From PRIME Insight to Mishcon de Reya: McKelvin Debrah’s Journey into Commercial Law
Yours Truly, TheLawyerFiles
Welcome to the eleventh blog post for TheLawyerFiles!
First, thank you for subscribing. Please stay tuned for insightful interviews, expert advice, and real-life experiences from legal professionals to help you navigate your journey to becoming a solicitor.
In this edition, we feature McKelvin Debrah, a Future Trainee Solicitor at Mishcon de Reya, whose legal journey reflects clarity of purpose, self-development, and a bold approach to personal branding. From discovering commercial law through the Latham & Watkins PRIME Insight Scheme to navigating the highs and lows of the training contract cycle, McKelvin’s path has been shaped by resilience, reflection, and elite access programs like Rare Recruitment and Aspiring Solicitors.
Now studying at the University of Law after graduating from Warwick, he brings a unique perspective on the difference between legal theory and legal practice—highlighting how applied legal training develops the skills that really matter. Beyond his own achievements, McKelvin is committed to mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds and breaking down barriers to entry in the legal profession.
His story is a powerful reminder that growth in law isn’t just about what you know—it’s about how you show up, how you adapt, and how you help others along the way.
Let’s dive in! 🚀
You’ve held multiple mentorship and internship roles—how did those early experiences shape your legal ambitions?
I think all of my legal experiences helped me to realise how much I actually enjoyed the work of a commercial lawyer. When I first heard about commercial law, I had no idea what it entailed or what kind of work it involved or even how to qualify as a lawyer. After completing all of these experiences, it is very easy for me to articulate why I want to be a commercial lawyer. My first interaction with commercial law was Latham and Watkins’ prime insight scheme and when I attended, it felt like I had entered a completely new world.
You studied at the University of Warwick and are now at the University of Law—how did you find the transition between academic study and practical legal training?
The difference between academic study and practical legal training is quite big. You go from learning about the theory behind the law and all the cases and how the law developed to actually implementing it to real life scenarios. I definitely enjoyed it more because you just focus on the procedure and legal processes rather than having to remember scholars and what they said and how the law has developed since. It tests a completely different set of skills that you need to be a lawyer while academic law doesn’t really prepare you for practice.
You’ve been actively involved with Aspiring Solicitors, Rare Recruitment, and Dentons’ AS Mentee program. How have these programs supported your path into law?
I think all of these programs have played a huge part in my path into law. To get a training contract involves a lot of different skills, you need to know how to write applications, interview well, have a strong personal brand that firms want to invest in and also know how to network. These aren’t skills that the average just has and they aren’t taught in school either so actually developing them by yourself can be quite difficult. Not only did these programs allow me to visit law firms and see the work of solicitors, they helped me to build a personal brand and also refine my application writing. They also helped to keep me accountable in terms of making sure I was submitting enough applications. I would definitely encourage anyone who is eligible to apply to schemes like Aspiring Solicitors and RARE, they are incredibly beneficial.
Was there a specific setback or challenge you faced that taught you a critical lesson about the legal profession or your own resilience?
I think my biggest set back was not securing a training contract in second year. I had set very high expectations and a lot of my friends had also secured training contracts at the time. The thought of having to go through another cycle at the time seemed daunting. However, in the next cycle I was able to secure two vacation schemes and a training contract at the end.
Where do you see yourself five years from now—any particular area of law or impact you want to make?
In the next 5 years, I see myself as an associate hopefully still at Mishcon De Reya. Based on my interests right now, I would want to qualify into Real Estate, Corporate or Sports and also begin mentoring students from underprivileged backgrounds who have aspirations of becoming commercial lawyers.
Mckelvin Debrah - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckelvin-debrah-393a9b20a/
Future Trainee Solicitor @ Mishcon De Raya
Thank you for reading the eleventh edition of TheLawyerFiles!
I hope McKelvin’s journey has offered you clarity and encouragement—especially if you’re navigating applications, developing your personal brand, or trying to break into commercial law. His story is a reminder that self-awareness, perseverance, and strategic growth can open doors that once felt out of reach. From refining his legal focus through mentoring schemes to overcoming setbacks in the training contract cycle, McKelvin shows that success in law comes not only from talent but from consistency, adaptability, and intentional effort.
🎧 Stay tuned—our podcast episode with McKelvin is coming soon, where we’ll dive deeper into his path to Mishcon de Reya, lessons from legal access programs, and the impact he hopes to make in the profession. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it!
Until next time—keep learning, keep growing, and keep moving forward with purpose. 🌍⚖️
— Denice Obeng :)
Thats my goat❤️