First-seat trainee Jade Addae on early responsibility, supportive colleagues and building on her paralegal experience at Ropes & Gray
“That immediate trust has really accelerated my development,” says Jade Addae, who took on substantive work as soon as she joined the team at Ropes & Gray, having completed the two-week induction programme. With two years of previous paralegal experience under her belt, she was keen to build on what she had learned. Now in her first seat in the US firm’s real estate finance team, Jade has already drafted documents, attended client calls and helped with deal closings. It’s exactly the kind of hands-on experience that first drew her to Ropes. As Jade puts it: “The reality has perfectly mirrored my initial impressions.”
Ropes & Gray first caught Jade’s attention for its focus on private capital, but it was meeting people at the firm that helped cement her interest. At open days and recruitment events, trainees spoke enthusiastically about the responsibility they were given, something that particularly appealed to Jade, who had been a society president at university. “I wanted exposure to market-leading transactions combined with the responsibility that leaner deal teams provide, and Ropes & Gray delivers exactly that,” she explains.
Jade’s interest in law stretches back to her grammar school days in London, where she excelled in history and philosophy. “I enjoyed topics like natural law in philosophy and the Magna Carta in history, and I realised there was a common thread running through them: the development of the law,” she recalls. A conversation with her careers mentor helped turn that curiosity into a career ambition. Commercial law, meanwhile, appealed for its connection to the wider world. Having always been an avid follower of the morning news, Jade says: “I find it fascinating to see how geopolitical and financial shifts impact the transactional work we do here.”
Jade’s route into Ropes & Gray began with an open day, where she heard from trainees, lawyers and the trainee recruitment team. She later attended the Firm’s Black Student event, in collaboration with Legal Cheek, where a question she submitted was selected for discussion. Now preparing to return as a speaker herself, Jade describes the experience as coming “full circle”. Both events also proved useful when it came to applications. “I was able to draw on those recruitment events in my vacation scheme application, demonstrating my engagement in detail,” she recalls. She subsequently secured a two-week placement in the firm’s Private Capital Transactions team in her third year at university.
The vacation scheme itself gave Jade a taste of trainee life, from drafting exercises to attending team meetings with her supervisor. “The bottom line is that they make you feel part of the firm for those two weeks,” she says. One particularly memorable assignment involved writing an article on future artificial intelligence regulations, before its recent boom. For Jade, this offered an early glimpse of the firm’s forward-thinking approach. “Seeing that forward-thinking ethos in action solidified my desire to train at Ropes & Gray,” she explains. A training contract offer followed, with Jade recalling the phone call as “an unforgettable career milestone”.
The application process wasn’t without its challenges, though. “During the application and interview stages, it can naturally feel hard to articulate your achievements without feeling boastful,” Jade admits. Her solution was to connect her previous experiences, including working in retail, to the skills she could bring to Ropes & Gray. “Practising that approach allowed me to speak about my capabilities with confidence during interviews and throughout the application process,” she says.
Ropes & Gray’s support began well before Jade’s first day at the firm. While she was studying for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), the firm regularly checked in and offered encouragement, which she credits with helping her pass on her first attempt. “Knowing the firm was looking out for us during that time was amazing,” she recalls. The graduate recruitment team also paired her with a mentor ahead of starting her training contract. “I was able to ask questions, receive advice, and identify areas I wanted to work on prior to starting,” Jade explains, describing the experience as “invaluable”.
Once her training contract began, Jade completed two weeks of induction training, including a dedicated artificial intelligence training camp, before starting in the Real Estate Finance team.
That preparation has quickly been put to use. In Real Estate Finance, Jade has been involved in a wide range of work, from drafting documents and contributing to internal conditions precedent meetings to assisting with deal closings and attending client calls. But her involvement doesn’t stop once a task is completed. “Taking ownership of my work means that after drafting a document with the associate and sending it to opposing counsel, I maintain communication with them and get the chance to review the revised draft when it comes back,” she explains. Alongside her transactional work, Jade also attends trainee training sessions, which she describes as “frequent and useful”.
One aspect Jade has particularly enjoyed is researching legal points raised during live negotiations. “Following a client call, I might be tasked with researching a specific legal point under discussion, and it is rewarding to see that research directly inform subsequent client discussions,” she explains. “The variety across a deal keeps the work incredibly interesting.”
Alongside the work itself, Jade has been equally impressed by the culture at Ropes & Gray, which she describes as “hardworking, conversational and inspiring”. She points to a strong commitment to client service, balanced with a collaborative environment where colleagues regularly exchange ideas and support one another. “Working alongside exceptional lawyers has built up my own ambition and the environment is very open to discussions and questions,” she says. Having approachable colleagues has made the learning curve all the more rewarding.
That sense of support extends beyond her immediate team. Jade has also found a community in Ropes & Gray’s London African and Caribbean Heritage Group, which brings colleagues together to share experiences and advice. “We meet regularly not only to discuss our work, but also to share advice and catch up on how everyone is doing, which creates a wonderful sense of community,” she explains. The group recently organised a welcome lunch for her, giving her the chance to get to know colleagues on a more personal level. “We went out to eat and chatted about life,” Jade recalls, describing the occasion as “a real highlight for me”.
For students considering an application to Ropes & Gray, Jade’s advice is to start with detailed research on the firm’s website, then get to know the people behind it at events. “Coming in to network gives you a realistic perspective on the firm’s culture and work,” she says. Having attended both an open day and a Legal Cheek event before applying, Jade knows firsthand the value of those conversations. “Everyone is approachable, and it gives you the opportunity to ask detailed questions,” she adds.
For those still navigating the training contract application process, Jade’s final advice is to persevere. “It is an enriching process with many stages and if you put in the hard work, good results will follow,” she says. And if she could go back and offer her younger self some reassurance? “I would say, ‘Just keep going; everything will work out in the end.’”
Jade Addae will speaking at ‘Black lawyers share their stories — with Ropes & Gray’, an in-person student event taking place at Ropes & Gray, London on Wednesday 4 November. Secure your place now.
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