Internships at AEI: Jadie Tan

1.  Tell us something people don’t often know about you.

I have a keen interest in motorsports and cars. Some of my favourite car models include the Jaguar Land Rover Defender and the classic Mini Cooper. One of the things on my bucket list is to go on an off-road trail in the future. I also love to go on road trips in other countries. I even have dedicated song playlists for different road trips and occasions.

2. What did you learn from the internship – best takeaway?

One of the biggest takeaways from my internship is understanding more about the different kinds of agreements in corporate transactions. There was a wide range of agreements that I came across throughout my internship, and every agreement had a unique context and background to it. I observed how the team accounted for each client’s specific needs and concerns while drafting and amending these agreements. I had opportunities to do research, look through issue lists and review many kinds of agreements.

Overall, it was a very enriching and fulfilling experience for me, even though there was a steep learning curve. There was good on-the-job training that allowed me to acquire new competencies, soft skills, and hard skills. I would say the internship also served as a great introduction to corporate law and other related topics. It certainly gave me a head start on what to expect when dealing with corporate transactions.  

3. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

As this was my first legal internship and I had only recently completed my first year of law school, it was the very first time I was seeing all the different types of documents (e.g. agreements, constitutions, term sheets). I was unfamiliar with everything, and it took me quite a while to get the hang of things. However, everyone at AEI Legal was incredibly supportive and patient. I found it very helpful when my mentors explained difficult concepts to me in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

One main challenge I faced was determining favourable and unfavourable aspects in agreements for clients. I found it difficult to spot issues that could potentially result in future problems. To address this problem, I found it useful to compare precedents, look for similar agreements and issues in related transactions

4. What advice would you give future interns?

If there is anything that you are unsure of about the work assigned to you, don’t be afraid to ask and clarify about it with your mentors. As a student who has not taken any modules related to corporate law, I found myself asking many basic (and beginner level) questions. However, I really benefitted from the explanations that my mentors gave when they went through my queries with me. Thereafter, it became much easier for me to comprehend and digest the information.

I would encourage future interns to be open-minded, receptive, and proactive. Seize every opportunity to try new things and at the end of your internship, you’ll find yourself with many valuable takeaways (especially skills and knowledge that you may not have picked up in school).

5. Did you enjoy your time?

Yes, I really enjoyed my time at AEL Legal! I received good guidance and support from the entire team. The workload, timeline and workflow of the entire internship were just right for me. I am thankful for the many learning opportunities throughout this internship, and I am glad to have learnt a lot during my short stint here. Overall, I appreciate the firm’s healthy collaborative culture, and the nurturing environment that the team has created (especially for inexperienced newcomers like myself).

For students thinking about doing a corporate legal internship or getting a first-hand experience in the corporate practice area, I would highly recommend applying for and interning at AEI Legal.