“Herbert Smith attracts a broad range of international clients, and the pro bono work we do for charities is given the same attention as FTSE 100 companies. We have to get under the skin of our clients’ businesses to tailor our service to fit their needs. This commercial context calls for quick thinking and imagination – given the fast pace at which the business world operates and the changing nature of the law. Working alongside partners and associates across the firm has taught me there are no stock solutions. Innovation is the only precedent we adhere to”
Vanessa Young, associate
(trainee: September 2007 - September 2009)
About the portraits
As a Herbert Smith lawyer you’ll be trained to think creatively, challenge assumptions and take nothing at face value.
The quality of our lawyers attracts the world’s best known corporations and financial institutions, such as EDF Energy, Etisalat, Tata and TUI Travel. We’ve advised many of these for a number of years and have developed valuable and lasting relationships with them.
Another major attraction for clients is our in-house advocacy unit – the first such unit in the UK. It allows us to offer a complete litigation service, in which teams of solicitors and barristers work together from the outset to prepare and present cases.
Despite our stature you’ll find we have a vibrant team ethos and a professional yet highly flexible way of working. We enjoy what we do and want our clients to enjoy working with us. Where possible, we integrate within the client’s own team, allowing us to get closer to their objectives and allowing them to take full advantage of our expertise.
Creativity is truly valued because, as you’ll discover, our clients’ interests are increasingly complex, spread out across geographic borders and jurisdictions, often with no established solutions or precedents.
Chevron
Following the explosion at the Buncefield Terminal, in December 2005, Herbert Smith is one of five firms on Chevron’s panel of external legal advisers. The court case is scheduled to begin in October 2008.
O2 arena
The regeneration of the Millennium Dome has transformed a white elephant into a success story. Herbert Smith advised on every aspect of the Dome’s transformation into the O2 arena and entertainment district.