Edward Watkins is a Junior Editor & Trainer in our English Improvement Department
What led you to Milan and how did your path cross with BonelliErede?
I was born in the UK, where I studied law, politics and languages. Some of my studies took me to other countries such as Sweden, Germany, Italy and France. Then in 2016, I moved to Milan to start a job at a US law firm and not long after I joined BonelliErede as an editor and trainer in the English Improvement Department. The role appealed to me as I could apply my skills in an international organisation made up of very motivated people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. I quickly learned that this is one of the firm’s main strengths – and there’s a real sense that everyone’s working together as one big team, pursuing goals beyond their own personal interests.
Since joining BonelliErede, I’ve been based at the firm’s headquarters in Milan, which is a really cosmopolitan and dynamic city, full of amazing history, culture and fun stuff to do. And as the firm encourages a healthy work-life balance, it’s therefore possible to get the most out the city and also discover lots of amazing new places close by.
What does your job entail?
Within the firm, I’m a member of the English Improvement Department, a team made up of native English-speaking language experts. We primarily deal with requests from other teams to review and edit legal documents and other materials that they’ve produced in English – this includes applying what’s known as “Plain English”, which is a set of language principles to make texts as accurate, brief and clear as possible for the reader.
My job frequently involves working directly with lawyers and other professionals from all levels of seniority to achieve the desired message. This is one of the attractions of this role – as you get to work with a huge variety of really talented people. It also provides a unique insight into the wider purpose of the organisation and how all the teams work together to bring great ideas to life.
We also assess all candidates’ level of English, as the firm is continually expanding its business internationally, and successful candidates are enrolled in our in-house Legal English training courses – these are tailor made to address the specific linguistic needs of our international professionals.
When you are not poring over legal documents, what can you be found doing?
If I’m not hiking or cooking, you can probably find me reading!
I enjoy reading books on international relations, economic and political history, technology and energy, as well as biographies of prominent businesspeople, to better understand the world we live in and how these aspects shape our present and future. I also try to read as much as possible in German, Italian, French or Spanish to gain important insights into different histories, languages, and cultures. I value reading so much because it provides me with new perspectives, and it allows me to see what motivates important figures of our history and present – my goal is to continue to be a lifelong learner and global thinker.
