Stephanie Caird

Stephanie is a partner in our commercial team, advising clients in the life sciences sector. She talks about her journey into law, career highlights and path to partnership.

Can you tell us a bit about your journey into law?

I studied law at university, so I went straight from school into law. My route was slightly different because I grew up in Germany and went to an international school, so I was applying to UK universities from abroad. At the time, I wasn’t really aware of the different routes into law, such as studying another subject first and then converting, so I decided to go straight into a law degree.

I studied law at Cambridge, spent a year in Germany as part of an Erasmus exchange, and then applied for training contracts, including at Mills & Reeve. I was successful, completed my Legal Practice Course in London and started my training contract with the firm in 2010.

What’s it like working at Mills & Reeve?

I really enjoy working at Mills & Reeve - the collegiate atmosphere is a big part of that. People are supportive, everyone contributes ideas and there’s a real sense that people sit at the heart of what we do. That applies not just to our clients, but to our colleagues too.

I actually left the firm in 2016 to work in-house for a while, but I missed that support network and the sense of being part of a firm that really looks after its people. I rejoined in 2019 as a senior associate in the commercial team and have been working my way up since.

For me, it’s also the combination of culture and work that makes the firm special. The people side is really important, but so is the quality of the work. We work with clients who are doing really exciting things in their sectors, and are regularly involved in pioneering legal work. It’s that combination of interesting work in a supportive environment that really stands out.

What are some of your career highlights?

One of my early career highlights came when I was newly qualified and we had the opportunity to tender for work with the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, which is part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. We were successful, and that led to me being seconded there on a part-time basis for quite a long period.

While I was there, I worked on contracts that allowed samples from Africa during the Ebola crisis to be shipped internationally, including to labs in the UK, to support efforts around testing and vaccination. It was high stakes, high pressure work, and it was incredibly rewarding to see regulators, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies all pulling together to try to make progress as quickly as possible.

Seeing similar collaboration happen again during the Covid pandemic was also a real career highlight. Working alongside colleagues at Mills & Reeve and our clients during that time, and helping in a crisis, was incredibly meaningful.

Can you tell us a bit about your application process and transition to becoming partner?

I really started my partner application process when I came back from maternity leave. I had been promoted to principal associate during the pandemic, then became a mum in 2021 and took some time away from work. When I returned, it became clear to me that I wanted to be part of the partnership helping to steer the firm and shape the practice area I work in.

I’m in the life sciences sector, focusing on commercial, intellectual property and regulatory work, and I could see so many opportunities for us as a practice and as a firm. I wanted to help shape that future, so I started having conversations about what I would need to do to become a partner.

The process at Mills & Reeve is rigorous. It involves psychometric testing, preparing a business case about what you would bring to the firm, and several stages of review and challenge from the board, the partner appointment panel and the wider partnership. It’s a very involved process, but I found it incredibly useful.

It helped me identify areas where I already had strong skills, but perhaps wasn’t making the most of them, as well as areas where I would benefit from further development. I then spent around a year working on those areas with support from the firm, including a coaching package that helped me build my confidence and capability.

By the end of the process, I felt like an improved version of myself. It also made the transition into partnership smoother because I’d already been working at that level in the lead-up to it becoming official. I found the process transparent and helpful: the firm puts a lot of effort into explaining how partnership works, both to junior lawyers and to those going through the process themselves.

Did you always have an interest in life sciences?

Honestly, no. In fact, I went into law partly because I thought it would take me as far away from science as possible! Both of my parents worked in life sciences and had scientific backgrounds, and at 18 I was very adamant that I didn’t want to do anything to do with science.

What changed was a secondment during my training contract to MedImmune, which is part of AstraZeneca. Being there and speaking to scientists who were doing genuinely important and exciting work, like trying to find treatments for cancer and asthma, completely changed my perspective.

It made me realise how the legal work I do can help enable that scientific progress. I’m not the one doing the science, but I can bring legal expertise that helps others do that work. That really lit a fire in me, and I haven’t looked back since.

Do you have any advice for someone starting out in the legal sector?

It’s a competitive sector to get into, probably now more so than ever, so I’d encourage people to look for ways to gain experience early - whether through work experience, vacation schemes or similar opportunities. These can really help you understand if it’s the right path for you.

Don’t be put off if you haven’t studied law either. People enter the profession through a range of routes, including different degree backgrounds and apprenticeships.

If this is something you want to pursue, don’t let setbacks discourage you. It’s a competitive field, especially at entry level, and not succeeding first time doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I remember my own training contract came around the time of the Lehman Brothers collapse, when opportunities were more limited, but many in that position went on to build successful careers.

Once you’re in, stay curious and open-minded. What you think you want to practise may change, and sometimes the areas you least expect end up being the best fit - whether because of the work, the people or the clients.

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