I'm Senior Associate (lawyer) in the Litigation team at Mourant, based in the Cayman Islands.
January 2007.
In S5, I gained Higher (SCQF level 6) English, History, Chemistry, Maths and Music.
Following an unexpectedly decent set of higher results in 5th year, I decided to aim for the top and study law. I wanted to do something mentally challenging which involved critical and creative thinking.
I reviewed the University Ranking tables and applied to the top Law School at the time (University of Aberdeen).
I went on to gain a first class honours law degree and a post-graduate diploma in legal practice.
I did Young Enterprise and Duke of Edinburgh. Young Enterprise was great for gaining experience in a more commercial context, including building confidence in conceiving, producing and selling a product/concepts/ideas.
I played basketball (obsessively) and football for both the school and for local teams. The teamwork and camaraderie you learn in sport is a huge asset for work and life.
Throughout School, I worked part time in the kitchen of a local restaurant (and a paperboy before that!).
My work involves international disputes relating mostly to hedge funds and investment funds, and insolvency proceedings, involving countries throughout the world. It often involves high stress, high pressure and high value situations. I learned some great lessons at school, particularly from Mr Monaghan in the history department, about implementing a highly analytical and critical mindset to work, whilst keeping balanced and focused. This set me up well for a career in law!
You meet such a range of people from all backgrounds throughout school, which helps you to learn to be approachable and open-minded.
Just focus and shut out all the noise. It doesn’t really matter what's come before or after, or what everyone else is saying/doing. If you focus and apply yourself, even if your goal seems gigantic or unattainable, it isn’t - you can achieve anything you want. Pure, focused effort pays off.
Work hard/play (or rest) hard. A cliché but massively true!
