John Mallon - Trainee Lawyer
I joined Baker McKenzie as a Legal Professional in 2015, after graduating with a law degree from University College Dublin. For most of my time working in what is now the Contentious Support Group, I led the Belfast office's client-facing sanctions and international trade compliance offering, ultimately being promoted to Specialist Legal Professional. This involved supporting a majority of the Firm's offices on all continents to assist their clients in navigating the ever-changing landscape of sanctions. This allowed me to build good relationships with partners and senior stakeholders in the Firm, especially in challenging times like the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, when there was a daily deluge of sanctions listings.
In autumn 2022, I applied for and was accepted onto the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (“SQE”) programme, which was the inaugural training contract offered by the Belfast office to include being examined by way of the new SQE (instead of the Legal Practice Course). It is also the first training contract to be run exclusively from the Belfast office. This pathway to qualification in England and Wales is an invaluable opportunity to train under leadership of a top international firm, whilst remaining living and working in Northern Ireland. I am looking forward to adding this to my current bar admission in New York, and seeing what cross-border value I can add to the Firm going forward.
Preparation for the SQE is an intensely challenging process, both mentally and physically. The Firm recognises this and affords full-time paid leave for the duration of our preparation course and the exams, with some time off after the exam as well. This allowed me to maintain a balance between the intense study, and other aspects of my life. I was able to get good rest, maintain my exercise routines, and I had the time to prepare good nutrition, all of which are crucial for managing stress when trying to achieve anything difficult.