Welcome to the fourteenth blog post for TheLawyerFiles!
First, thank you for subscribing. Please stay tuned for insightful interviews, expert advice, and real-life experiences from legal professionals to help you navigate your journey to becoming a solicitor.
✨ In this edition, we feature Kiran Banerjee, a trainee solicitor at a leading US law firm whose journey into commercial law reflects quiet conviction, broad intellectual curiosity, and a deep commitment to growth through practice.
From his early fascination with business strategy through Young Enterprise to studying law at Warwick and The University of Law, Kiran’s path has been guided by a clear sense of purpose and a desire to build something impactful in the world of finance and global deals. He’s carved out a space in a high-pressure sector not through bravado, but through deliberate learning, technical fluency, and a drive to add value in every room he enters.
What sets Kiran apart is his balance—between sharp academic rigour and real-world commercial awareness, between leading as a trustee at Just Be a Child and learning from cross-border finance teams, and between long-term vision and daily discipline. Whether analysing a deal, mentoring aspiring lawyers, or navigating the steep learning curve of life at a top US firm, he approaches each step with thoughtfulness and intent.
His story reminds us that excellence in law isn’t just about high performance—it’s about knowing why you’re here, how you want to grow, and showing up with clarity even when the path isn’t perfect.
Let’s dive in 🚀
- You’ve studied at some of the UK’s top institutions, including Warwick and the University of Law. What originally inspired you to pursue law, and how did your educational journey shape your interests in commercial and finance law?
I’ve always been drawn to subjects that required clear thinking and strong communication, so law felt like a natural fit early on. What inspired me to pursue it, was the combination of structure and flexibility it offers—it’s a career that provides long-term certainty, but also the chance to work across different sectors and adapt as interests evolve.
It started with Young Enterprise at school. That experience sparked a genuine fascination with how businesses work—the strategy, the risks, and the way legal frameworks support growth. It helped me realise that law wasn’t just about rules, but about enabling business in a really tangible way, which aligned perfectly with my interests.
Studying at Warwick gave me the academic grounding to explore legal and commercial ideas in depth, while my time at the University of Law helped translate that into real-world application. Together, they’ve shaped both how I think and what I’m passionate about. Commercial law isn’t just an area of interest—it’s where I see myself making the biggest impact.
2. You’re now training in Finance at a top US firm—what excites you most about this area of law, and how are you finding the transition from study to practice?
Training at a top US firm has been both exciting and rewarding. What stands out most is the pace of learning—while the tasks of a trainee aren’t always as conceptually demanding as the academic side of law, there’s a huge amount of value in building that commercial awareness and developing a real, working understanding of the finance world. You start to spot patterns, gain confidence in the technicalities, and gradually build an expertise that’s genuinely satisfying.
What makes this area of law particularly exciting for me is the exposure—not just to complex cross-border deals, but to the people behind them. Being surrounded by clients, senior lawyers, and other professionals who are leaders in their field creates such a dynamic environment to learn in. There’s a strong emphasis on collaboration and networking, and I’ve found that incredibly motivating.
The transition from study to practice has been an adjustment, but a positive one. It’s less about theory and more about how things work in practice—how to be clear, responsive, and commercially minded. That shift has helped me see the bigger picture and made me even more enthusiastic about building a long-term career in this area.
3. Alongside your legal work, you serve as a trustee for Just Be a Child. What inspired you to take on this role, and how do you balance it with your legal commitments?
I was keen to take on something outside of law, and becoming a trustee for Just Be a Child felt like the perfect opportunity to do something meaningful in a completely different space. I’ve always believed in the importance of broadening your perspective, and supporting a charity focused on education and community development really resonated with me.
What drew me in most was the chance to contribute strategically. As a trustee, I’ve had the opportunity to shape the charity’s governance and long-term development—something that, as a junior in commercial law, you rarely get to experience so early in your career. It’s been incredibly rewarding to take on that level of responsibility and see the tangible impact of our decisions.
In terms of balancing it with legal work, it’s very manageable. The role only requires a few hours each month, and meetings are usually planned well in advance. It’s a great complement to my legal training, helping me think more broadly about leadership, accountability, and decision-making—skills that are valuable in any context. More than anything, it’s fulfilling to contribute to something that’s making a real difference, while still growing professionally in a very different environment.
4. What’s one piece of advice you would give to aspiring solicitors who are trying to navigate the competitive application process, especially those aiming for US or Magic Circle firms?
Need to focus on why that firm. The process is so competitive that surface-level answers won’t cut it. It’s not just about prestige or deal size—you need to dig deeper into what makes the firm’s culture, training, and work genuinely right for you.
That means showing real initiative. Go to as many firm events as you can, and use them to engage meaningfully. Ask thoughtful questions, follow up with people, and reflect on what you’ve learned. Some of the most compelling parts of my applications came from conversations I had at those events—they helped me understand not just what the firm does, but how they do it, and why that aligned with my values and goals.
Ensure to convey what you have learned from these events in a concise narrative that isn’t generic or overly verbose. For smaller word counts, only focus on 1-2 key things and develop your answers in detail.
5. What’s been the most difficult moment in your legal journey so far, and how did you overcome it?
One of the most difficult parts of my legal journey was dealing with repeated rejections during the application process. It’s incredibly disheartening to put in hours of effort, only to receive a standard rejection.
What helped me move forward was shifting my mindset. Rather than just hoping the next application would land, I made a conscious effort to treat each one as a learning opportunity. I asked people I trusted—peers, mentors, trainees etc to read my applications and give honest feedback. Often, they spotted things I hadn’t—gaps in my reasoning, weak motivation, or a lack of clear alignment with the firm.
From there, it became about making small but meaningful changes each time—refining how I talked about my experiences, being more specific about why I wanted a particular firm, and learning to really tailor each application rather than recycling the same content.
That process of reflection, feedback, and iteration not only made my applications stronger—it also made me more self-aware and resilient, qualities that have helped me far beyond the application stage.
Kiran Banerjee – https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiran-banerjee-0723a9156/
Trainee Associate (Finance) @ Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Thank you for reading the fourteenth edition of The Lawyer Files!
I hope Kiran’s journey has resonated with you; whether you’re navigating the leap from study to practice, aiming for a role at a US or Magic Circle firm, or finding ways to grow beyond the legal desk. His story reminds us that success in law isn’t just about technical skill or academic achievement, it’s also about clarity of purpose, adaptability, and the quiet confidence to keep showing up, even when the learning curve is steep.
🎧 Stay tuned — our podcast episode with Kiran is coming soon, where we’ll dive deeper into his transition from student to trainee at a top US firm, the mindset shifts that helped him navigate rejections, and how strategic thinking, commercial awareness, and giving back through trustee work have shaped his path. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it!
Until next time—keep learning, keep growing, and keep showing up with purpose. 💼📚✨
— Denice Obeng 🙂
