LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Cyril Lekgetho is a third year apprentice at Mayer Brown International LLP, currently working in the firm's London Finance Group where the CLSC’s Master, Edmund Parker is a partner and head of the firm's derivatives practice.

Apprentices rotate areas of practice every six months but Cyril very quickly decided Finance was the area for him long term and so extended his time there by a further six months. He puts his decision down not just to a fascination with the subject itself but also because of the Master’s leadership of the practice and his embracing of his team and fully involving them in everything.

This year, the Master invited Cyril to the Company’s Annual Banquet as one of his personal guests. Cyril was delighted by such an opportunity which he says wasn’t about entertaining the clients but rather all of them together sharing the joy of the evening and being able to get involved in some of the history and traditions together. Cyril felt the event almost was a stamp and a seal on how he feels about being a solicitor.

“ It was a great coming together of like minded people who have common interests and who have a shared commitment not just to the Rule of Law but also to charity and integrity - values I believe all lawyers should try to embody both inside and outside of their practice.”

Cyril had never attended a Livery Company event before so he definitely dived in at the deep end with such a grand and glamorous event as his debut. He says when he heard the bugles playing and also when he had to take part in the Loving Cup and did not have a clue what to do, he knew he was at something both very special and very different from anything he had experienced before - but never did he feel intimidated or out of place. Indeed so much did he love the event that when we spoke, he had his programme for the evening on his desk which he has kept as a memento.

“It was a fantastic evening and experience. It was grand and surreal but everyone was friendly, engaged and down to earth. And it was great to connect with so many people who all share the Law as a passion. I certainly did not take much convincing to decide that I really want to join as a Liveryman as soon as I qualify. I felt a part of something that felt important and right and it was a privilege to be able to support the Master in his duties. When we were marshalled into the pillared, high ceilinged and very grand dining room by the cadets, the grandeur really hit home. As a solicitor

apprentice, hearing everyone talk about the future of the Company and knowing I can be a part of it felt wonderful to me. I feel the Company is 100% relevant to today. It feels contemporary and something future solicitors should most definitely get involved with to make the very most of their time in the City.”

What is it about the Company that attracted Cyril?

“Just looking at the level of speakers and guests at the event - like Lucy Rigby and Barbara Mills - evidences the high esteem that both the Company and its members are held. It was great to hear the Master mentioning apprentices in his speech - it is evident that he sees us as the future - something that was made even more apparent by the Master’s letter from the future which was supposedly written by someone exactly like me attending the Banquet.”

Cyril says being in and around a setting where participation from juniors is so encouraged made him sure this was very much something he wants to be a part of. This was reinforced when he spoke with members of different generations who each told how their careers and, indeed, their lives had been enriched by being a part of the Company.

Maybe the Master’s deep dive into 2050 was as clairvoyant as it was perceptive and that perhaps Cyril or one of the other junior lawyers who were fortunate enough to attend the Banquet in 2025 will one day be hosting the event as Masters themselves. It certainly seems that both the Banquet - and the Company - have a great future ahead. 

“ It was a great coming together of like minded people who have common interests and who have a shared commitment not just to the Rule of Law but also to charity and integrity - values I believe all lawyers should try to embody both inside and outside of their practice.”