Welcome to the twenty-first blog post for The Lawyer Files!
Thank you, as always, for subscribing and following the journeys of tomorrow’s legal leaders. Each edition brings you honest reflections, practical insights, and inspiring stories from aspiring solicitors carving out meaningful careers in the legal profession.
✨ In this edition, we feature Emmanuel Akinotye, a Future Trainee Solicitor at Ropes & Gray LLP and First-Class Law graduate from the University of Sussex, whose path into commercial law is grounded in resilience, strategic thinking, and a clear understanding of what it takes to grow through rejection.
From navigating multiple application cycles to eventually securing a training contract with one of the world’s top international firms, Emmanuel’s story is a masterclass in patience, adaptability, and staying teachable. He shares how early doubts turned into motivation, and how he refined his approach year after year — growing stronger with every setback.
What makes Emmanuel stand out is his intentionality. Whether it’s selecting the right firm culture, building commercial awareness through podcasts, or tailoring applications with precision, he has carved a path rooted in self-reflection, research, and purpose. His experience includes vacation schemes at Gibson Dunn, Jones Day, and Ropes & Gray, as well as paralegal work at BCLP, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to build a future in law.
His reflections on rejection, resilience, and rising with strategy serve as a powerful reminder that securing a training contract isn’t about perfection — it’s about persistence and purpose.
Let’s dive in 🚀
- What inspired your initial interest in law, and how did that evolve throughout your academic journey?
To be frank, I wasn’t always interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree in law. I was persuaded by my Nigerian father to study law and who always wanted a lawyer in his family. Nonetheless, I gradually developed an interest in law overtime during my undergraduate degree as I became fascinated with its intellectually rigorous nature. I enjoyed utilising the law in making and arriving at legal conclusions and became even more interested when I discovered the plethora of career opportunities undertaking a law degree attracts.
- What was one of the biggest challenges you faced during your legal studies, and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges that I faced during my legal studies was the voluminous workload coupled with the long reading lists. For instance, every day we would be required to read numerous articles, case laws and statutes to prepare for our seminars throughout the week. At times this could be tedious, as I would have to balance this responsibility alongside other activities and jobs I was undertaking whilst at university. I overcame this difficulty through being more strategic with my reading. For instance, instead of reading a whole case to become accustomed with the facts of the case, I would identify the reasoning behind the court’s decision of the case and make my notes accordingly. Or instead of reading every article on the reading list, I would limit myself to reading a few articles for every topic which would provide me with more than enough knowledge on the criticisms of the law from an academic’s perspective.
- You’ve completed various legal experiences. What advice would you give to aspiring solicitors trying to stand out in a competitive application pool?
A piece of advice I would give to aspiring solicitors would be to be intentional about the kinds of law firms you apply to. In essence, although law firms may seem similar on paper, they are very different in practise. To properly understand these differences, you need undertake a lot of research and if possible, reach out to future trainees, current trainees, associates and partners to gain a deeper understanding of these firms. Once you have done this, you will then be able to decide whether the law firm is the right fit for you from both a business and cultural standpoint of view. Graduate recruitment professionals are well trained in ascertaining whether an applicant and/or interviewer has undertaken thorough research into a firm or not.
- How did you handle setbacks or rejection when it comes to training contract applications or internships?
Obtaining a contract offer was not a walk in the park for me. I like many others went through multiple application cycles and experienced numerous rejections and setbacks both at application stage and final interview stage. Nonetheless, it was these rejections and setbacks that resulted in me obtaining a training contract. Every rejection or setback presented me with an opportunity to receive feedback and learn from my mistakes. Hence, with every application, interview and even vacation scheme I became and performed even better than previously. Therefore, my advice to aspiring solicitors is to be both resilient and teachable in your journey towards obtaining a training contract.
- How do/did you stay commercially aware and engaged with the legal industry?
To stay commercially aware I utilise multiple resources, most notably podcasts. I particularly enjoy listening to the Financial Times News Briefing every morning on my way to work as it breaks down complex news stories in a very succinct and efficient manner. Whenever I have time, I also enjoy listening to “Wake Up to Money” by the BBC to gain a deeper understanding of the global economy at large. Almost every commercial awareness resource out there is helpful but its every aspiring solicitor’s job to understand how any political, economic and business development may affect law firms and its clients.
Emmanuel Akintoye – https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmanuel-akintoye-449372177/
Future Trainee Solicitor at Ropes & Gray LLP
I hope Emmanuel’s story has inspired you — especially if you’re facing rejections, trying to refine your applications, or wondering how to break into commercial law without having it all figured out from day one.
His journey is a reminder that strategy, resilience, and self-awareness are just as essential as academic achievement — whether you’re navigating competitive application cycles, building commercial awareness on your commute, or deciding which firm truly aligns with your goals.
From adapting his study habits to thriving on multiple vacation schemes and finally securing a training contract at Ropes & Gray, Emmanuel shows us that every setback can be a setup for growth. Becoming a great solicitor isn’t about a straight path — it’s about learning fast, staying grounded, and showing up with intention.
🎧 Stay tuned — our podcast episode with Emmanuel is coming soon on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music & Audible (TheLawyerFiles), where we dive deeper into how he handled rejection, the importance of firm research, and what he learned during his vacation schemes at Gibson Dunn, Jones Day, and Ropes & Gray.
We’ll also talk about building resilience, developing commercial awareness on the go, and how he’s preparing to hit the ground running as a future trainee in one of the world’s most prestigious firms.
Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it.
Until next time — stay curious, stay reflective, and keep showing up with purpose. 🎙️📚💼
— Denice Obeng 🙂
