A trainee’s tale, Biffa
Do we mean it when we claim to give trainees as much responsibility as they can handle? For Justin Coaley, the proof took the form of nightly update meetings with the client’s Financial Director on a £1 billion deal …
When leading waste management specialists Biffa planned one of Europe’s biggest and most advanced recycling facilities in West Sussex, they called in Nabarro to help make it happen. We put together a team from across the firm to advise on a range of complex issues, including site acquisition, planning, project operation and long term environmental impact. Shortly after starting his third seat in our Projects department, Sheffield law graduate Justin was one of several trainees drafted into this major project. “To begin with,” he recalls, “I was just handling the usual trainee duties – checking documents for the main contract with the local authority, and liaising with international sub-contractors and their professional advisors in both the UK and Germany.” As the project moved towards completion, the pressure increased. “For the last four weeks, everyone involved in the deal was camped out here at Nabarro, which presented some real logistical challenges!
Points of law were coming up, which I was asked to find answers for very quickly, then present my findings to a partner, who would have to trust what I told them.” And then, for Justin together with an associate, there were those regular update sessions with the client’s Financial Director and senior project managers…
As the negotiations drew to a close, Justin found himself also running the document room for the entire deal, a huge undertaking involving several hundred documents from numerous different sources. “It was very pressurised at times, but I really enjoyed it, especially the level of trust and confidence placed in me,” says Justin.
The deal went through in June 2010, and construction is now underway. Throughout the remainder of his seat Justin was involved with tying up the post-completion formalities and helping the client prepare for the construction phase. “As well as the responsibility, I hugely enjoyed the working relationships on this project. For me, it was a real learning curve, seeing how closely lawyers from different departments and offices collaborated. And it was great dealing with such senior members of the client team – they were brilliant, really friendly, and great to work with.”
Justin Coaley
