Juli Lau

I’ve been at Sharpe Pritchard for nearly 13 years, having started here as a trainee solicitor. The main draw for me was (and still is) its public sector focus and I must admit I was very curious to find out what “parliamentary agents” do, so I was very pleased when one of them took the trainees on a tour of the House of Commons to show us just that!

The final clincher for me was my interview with the then Senior Partner, which felt more like a good chat with a friend – an early insight into what it would be like sharing an office with him for part of my litigation seat on my training contract.

As a public procurement and contracts lawyer on the Infrastructure team, I have the privilege to contribute to a variety of major and innovative public sector projects, which keeps my job interesting, and I have also been able to see the positive outcomes of these projects for wider society, which keeps me motivated to do my job well!

I also enjoy being able to bring some of my personal passions, such as those for community engagement, into the workplace, by sitting on our Corporate Social Responsibility committee and connecting with local charities. Why have I stayed at the same firm for 13 years? Quite simply, it’s the people – colleagues whom I enjoy working and sharing life with and senior management who have fully supported me in changes to my role and working patterns to accommodate a flexible arrangement. The fact that my personal priorities are respected and supported by my employer, is a huge factor for why I stay.