Zak Ikponmwosa, Associate

Position: Associate, Real Estate
Education: Law, University of Manchester; LPC, Nottingham Law School
Joined Clifford Chance: 2004
Qualified: 2006

A lot of people think of the law as a confrontational process with two sides battling it out. That's not how I view it at all. What we are usually doing is working with several parties to find a way of doing something that satisfies every party's interests. Transactional law is not about scoring points but instead about working together to realise a mutual set of goals.

The firm's international network is an important part of its appeal. It's very easy to plug into expert advice from virtually any jurisdiction. Every deal you work on you are developing your relationship with the client and learning something new.

I knew that I wanted to do a seat abroad and the reality here is pretty much that, if you want to go overseas then you will. I did a secondment in our Amsterdam office and had an excellent experience. That was certainly a highlight of my training contract but I had many others. During my Property Litigation seat I went to The Royal Courts of Justice and instructed the barrister in a conference relating to a major piece of litigation. It was very nerve-wracking but a great experience.

Why am I still here? I think that I work in the best real estate finance department in London. The quality of work is excellent and the atmosphere is relaxed ­ - we socialise and have fun, go for drinks after work. I genuinely think it's a great place to be.