Holly Teasdale
Panellist – student ambassador , The University of Law
Holly has just graduated from her undergraduate degree in English at the University of Exeter and is currently studying the PGDL at The University of Law in Bristol. During the third year of Holly’s undergraduate degree, she secured a training contract with RPC in the firm’s Bristol office and will be joining them as a trainee solicitor in 2027.
Luke Harper
Panellist – trainee, Michelmores LLP
Luke joined Michelmores as a trainee solicitor in September 2024 and is currently in the disputed wills and estates team. Prior to joining Michelmores, Luke studied LLB Law at the University of Liverpool and graduated in 2020.
Luke also has over two years’ experience as a financial litigation paralegal at a national law firm. Last year Luke completed the SQE, passing both SQE1 and SQE2 at the first attempt.
Anya Brown
Panellist – trainee, Ashurst LLP
Anya studied law at the University of Cambridge, graduating in 2022. While studying at Cambridge, she was fortunate to gain a place on a winter vacation scheme at Ashurst in her third year and subsequently secure a training contract.
Prior to starting at the firm, Anya sat the SQE exams in January and May 2023 and joined the firm later that year in September. During her training contract, she spent time in the firm’s global loans (debt finance), corporate transactions and investment funds practices. She’s been able to get involved in work across a variety of sectors including acting lender side on subscription facilities for funds, working on private M&A transactions with tech and energy focuses, and working both investor and fund manager side in the investment funds team.
Henry Parr
Panellist – trainee, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Henry is a first-seat trainee currently working in the finance team. Having studied History at university, Henry completed the PGDL conversion course before completing the SQE.
Nicholas Le Riche
Panellist – partner, Broadfield
Nicholas Le Riche is a partner in Broadfield’s London office, advising professional services firms, companies, and charities on a range of employment and HR issues, including disciplinary and grievance matters, and drafting tailored employment contracts, policies and procedures, and employee handbooks.
He has considerable experience of acting for organisations with high levels of trade union membership and helping them manage all aspects of employee and industrial relations. He has particular expertise in advising on internal restructures and reorganisations as well as transfer of undertakings (protection of employment).
Alex Watson
Keynote speaker – partner, Michelmores LLP
Alex is a partner in the corporate team. Alex specialises in giving commercial, pragmatic advice to corporate clients with a focus on investments, M&A, fundraising and project finance for private equity and corporates in the sustainable economy who share similar values when it comes to operating their businesses in a responsible way.
Within that sector, Alex has particular experience with energy and waste infrastructure projects, financial services and natural capital.
Lindsay Marca
Workshop leader – associate, Ashurst LLP
Michael O’Brien
Panellist – partner, Beale & Co
Michael is a partner in the firm’s construction, engineering and infrastructure group. He’s a UK-registered foreign lawyer, having qualified in New Zealand. Michael has over 12 years of experience, specialising in contentious construction matters. He acts for consultants, architects, contractors and their professional indemnity insurers across a variety of claims and contractual disputes.