A legal career at Bell Gully

 

Jenny Roest

Position: Solicitor
Department: Corporate

I summer clerked with Bell Gully in 2006/2007 and really enjoyed the opportunity to rotate through three departments. The rotations helped me decide on the corporate department as a starting point when I returned to the firm as a law clerk in 2008.

As a junior solicitor working in the corporate department, my job involves reviewing commercial contracts, carrying out due diligence as part of M&A transactions, advising on issues around the Companies Act, and assisting with various legal aspects involved in equity and debt issues.

Before starting work at Bell Gully, I had planned to travel to the UK and Bell Gully arranged for me to spend three months as a paralegal at Clifford Chance in London. It was a great experience to be living and working in London and I was involved in a number of major projects that were underway at the time. It's a good example of the importance Bell Gully places on your professional and personal development and the opportunities that can arise when you're with New Zealand's leading law firm.

People are proud of the work they do at Bell Gully and this creates a really great culture and atmosphere. I was offered a good amount of responsibility from the start and I've really enjoyed the high level of involvement I've had with clients – even at a junior level.