deal they need to complete or a problem they need to be solved (or both) and a commercial property lawyer looks for a practical way to fulfil the client's wishes or find an alternative commercial solution. Unlike some areas of law, e.g. general litigation, your job is not to focus on problems and to come up with the strongest legal argument from one point of view but instead to negotiate or create a solution in order to achieve the best commercial result for the client.

It is also an area of law where the results are tangible. Where I am involved with redevelopment projects for example, the aim may be to regenerate tired and outmoded town centre and it is interesting to see the plans of how it will look in the future and know that you are working towards that goal. Also, there is often an element of investigation needed when you are first presented with a building/centre to deal with. Fortunately, I enjoy studying plans and old title deeds and working out how the various people involved and their rights over a property fit together. Each property is different and so the day-to-day work varies greatly and there is usually time-pressure to get the job done, which does mean that the hours pass quickly.

What is Forsters like socially?

Forsters is a very friendly firm and very welcoming to new recruits. When I first started as a new trainee I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do any of the tasks given to me but throughout the training contract you receive enormous amounts of help and guidance from all the people around you. There is often an impromptu gathering at one of the local pubs after work on Fridays and when I first joined the firm I found that stopping in for an hour or so to chat to people outside the office helped me to settle in.

Forsters have a very active social committee and there are frequent events for staff, especially during the summer when we can make the most of the terrace and have BBQs and firm quiz nights. There is also a softball team that plays each week in Hyde Park during the summer against various other local companies and there are yoga classes on Wednesday evenings in the library. Our librarian runs a book club, which is very popular with staff from all parts of the firm and I understand that an impromptu knitting circle has recently started as volunteers are knitting scarves and hats for the next firm charity fete in a few months time.

Why did you choose Forsters?

At the outset I knew Forsters had a reputation for being a firm where the quality of work was equivalent to that of a big City law firm but offered a relaxed and friendly environment. When I joined the firm I found that this was true. There is no long hours work culture here: if you have a lot of work to do you are welcome to stay and get it done but if you do not then there is no pressure to stay after normal working hours. Also, the work is partner-led so I have found that if I am working on something important I have never been left without supervision/support by the partners and their doors are always open.

The main part of Forsters work is in the property and private client areas of law but it has a number of other departments such as commercial and property litigation, family, corporate, employment, and construction so there is plenty of choice as a trainee to try out different areas of law and make an informed decision when you come to qualify.

Also, although Forsters has expanded considerably in recent years, it is still a medium sized firm compared to some of the big City firms which I think means that as a trainee you are given a better quality of work. From very early on, especially in the property departments, you are given your own files and have direct contact with clients.

Overall, Forsters has a good work-life balance and the location of the office is ideal. If you need to clear your head you can always go for a walk (or run) in Hyde Park at lunch time or nip up to Oxford Street for a spot of window-shopping. It is also easy to travel to the office as Bond Street and Green Park tube stations are only a 5 minute walk away and Victoria station is also within walking distance. If you are looking for somewhere to go out after work it is only a 10 minute walk to the main West End theatres or 10 minutes on the tube to the South Bank and there is no shortage of good restaurants in the immediate area.