Hasti Mozhdehi, Future Trainee Solicitor at Latham & Watkins — From Retail Management to Securing a Training Contract

In this episode, Hasti Mozhdehi shares her journey to securing a training contract at Latham & Watkins, explaining how leadership experience outside law, a focused application strategy and genuine relationship building helped her stand out.

Hasti reflects on discovering commercial law during her gap year while working her way up from sales associate to store manager in retail. Managing a retail business exposed her to financial performance, commercial decision-making, employment issues and risk management, giving her an early understanding of how law and business work together.

The conversation explores Hasti's unique journey with Latham, beginning with the firm's first-year scheme before becoming a campus brand ambassador, completing a vacation scheme and ultimately securing a training contract. She explains why remaining committed to one firm allowed her to develop meaningful relationships and gain a deeper understanding of its culture.

Hasti also discusses what initially attracted her to Latham, from its combination of US firm expertise and full-service practice areas to its commitment to continuous professional development. She explains why the firm's investment in training at every stage of a lawyer's career made a lasting impression.

A major focus of the episode is application strategy. Rather than applying to dozens of firms, Hasti explains why she prioritised quality over quantity, concentrating on firms where she had a genuine motivation to apply and investing significant time researching what truly differentiated each one.

The conversation also explores how candidates can make non-legal experience stand out. Hasti explains how her management background developed leadership, communication, emotional intelligence and commercial awareness—skills that proved invaluable throughout the recruitment process.

Hasti shares practical advice for students preparing for vacation schemes, including taking ownership of opportunities, managing workloads effectively and balancing networking, workshops and assessed tasks while maintaining enthusiasm throughout the programme.

The discussion also highlights the importance of commercial awareness, proactive learning and using resources such as Forage virtual work experiences to develop practical legal knowledge before applying to firms.

Throughout the episode, Hasti returns to one central theme: building genuine relationships. From trainees and partners to reception and support staff, she explains why taking the time to connect with everyone in a firm creates a far more rewarding experience and leaves a lasting impression.

Finally, Hasti shares advice for aspiring commercial lawyers on researching firms properly, reflecting on your own experiences and remembering that technical ability alone is never enough—successful candidates are also approachable, collaborative and genuinely interested in the people around them.

00:00 Introduction
00:20 Meet Hasti Mozhdehi
01:00 Why Commercial Law?
02:00 Retail Management & Commercial Awareness
03:00 Hasti's Journey with Latham
04:00 Why Latham & Watkins?
05:00 Training, Culture & People
06:00 Quality vs Quantity in Applications
07:00 Standing Out Through Leadership Experience
08:00 Using Forage & Building Commercial Awareness
09:00 Researching Law Firms Properly
10:00 Converting a Vacation Scheme
11:00 Managing Workload & Taking Initiative
12:00 Building Relationships Across the Firm
13:00 Being Personable During a Vacation Scheme
14:00 Final Advice for Aspiring Lawyers