Languages Work*

Salim

Job title

Associate (Solicitor)

 

Company and location

Clarkson Wright & Jakes (solicitors and notaries)
Orpington, Kent

 

Industry sector

Legal services

 

Background

Sevenoaks School, Kent (3 A levels including Spanish)

University of Kent, LLB English Law and Spanish Law, which involved a diploma in Spanish Law from Universidad de Deusto, Bilbao, Spain

The College of Law, London (Diploma in Legal Practice)

 

Why is Spanish important for your job?

In the European Union, which operates as one big market, it is important to have people with language skills, so as to maximise the business opportunities that arise as a result and to assist our clients in achieving their goals.

 

How do languages come into play?

I specialise in corporate and commercial work. This involves, the sale and acquisition of companies and businesses, as well as dealing with shareholder and corporate issues and drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.

I use Spanish to deal with Spanish clients who have business interests in Spain which need managing or dealing with, or to assist English clients with legal issues that they have in Spain. In this instance, I have developed a network of close legal contacts who can assist these clients.

 

How would you describe your job?

Providing commercial advice to my clients, but protecting their legal interests at the same time. In order to negotiate deals and agreements, it is necessary to have to compromise to reach that agreement. I assist my clients to ensure that they are protected legally. I also have a responsibility to engage in marketing to try and develop business opportunities to either increase our client base or to develop a reliable network of people who I can refer work to (accountants, bankers etc), who can then in turn refer work to me.

 

What kind of skills and qualities do you need?

You need to be able to multi-task. In other words, handle many different matters at the same time. You need to have commercial (business sense) brain, but attention to detail. Ultimately, you need to be sociable (to be able to do the marketing) and be adaptable to the various issues and situations that may arise during the course of the job.

 

Source: Consejería de Educación