Mary is one of our first-seat trainees in Leveraged Venture and Corporate Lending which sits within the Banking & Finance team. In this blog, Mary shares an insight into her daily work, from supporting live transactions to developing core skills across a wide range of trainee responsibilities.
Published: 18 March 2026
Author: Mary Harper, Trainee Solicitor
7:30
My day kicks off on the train into Leeds. My commute is around 50 minutes, which gives me a good window to listen to music and check whether anything urgent has landed overnight.
8:35
I arrive at the office and have breakfast while setting up for the day.
9:00
My first task is updating the conditions precedent (CP) checklist with documents that arrived last night from the borrower’s solicitors. The CP checklist acts as a live tracker, setting out each condition to the loan agreement, who is responsible for providing the relevant document and the status of each item. CPs are requirements that must be satisfied before we can complete the deal and before the borrower can draw down any funds under the loan agreement.
Typical CPs include corporate authorisations (such as board minutes and shareholder resolutions), financial statements, insurer or bank account notices of assignment, evidence of compliance, and any required investor consents.
Working on the CP checklist is a great way to stay organised and keep momentum on the transaction. It has also helped me build confidence with banking documents and understand how the different elements of a transaction fit together.
9:35
I begin reviewing the corporate authorisations that the borrowers’ solicitors sent through for several entities within the borrower’s group. Each of these entities will be giving guarantees or security in relation to the borrower’s liabilities (these entities are known as the obligors).
After reviewing the board minutes and shareholder resolutions, I prepare comments and amendments and send them to my supervisor.
10:50
While I wait for feedback, I switch to drafting a wrap up report for a recently completed deal. This is a common post completion task. The report acts as a summary to the client of the key commercial terms of the transaction documents, identifies any outstanding conditions subsequent and sets out the security documents we have filed. It is a helpful way to close off a transaction and keep the client updated. It has also helped me practice summarising information clearly and concisely.
11:30
My supervisor sends comments on the corporate authorisations I reviewed this morning. I input her amendments and ask any follow-up questions I have before emailing the borrower’s solicitors with our proposed amendments. Once that is done, I update my to-do list before heading out for lunch.
12:00
Lunch time! I head to the local shops and pick up a sandwich to enjoy back in the office kitchen with colleagues.
13:00
In the afternoon, I work on a number of company search reports. I order the relevant search packages, then review the information provided by Companies House and complete each report as I work through its constitutional documents.
Preparing these reports has strengthened my ability to interpret information in context. For example, reviewing a company’s articles of association and, where relevant, checking whether there are restrictions on registering a transfer of shares. This is important to flag to the team, particularly if the client intends to take a charge over a company’s shares.
Spending time on these reports has helped me understand how individual details can influence the wider deal and has played a big part in developing a more commercial mindset.
15:00
One of the transactions I am working on includes an acquisition element, so I start drafting a deed of accession for the company that will join the existing loan agreement once it has been acquired.
A deed of accession is the document that formally adds a new company as an obligor under the finance documents, ensuring it becomes bound by the same obligations as the existing group. Once drafted, I send it to my supervisor for review.
16:15
Next, I prepare Docusign envelopes ahead of tomorrow’s completion. After my supervisor reviews them, I send out the signing instructions and the Docusign. Getting everything signed and held to order means we are ready to complete as soon as the deal is confirmed.
17:00
I end the day by planning for tomorrow, checking my calendar, noting key tasks and preparing for any client meetings or internal catch ups.
17:30
This evening the team is heading to a client event with HSBC at Sixes Cricket. It is a great way to wrap up the day and spend time with clients in a more relaxed setting.
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