9.15am: I arrive at my desk with my usual smoothie in-hand to get me ready for the day and check my emails to see if there is anything urgent to deal with. I am currently sitting with the trade finance team. My supervisor is a partner and the head of the banking department. As such, I have been involved in a lot of transactional work, usually centred on the financing of international trade.9.30am: A deal I have been involved in is due to close soon and I am responsible for keeping a check on what documents we have been sent. I sort through the emails that have come in and amend the checklist of documents to circulate to the team so that everyone is aware of our progress. As many of our deals involve parties in other jurisdictions, I often liaise with foreign counsel during a transaction. As the borrower in this particular deal is a Nigerian bank, I call our Nigerian counsel to discuss the outstanding issues.10.00am: I have been asked by one of the partners to accompany him to a meeting with one of our major bank clients at their offices. After a short walk, we arrive accompanied by another partner from our litigation department. A borrower has recently defaulted on a facility agreement and so the meeting is to discuss the bank's potential options in recovering the outstanding amount due under the agreement.11.45am: During the walk back to the office we discuss the issues raised during the meeting and the partner instructs me to draft a summary of what the client's commercial options are and what action needs to be taken next. When I arrive back at my desk I start drafting.

12.45pm: I quickly get into my netball kit and meet the rest of the team in reception. We walk across to Lincoln's Inn playing fields. Luckily it's a nice day, so I'm looking forward to some exercise in the sunshine.1.45pm: I get back to my desk after another quick change, finish off my notes from this morning's meeting and email the draft to the partner for review.2.15pm: Over lunchtime my supervisor has forwarded me a request from a client in relation to making an amendment to a repayment date under a facility agreement. After a quick discussion about the task at hand with my supervisor, I begin to draft the amendment and restatement agreement.4.00pm: I sit down with my supervisor and go through my drafting. I add in a few suggested improvements and send the draft to the client for review. My supervisor also mentions that the team has been voted trade finance law firm of the year for the tenth year running. We are extremely pleased, to say the least!4.45pm: After a quick team celebration I get back to work as I have a small piece of research to do. I have been asked to produce a quick summary of the law relating to the enforcement of exchange contracts. I jot down further instructions and start reviewing the online sources. I put together a short memo and give this to the partner.6.45pm: One final check of emails and I catch a taxi with a few of the other trainees to Piccadilly Circus. The trainee reps have organised a night out to The Comedy Store so we want to get there early for good seats, though avoiding the front so we aren't targeted! After a good laugh we head to a nearby bar for a quick drink before catching the tube home.