Sam Carr

From One of England’s smallest cities, located in the ever-picturesque North Yorkshire.	Place of study and course Business Management at the University of Sheffield	Fun fact Firmly breaking with all traditions and norms, the correct spelling of my name is ‘Samual’ and not ‘Samuel’ – you will, however, get a different account as to why that is depending on which of my parents you ask!

What is one thing you wish you knew about NRF before or whilst applying? 

One thing I wish I’d known when applying to NRF is that the firm isn’t looking for people who share the exact same experiences and/or background - I fell into the trap of assuming that not studying law/having legal experience would place me at a disadvantage. One of the most striking features of NRF Transform is that the teams are made up of people from a wide range of backgrounds: some have studied law, some have practiced law, and others have backgrounds in everything from veterinary science and maths to neuroscience and business. 

To increase your chances of success, focus on demonstrating a good understanding of growing trends and innovation impacting the legal sector. Most importantly, allow your genuine interest and curiosity to take centre stage in your application; there’s no right or wrong answer, so don’t worry about having the ‘perfect’ response, just remember to weave in your research.  

Another thing (so technically two ‘things’ for this section, sorry!) that intrigued me when applying for a seat on the BLOG scheme was the breadth of work involved in each seat, which often didn’t seem apparent at a glance. 

What type of work are you involved in on a daily basis?  

While I hate to lead with a cliché, it’s true that a typical day in Applied Tech can look very different depending on what projects and team members you’re supporting. Applied Tech is a client-facing, fee-earning team, that develops technology solutions for clients - typically, in-house legal teams - from a variety of sectors. We don’t ‘use out of the box’ solutions, so a lot of work goes into understanding client requirements and tailoring systems.   

The Applied Tech team is made up of three categories including Business Analysts, Solution Developers/Architects, and Solution Consultants/Project Managers. All members adopt an agile approach which encourages learning and deployment of new skills while working cohesively to ensure client deliverables are met. This is one aspect of working in the Applied Tech that I’ve particularly enjoyed.  

As a BLOG sitting within the team, I’ve gained exposure to several client projects, including supporting the development of document management solutions and matter management portals. In my role, I’ve spent time creating a reporting system for a client which will be used to check whether files are adhering to naming conventions and identify missing data points. This involved getting familiar with Microsoft’s Power BI and developing an understanding of how to map relationships between data tables to ensure visuals at the front-end relay relevant information to the client. It also required a level of creativity, particularly when designing the user interface, adhering to the client’s design guidelines, and adapting to client feedback.  

I’ve also worked on internal initiatives for the Applied Tech team. I’m currently creating a report that will be used to provide both macro and phase level oversights on how project spend is tracking against budgets. Getting involved with projects like these develops not only new technical skills, but also a better understanding of the work and project planning that goes into delivering client matters.  

The Applied Tech team collaborates with other internal teams and offices to scope requirements and develop solutions.  I recently had the opportunity to support Legal Operations Consulting develop a conference presentation which used a fairytale theme to showcase the importance of good data management for in-house legal teams (definitely not something you’d be tackling every day, but nonetheless, a great opportunity and one that perfectly demonstrates the variety of projects available to you). 

What is something you were nervous about before joining your team and how have your feelings changed since then?   

I was slightly nervous when joining Applied Tech that I would not gain first-hand exposure to different sub-teams and their work. In my first couple of weeks I was asked if I wanted to focus on a specific work type or cross-collaborate. I chose the latter, and it has allowed me to forge relationships across the team and get involved with lots of varied work.  

Another area that both attracted me to the team, yet caused a level of apprehension, was the ‘Tech’ aspect of Applied Tech. I was concerned there would be a strong expectation of high-level technical skills or programming knowledge; this turned out to be a completely unfounded fear. While there is an expectation that you will dedicate time to learning about client solutions and internal software on the job, there is no expectation that on day one you’ll be a fully-fledged all-knowing project manager, developer or analyst. A real strength of the team is to encourage questioning, and even when busy, team members make time to share knowledge and help you learn. 

What is your favourite project you have worked on so far?   

A recent matter I supported involved working alongside colleagues to tailor a document management solution for an in-house legal team in the financial sector. I was granted ownership of a particular project requirement which saw me develop a reporting system for the client with the support of one of Applied Tech’s Senior Business Analysts. Making a meaningful contribution and knowing that something I helped create will be used by the client gives a great sense of satisfaction and demonstrates the level of trust the team places in BLOGs. I’ve also enjoyed getting involved in regular client and internal meetings which provide full visibility of my colleagues' work and an opportunity to bounce off ideas and overcome challenges together.  

So far, I don’t have a favourite project as each project I’ve been involved with has taught me something new. There is no fear that a BLOG in Applied Tech won’t be given meaningful work!