Name: Caroline Bush Firm: Osborne Clarke
University: University of Bristol Undergraduate degree: French
“There are so many things that can influence your work” Caroline explains. “A lot of what we do in energy and environment is driven by the current government, so in addition to knowing the law you need to have your finger on the pulse of what’s going on at a political level.” The government’s decision to cut solar energy subsidies is just one of the developments which have had a knock- on effect on Caroline’s advice to clients. The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union is another major consideration at present, particularly in terms of how the environment will be regulated post-Brexit. “The environment doesn’t respect borders,” quips Caroline. “A bird doesn’t know whether it has flown from the UK to the EU, so there will be a lot of issues to consider which the UK hasn’t had to think about in a long time.” I’ve really enjoyed building up a rapport with clients and helping them with advice or a difficult situation, like an Environment Agency investigation Variety is the spice of life While some might be put off by this uncertainty, for Caroline, it’s one of the things that she loves most about her job. “I really like that when I sit down at my desk in the morning and open my emails, I don’t quite know what’s going to be on my agenda for the day.” The sheer volume of work undertaken by Osborne Clarke’s environment and energy team is impressive. Caroline’s role predominantly encompasses transactional work regarding the acquisition or
construction and operation of commercial buildings and renewables assets, and providing regulatory and environmental advice to clients in the energy and utilities sector. This is where her customer service skills really come into play: “I’ve really enjoyed building up a rapport with clients and helping them with advice or a difficult situation, like an Environment Agency investigation.” A perfect fit Unsurprisingly for her line of work, Caroline is passionate about the environment. Osborne Clarke is therefore a great fit for her, as it provides employees with numerous opportunities to get involved in non-law related activities. Caroline is an active member of its sustainable business group, which promotes sustainability at the firm and also maintains a beehive and an allotment and is undertaking a number of initiatives to reduce its carbon output. When asked whether she has any advice for aspiring solicitors, Caroline is quick to encourage aiming high: “I didn’t think I stood a snowflake’s chance in hell of getting a training contract, let alone at Osborne Clarke,” she admits. “It’s massively competitive, but the really important thing to bear in mind is that different firms look for different things. Be yourself and don’t write yourself off!”
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