Name: Myra Leung Firm: Burges Salmon LLP University: Royal Holloway, University of London Degree: Music with French
a few hours of reading for us! That means that a lot of my job is not just planning for what’s happening now – it’s considering what might happen in five or 10 years’ time,” she adds. There’s also the public perception of tax issues to grapple with. Students wanting to become tax lawyers will undoubtedly need to have a solid interest and understanding of the changing environment. Work experience is key Having completed mini-pupillages at top criminal barristers’ chambers, Myra is adamant that it was this experience that demonstrated she would be more suited to work as a solicitor. “You don’t really know until you try and I found that I enjoyed my work experience placements at law firms much more. This meant that when I was asked at interview why I wanted to become a solicitor, I could use concrete examples to illustrate how I had come to my decision.” Myra also advocates getting work experience across a variety of areas for those interested in pursuing tax law. She describes the experience of working at an immediate investment firm: “Tax was a big part of the driver for the investment, but I was actually in the investment team learning how to sell the product. It was really interesting to see it from the other side, rather than from the point of view of the tax adviser.” Considering who you might work alongside in the future could also be a useful way of finding places to gain insight and experience. “I deal with a lot of accountants, bankers and trustees so it would definitely be worth securing work experience placements in those areas and learning about the different skills required from the other side of the transaction,” she suggests. People skills With her favourite part of the job being meeting new people and learning about
her clients, networking is a crucial skill Myra advises all junior lawyers to develop. She recommends that trainees and newly- qualified solicitors build up their personal networks and attend events to meet people from different areas. “I continue to expand my network of financial advisers, trustees and accountants so that when my clients need advice, I know who would be best for them to go to. Some people leave that too late – the sooner you build up your network, the better.”
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