Meet Matt Macijewski | A&O Shearman careers

Introduction

University: London School of Economics

Degree: Law

Year of qualification: 2021

Position: Associate

Department: Corporate (M&A)

Pronouns: He/his

Matt Maciejewski, an associate in A&O Shearman’s private equity and M&A team, speaks about the important role non-legal work experience had on his legal career, the work/life balance at the leading London law firm and how to find out if a legal career is the right choice for you.

What attracted you to a career in law?

The idea of learning about and using an accepted framework of principles to solve ever-changing problems in a commercial setting was quite attractive. Solving these new problems within the unique context of each client continues to be the reason I find the day to day enjoyable and satisfying.

How much work experience had you had? Why is it so important?

I had almost no legal work experience; however, I made use of all my non-legal experience to draw out the skills and abilities that I thought would be helpful in a role as a corporate solicitor. I believe doing this really stands you out from the crowd because it gives you something interesting to talk about in your applications and at interview.

What do you think made your application successful?

I believe that I demonstrated that I’d done a lot of self-reflection, followed by in-depth research into the law firms I was interested in. The final element of my preparation was to bring these two together - that is, to explain who I am as a person and why all of those elements fit well with the firm I’m applying to.

What do you wish you’d known about being a trainee before you started that you now do?

I wish I’d known that there’s so much more emphasis placed on the attitude you have and how you react to situations than just pure legal knowledge. It’s accepted that trainees are still learning the law, so your ability to respond to difficult situations and your attitude in these scenarios are what can really set you apart and show that you’d be a good person to have in your team later down the line.

Please outline your area of expertise. What might you do in a typical day?

We assist private equity (PE) and private fund clients on a range of issues that usually follow the whole lifecycle of a PE deal—no two days are the same.

What do you most enjoy about your career and why?

What I enjoy most is working alongside intelligent people who share the same goal of delivering great results for our client. This is something that really motivates me and makes me appreciate the career I’m in.

How involved are you with business development and promoting the firm?

Our team and firm are very keen to enable you to do as much business development as possible by providing budgets, training and contacts. It’s highly valued and seen as a vital aspect of your career progression.

What makes your firm stand out from the rest?

A&O Shearman has become incredibly reflexive to the market trends and often gets ahead of them. We’ve taken some brave moves when it’s clear that they’ll deliver future benefits.

What advice do you have for budding solicitors who are contemplating a career in law?

My advice for budding solicitors is to conduct proper due diligence on the role, area of law you want to go into and the law firm/chambers you’re interested in. Try to really understand the day-to-day tasks and what they require. Then, have a long and hard think about whether this career is truly for you and matches your personality, skills and abilities.

A lot of people realise that a career in law isn’t what they thought it’d be. It’s key to have a sit down with yourself and imagine going through a lot of the difficult (and the good) days to see whether you’re up for the challenge.

What diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives does the firm have in place?

I’m lucky to be at a law firm that really treats its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives with respect and as part of its day-to-day operations. Associates are heavily encouraged to get involved as much as possible and A&O Shearman expects you to have a good understanding of the issues your colleagues may be facing. Our initiatives provide safe spaces for socialising, forums for discussions and platforms for policy change.

What’s the wider culture like at A&O Shearman?

Each team has a slightly different and unique culture, all of which are bound by the firm’s values. The general day-to-day culture of A&O Shearman is one of its biggest assets and it really makes a difference on the super good and super bad days.

What’s your desert island disc?

Mariah Carey, Butterfly.

"The work/life balance is very well respected at A&O Shearman. Everyone understands that the work is hard and this sometimes means very long days/weekends. However, being part of such a great team means that your colleagues are always willing to minimise the damage and are never unreasonable with their requests. At some point you just have to take the hit, but it often leads to a great result and huge appreciation."
Matt Maciejewski ASSOCIATE

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