On making headlines and meeting a president.

Misi studied Law at the University of Kent. She joined Linklaters in September 2006 and has enjoyed seats in Equity & Debt Markets; Projects; Corporate; and a secondment to Credit Suisse.

Flying high.

It was my second seat. I'd just flown from London to Uganda - the outcome of working on a high-profile deal which involved the financing of a hydropower plant in East Africa. I wasn't dreaming. It's simply the reality of working for a global law firm.

Taking centre stage.

I was fortunate enough to be a part of a team acting for the lenders on a transaction involving the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Investment Bank and other major international lenders. The deal involved a series of back-to-back meetings, sometimes for periods of two weeks at a time, and high-powered negotiations that occasionally went on until 3am. I was able to get involved early on in the deal and produced the first drafts of the various loan agreements for the financing of the transaction. I was also in charge of liaising with external counsel in Kenya, Uganda and Mauritius. Not bad for a trainee. By the time the project is finished, Ugandan electricity should almost double in capacity.  The deal was sealed with a huge ceremony hosted by none other than the President himself. It was voted African Power Deal of the Year and our work was front-page news.

Fulfilling ambitions. 

Linklaters has given me access and exposure to a rich mix of work, varying from large international deals to smaller deals that I can largely handle on my own. During my secondment to Credit Suisse, I was given responsibility to manage my own transactions with minimal supervision, which honed my organisational skills and increased my confidence, helping prepare me for becoming an associate. Being part of the team there also meant I developed contacts, not only with the clients but also with secondees from other law firms. I was also able to take advantage of the fantastic shopping and restaurants at Canary Wharf – which was a nice bonus.

Something different.

Coming from an international background, it was important to me that I joined a firm that had a global reach and was serious about diversity. Working at Linklaters has enabled me to work alongside some of the brightest and most talented individuals in the legal profession. It has exposed me to high-profile deals and given me the opportunity to network extensively.