Legal Cheek Careers speaks to Ropes & Gray’s Mo Gillani
When Mo Gillani arrived at Cambridge University to study English literature, a career in commercial law was not on the agenda. “I naturally love language. I love analysing it and focusing on the small, granular details. English was what I was good at.” Yet those same skills, the ability to write clearly, think critically and unpick complex ideas, gradually nudged him towards the legal world.
“I’d worked in PR, marketing and even fashion,” he says. “I wanted a career that still felt technical, where that close, analytical attention to detail could be used in a commercial way.” As friends began moving into law and he started exploring his options, things clicked. “Ultimately, the skillset mapped over more naturally than I expected. So much of the job is explaining something complex in simple terms, which humanities degrees train you for without you realising.”
Gillani applied for several vacation schemes and secured four offers from elite American firms, setting the stage for a busy spring and summer. But everything shifted when he stepped into Ropes & Gray for his first scheme. “After the Ropes scheme I actually cancelled the others. Lots of firms offer high-quality work, but when the personality match and cultural fit are there, you feel it immediately.”
The firm’s private equity focus and lean team structure also appealed. “I did my vac scheme in private equity, and even as a student I could see how much exposure and trust trainees get. In lean teams, you are invited to take on real responsibility early on, often doing substantive work that trainees elsewhere might not see until much later.”
Something else stood out too: the atmosphere. “There are stereotypes people have about US firms, but at Ropes I genuinely felt the opposite. People really cared. Conversations about identity, background and diversity did not feel like box-ticking. They felt thoughtful and real.” Combined with the chance to work on top-tier international matters, accepting the training contract offer was an easy decision. The firm confirmed the outcome of his vac scheme soon after it was over, and he accepted the training contract immediately.
Although coming from a non-law background can seem daunting, Gillani is quick to dispel any fears. “In the UK especially, you really do not need a law degree to enter the industry. Firms genuinely value people who come from different academic and professional backgrounds because they bring new perspectives.” This mindset is reflected in Ropes & Gray’s application process. “They do not ask for work experience on the application form. It means you do not end up with everyone looking the exact same on paper. Instead, they are looking for people who are switched on, engaged and enthusiastic.” He’s quick to remind aspiring law converts that their degree background “is not a barrier, but a strength.”
After securing his place at the firm, Gillani completed the Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) and then the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE), experiences he describes as “quite the ride”. Coming from a non-law background, he found the PGDL especially valuable. “Most US firms still require or at least strongly encourage the PGDL, even if technically it is no longer compulsory. For anyone without a legal background, it is genuinely helpful.”
The SQE, he says, is every bit as tough as people claim. “It is not engineered to be an easy exam,” although far from unmanageable with the right approach. His top piece of advice is spaced repetition and consistency. “Do not leave everything to the end. Going through things regularly, at a calm pace, is so much better than panic-cramming. I was not stressed by the time the exam came around because I had been keeping up with everything.” Routine, structure and a strong support network also helped, whether through talking to fellow future trainees, forming study groups or simply finding people to compare notes with. “Knowing everyone else is finding it hard too makes it much less isolating.”
Now in his first seat in Ropes & Gray’s data, privacy and cybersecurity team, Gillani is thriving. “People hear ‘data privacy’ and might yawn. But countries around the world are creating overlapping regulatory frameworks, sometimes conflicting with one another, which makes the advisory work incredibly technical and incredibly commercial at the same time.” It is this blend of black-letter analysis and strategic thinking that appeals to him. “You are constantly asking how to protect the client, meet the regulatory requirements and still be commercially sensible. That intersection is where the interesting work happens.”
Beyond the work, he highlights the strength of the firm’s community. The affinity groups, spanning women’s, cultural and LGBTQ+ networks, help foster a genuine sense of belonging. “For a firm our size, the effort that goes into community-building really matters. It is not just outreach events. It is smaller things like group dinners or informal meet-ups that give people space to connect.” For trainees, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, that sense of allyship goes a long way. “When you are surrounded by people who care, who understand and support you, it makes the late nights and steep learning curves feel much more manageable.”
Asked what he would tell students applying this cycle, Gillani’s advice is to “say yes to everything within your capacity”. “Every experience you have now, whether it’s the swimming club or the knitting society, can find its way into your application. Firms want strong academics and commercial awareness, of course, but they also want personality. They want interesting people. They want people they would enjoy working with.”
Crucially, that does not mean inventing hobbies to fill space. “Do not dismiss the activities you are genuinely involved in, even if they do not seem ‘legal’. I wish I had taken up more opportunities at university instead of asking whether something would help me, because so many things end up being transferable.”
Authenticity, he says, is what ultimately stands out. “Be true to yourself, show enthusiasm, and do not be afraid of having a profile that looks different. That is what makes you stand out.”
Mo Gillani will be speaking at TOMORROW’s in-person event, ‘LGBTQ+ lawyers share their stories — with Ropes & Gray’. Secure one of the final few spots.
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