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Trainee Profile - Tom O'Hara
 During my first seat, with the corporate group, I was involved in researching the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) rules for companies and nominated advisors; advising on post-listing compliance; conducting due diligence and carrying out contract reviews. During that time I assisted with the AIM listing of an African mining company which gave me a good overview of what’s expected from a corporate lawyer. As the legal advisor to the listing company, Covington dealt with the drafting of the admission document and I was involved in attending and assisting in meetings and drafting emails to the client and nominated advisors, as well as providing support in the drafting of the main admission document.
My second seat was split between the tax and employment groups. As a result, I have benefited from a broad range of experience in several areas, which counts for a lot when you are still learning the ropes. As many of the firm’s clients are multinational companies, tax work often involved a cross-border element. The London tax department works closely with colleagues in Washington DC, Brussels and New York and I was asked to carry out various pieces of foreign jurisdiction work. One of the projects I was involved in was research of European VAT law and customs regulations for pharmaceutical goods. I had to prepare a presentation on the research which was then given in Brussels to the CFO of a major international company. I would be lying if I said this did not give me a certain buzz! All in all, I covered a wide range of areas such as Stamp Duty, Capital Gains, VAT, Corporation Tax, Income Tax, North Sea Oil Taxation and employee benefits. I enjoyed the breadth of this work and found the responsibility that came with the seat both challenging and satisfying.
In my employment seat I was asked to prepare contract drafts - from compromise agreements to employment contracts - which really helped me to improve my legal writing skills. My work for the employment group provided a great deal of variety, from pensions to dismissals and from immigration to tribunal work. The nature of the employment practice meant that there were many opportunities for trainees to have a hands-on role in liaising with clients and responding to client queries.
The firm has a strong commitment to pro bono and in my first year I had the opportunity to work on a project for a charity which campaigns for political freedoms for people in Slovenia. I have also worked with a UK-based charity that organises theatre and film events and found both to be very rewarding.
What became apparent during my first two seats was the quality of the work given and expected from trainees. I was also impressed with the friendly and co-operative atmosphere which allowed me to settle into the role of a trainee solicitor. The firm puts much time and resources into training and furthering the legal education of the new generation of its lawyers and I feel that I have greatly benefited from this approach.
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