8.00am: I have done it! My will power won out and I am at the office to go to a spinning class before work. The Bishops Square office is impressive and the gym is full of the latest equipment. I emerge energised for the day ahead. 9.10am: I head to the tenth floor restaurant for breakfast. I have got a great view of the city while I eat my bacon sandwich. At my desk, I review emails from clients and colleagues and catch up with my trainer, an associate in International Capital Markets.9.30am: I attend a fortnightly Derivatives and Structured Finance team meeting with other trainees, associates and partners. We hear about recent developments in relevant law and cutting-edge deals in which colleagues have been involved. Allen & Overy was recently named Derivatives Law Firm of the Year at the Global Derivatives and European Securitization Awards for the fourth year running. I feel proud to be working alongside lawyers who are at the top of their game. 10.30am: I am working on a project advising a leading global bank on structured issues of securities. My supervisor forwards me a term sheet from the client This sets out the structure of a new trade but some key information is missing. I call the client to fill in the gaps and get to work drafting the required documents. I joined Allen & Overy partly because of its excellent reputation for training and I do not feel let down. Trainees are given departmental training at the beginning of each seat, ongoing talks and seminars, and feedback and support from colleagues. Today, as always, my trainer makes time to explain the more unusual characteristics of this trade when I come unstuck.

12.15pm: I finish a piece of pro bono work. Allen & Overy is committed to pro bono and community work. Among many other things, trainees can go on secondment to Battersea Legal Advice Centre, volunteer to cook breakfast for the homeless at the Whitechapel Mission and research questions of human rights law for Liberty.1.00pm: It is a sunny Friday so I head to the terrace with my team to enjoy the summer barbeque. Allen & Overy has a friendly and inclusive firm culture. The partners are approachable and interested and, thanks to the Allen & Overy bespoke LPC, I became good friends with other trainees before our training contracts started.1.45pm: I work on a set of negotiations which involves liaising with the pensions department and an investment management company, as well as the pension fund client. Although this was quite daunting at first, I am glad to have been given the responsibility of being the firm's first point of contact for this matter. It is good to be able to form my own client relationships and make a real contribution to the negotiations. Today, I call a colleague in the pensions department for advice on the wording of a clause under negotiation and forward a summary of his comments to the investment managers.4.30pm: Research required on an obscure point of company law has come up at the last minute on a deal I am working on. I review the relevant case law and articles and discuss my findings with my trainer. There is no clear precedent so we weigh up the pros of cons of the options available and seek advice from a partner and a professional support lawyer.6.45pm: It is Friday, which would usually mean that I would go to Lavanda, the Allen & Overy bar, to meet other trainees. Tonight however is the 'Casino Royale' themed trainee summer ball so I head off to an exciting City venue with sky-high (and, as it turns out, totally misplaced) hopes of a raffle or casino win.