Hi,
Thanks for this. It’s a completely thoughtful question.
Absolutely, any paralegal experience is valuable and transferable, even if it’s not in the exact field you see yourself in long term. In fact, roles within structured finance, like derivatives and ISDA, can give you a strong foundation that’s highly attractive to recruiters in broader commercial contracts work.
You’ve probably heard this before, but transferable skills really do go far. Experience with caseload management, drafting and reviewing documentation, supporting fee-earners under time pressure, or working with highly regulated materials builds core competencies that apply across most areas of commercial law. Plus, your exposure to structured finance means you can speak to the more technical side of contracts and risk allocation. This is a highly valuable addition to any other paralegal role.
I’ve provided examples of three ways you could frame your experience in an interview for a more general commercial role:
1. Document-heavy environment – Explain how working with ISDA or derivatives documentation gave you sharp attention to detail and comfort with complex legal frameworks, which can easily translate to reviewing supply agreements, NDAs, or service contracts.
2. Stakeholder communication – Describe how you’ve liaised with internal teams, clients, or counsel, building the confidence to manage expectations and flag issues. These are crucial in any paralegal role.
3. Process improvement and organisation – Talk about how you’ve handled high-volume tasks under pressure, or created systems to track key deadlines, which demonstrates commercial awareness and time management.
So yes, firms recruiting for general commercial roles would likely see your derivatives experience as not only relevant, but also an asset.
Best of luck with your interview - you’re clearly thinking ahead in all the right ways.
