Overall my law degree equipped me with the fundamental skills that I now use on a day to day basis in my role as a Senior Associate Solicitor and these skills are transferable into many different career paths, so it was a good undergraduate degree choice. Also qualifying as a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) has been essential in equipping me with the necessary skills to meet the needs of my clients and to help me to succeed in my career.

After I passed all of the eight FE1s (solicitor exams) and received a first class honours in my Masters, the next step was to apply for a traineeship. I applied to a number of graduate programmes and was delighted to be accepted by Matheson for a traineeship. I was extremely impressed by the broad range of practice areas offered by Matheson, which include a dedicated International Tax group and its dedication to its training programme.

No two days are the same! Matheson’s Tax department is involved in many types of complex transactions, working with international clients to add value to their businesses and as tax law is continually evolving, I am always learning and I am fortunate to be part of a team that encourages me to keep progressing to be the best I can be.

I advise on cross border tax planning and international corporate restructurings as well as mergers and acquisitions on an international and national level.

It was certainly a challenge to balance studying for a professional qualification and work full time, however, the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) programme offered by the Irish Tax Institute caters for this challenge by providing weekend lectures and electronic access to materials. In particular, the professional skills workshop offered the opportunity to discuss and solve real-life tax problems that I could then apply in my day to day work.

Tax advice is always relevant to companies, whether they are restructuring in a downturn or growing and diversifying in times of expansion. It is an exciting, dynamic and deadline-driven environment that requires you as an adviser to stay up to date on the latest developments. The Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification has been essential in equipping me with the necessary skills to meet the needs of my clients and to help me to succeed in my career.

It was a challenge to balance studying and working at times, but I managed very well as the Irish Tax Institute really supports you through the qualification by offering a flexible study and learning approach that makes work life balance very manageable.

Each year as I progressed through the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification, I was able to put the knowledge I had gained to practical application in my role in the tax department. In particular, the business tax modules were extremely relevant to my day to day work in Matheson. Even while studying, I felt I was making a positive contribution to the work of the tax department.

When I was choosing a college course, I knew that I had an interest in law and that a law degree would provide me with a wide range of career opportunities in numerous different fields.

I have a Bachelor of Law degree from Trinity College Dublin, and a Masters in Commercial Law from UCD. I am also a qualified Solicitor, and an AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA).

The solicitor trainee programme is a two-year programme involving attendance at the PPCI and PPCII courses at the Law Society and working in a number of different departments in Matheson. I spent one of my trainee rotations in the Matheson Tax department, which is by far the largest tax group amongst Irish law firms.

During the course of this rotation, I worked side by side with partners and solicitors in the department as a member of the team and gained invaluable insight on the day-to-day work carried out in the tax department. Having already studied tax law in college and completed my trainee rotation in Matheson’s tax department, I was able to use this knowledge as grounding for the AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) exams.

My hard work and effort paid off, and I was placed joint third in Part 3 of the AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) exams.

I enjoy working with people, and being part of a team. Also, I like constantly learning, and the fact that tax law is always changing means that I really am always learning!

Yes, thankfully I can maintain a good work life balance, where my hard work is rewarded.

A common misconception about a career in tax is that it is just about numbers, however, tax law has a strong basis in legislation and case law. Therefore, it is really suitable for graduates from a legal background, or for qualified solicitors and barristers.

Enjoying working as part of a team, enjoying learning on a daily basis and having the stamina to work in a fast paced environment.

In my first year as a qualified solicitor, I started my studies for the AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification with the Irish Tax Institute. Both in Matheson tax department and the tax industry as a whole, the AITI Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification is considered an essential qualification to obtain and I knew it would provide me with a further opportunity to enhance my knowledge and skills.

It would be beneficial to spend time in a firm as part of a summer internship programme, or as part of a co-op year.

I am an Senior Associate Solicitor with Matheson.