“The diversity of the employees struck me the moment I walked in. I remember being pleasantly surprised, and also feeling immediately at ease.”
A trainee in White & Case’s London office, Viraen Vaswani sits within our Banking and International Arbitration teams. We spoke to him about his first year working at White & Case.
“There is no one ‘type’ of White & Case solicitor—everyone is welcomed precisely for being different. To my mind, this makes for a fascinating and fun place to work.”
Why did you decide on White & Case?
The Firm’s emphasis on cutting-edge cross-border work greatly appealed to me. As an international student at the time, I was also drawn to the Firm’s approach towards building a diverse and inclusive workplace. There is no one ‘type’ of White & Case solicitor—everyone is welcomed precisely for being different. To my mind, this makes a fascinating and fun place to work.
What was your first impression of the Firm?
The diversity of its employees definitely struck me the moment I walked in. I remember being pleasantly surprised, and also feeling immediately at ease.
Why is White & Case the best place to start your legal career?
In my experience, the Training Contract offered by White & Case is entirely meritocratic and challenging work is assigned to those who seek it out. I believe White & Case has been an ideal training environment because it couples this meritocracy with top quality cross-border work.
What do you think is most exciting about the White & Case experience in London?
The economies of scale provide for a more diverse workplace that also offers fantastic training in even the most niche areas. There is also an amazing social side to the Firm’s London office, which I tremendously enjoy.
What is the one thing that surprised you most when you joined the Firm?
The down-to-earth nature of the people who work here and, in particular, the leaders of the Firm. Everyone is immensely approachable regardless of seniority. The workspace is extremely collaborative, and everybody’s ideas are welcomed and respected, independent of the amount of experience one has in the field.
What type of work have you been involved in so far?
I have completed seats in Banking, International Arbitration and Intellectual Property. I have been involved in a fair bit of contentious legal work, which I find very intellectually stimulating. Despite having only been with the Firm for 18 months, I feel that I have grown and developed significantly as a lawyer and also as an individual.
How is White & Case different from other global law firms?
The Firm is truly global in a way that very few other firms are. The global offices work together and connect seamlessly. The guaranteed overseas seat is an example of this. The annual White & Case World Cup is another. I feel that White & Case is unique because it celebrates the diversity of its employees all around the world and works very hard to strengthen the bonds between all its offices.
What is your most memorable moment with the Firm?
Undoubtedly, the 2018 World Cup at Frankfurt. With nearly 1,000 attendees from all of the Firm’s offices, I was in awe by how global the Firm truly is. I distinctly remember attending the opening ceremony and feeling grateful for being part of such a diverse and inclusive firm that not only has the resources to bring together its employees in one city, but that also prioritizes relationship-building and inclusion as part of its global strategy.
What are you most looking forward to achieving at White & Case?
I hope not only to become a better lawyer, but to build enduring relationships with other White & Case employees and clients around the globe. Ultimately, I hope to enrich myself in a holistic manner.
Sum up working at White & Case in three words.
Inspiring. Stimulating. Dynamic.
