Name: Allison Soilihi Firm: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius UK LLP Location: London University: Aix-en-Provence, France Degree: Business law
example, it is a cycle – there will be high prices for some time, and then they will collapse and stay low before increasing again. When I first started, I wasn’t prepared for these ups and downs, but you have to learn to deal with the quiet periods as well as the busy ones.” Allison recommends continuing to learn about the industry, even if you’re not busy with client work. “Right now, oil and gas prices have been impacted by covid-19, so I am doing far more M&A work at the moment and trying to keep myself up-to-date with industry knowledge.” She attends regular online conferences and webinars, participates in Morgan Lewis Energy Industry Team activities, and has published chapters in oil and gas books. She observes that “the energy industry is evolving, and renewable energy is growing. It’s important not to stick to just one type of energy matter, and to give yourself a broad spectrum of work. I’m using this time to study and learn as much as I can because I know the rise of renewable energy will continue.” Allison’s final piece of advice is based on her own experiences of falling into a practice area she loves: “Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid of changes or things that are unexpected. If it doesn’t work according to your initial plan, it doesn’t mean that it won’t work at all.”
“What I like about working in this area is that most of the projects are long term,” says Allison. “Once you’ve negotiated the original contract between a client and a state, you can continue to assist the client at each step of the extraction cycle. Over many years you will help clients to navigate and interpret both the original contract framework and the law. It means that you are part of the story.” The energy industry is evolving, and renewable energy is growing. It’s important not to stick to just one type of energy matter, and to give yourself a broad spectrumof work On the other hand, M&A work is usually over the span of a few months, but you can get to work on several transactions for the same client year after year, which is very rewarding: “You become very cognisant of their business and areas of focus”. But these long-term relationships with clients don’t mean that the work gets samey. As Allison explains, “the energy sector is very eclectic and every client’s approach is different. Every time I start work on a new project from the beginning, and that’s the beauty of my job.” Evolving industry What should students know about entering this varied and interesting practice area? “You need to be super organised,” advises Allison. “Having to juggle everything can be a challenge, especially in the early years. But you must be engaged, make sure you don’t miss anything and are available for your clients.” More than organisation though, she explains that aspiring energy lawyers must understand that the industry is dependent upon the market. “If you take oil and gas for
167
Sign up to
SOLICITORS
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online