Catherine McIntyre

I joined Allen & Overy’s Advanced Delivery Legal team in 2017 with two years’ PQE as a solicitor and a background in commercial property. What attracted me to the ADL team was the opportunity to work on high-quality projects across a variety of areas that other firms in Northern Ireland cannot offer. 

Since starting in ADL I have had the opportunity to work on litigation, corporate and banking projects and the variety of the work carried out means no two days are the same. While some of these areas were new to me, the support received from the other Legal Professionals and supervising associates within the team helped greatly.

There is a very supportive environment in ADL and efforts are made to encourage staff to gain experience in areas in which they are interested. My previous experience exposed me to elements of banking work which I was keen to build on. Since starting in the team I have had to the opportunity to work with the London office on a loan transfer project. I have also been involved in the International Capital Markets team, working with a number of other A&O offices, assisting in the buying and selling of debt instruments.

In addition to working on a range of exciting projects, there are also fantastic opportunities to get involved in pro bono and social activities. I have volunteered with the Lawyers in Schools programme, in conjunction with a local secondary school, which delivers workshops on relevant areas of the law for young people. I have also participated in the Run in the Dark 10k at Stormont with a group from across the firm.

For me, the move to A&O’s Advanced Delivery Legal team was the right one as it has the perfect balance between exposure to exceptional work with a world-class firm and a healthy work-life balance.