Trainee Applications

“What all law students have in common – their spreadsheets of rejection”

I always remember my mentor telling me this – between us we had about 300 rejections…

FAQs

I get a lot of questions asking about my experience and whether I have any tips for the trainee application process. I’ve tried to answer the most common questions I get asked – leave me a message if there is something I haven’t covered that you want to know more about – 100s of applications later, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it all!

First year of law school was hard – I know it doesn’t count so everyone says you can take it easy – but if you’re that one really annoying over achiever that everyone secretly hates – then you understand when I tell you how many hours I spent studying in the library.

It was stressful yes – but nothing compared to 2nd year:

Never Copy and Paste

So of course, that meant I copy and pasted my application. We’re all guilty of doing it at some point…Yes, it saves time but it definitely won’t help you get a training contract. It was obvious that I didn’t care about the firms I applied to, all I wanted was a job – and that showed.

Of course it’s okay to rely on the same experiences BUT re-write it each time, mould it to the specific firm and explain why it’s relevant.

Be selective – Why are you applying to the firm?

I always get asked what I say when law firms ask me if I’ve applied to anywhere else:

Be honest. They know that you’re being realistic, in a competitive job market you’re going to be applying to other places too. BUT that doesn’t mean they want to read a generic application that can easily apply to another firm. So throughout your application, always ask yourself one question: what is it about the firm that makes you want to work there? For example, for me, it was the people. After my court experience and dealing with corrupt lawyers, I felt very disillusioned with the law. But after talking to some of the lawyers that worked there, I realised the majority of lawyers are not like that. It showed me exactly the type of lawyer I wanted to be and I was excited – which leads onto my next tip – make the effort to network!

Where to go to find out more about the firm

From networking events at your University, to work experience/vacation schemes to simply reaching out and messaging someone directly.

I didn’t have a LinkedIn account before this year – I’m upset because I’ve realised how valuable it is – from connecting with lawyers from the firm, I was able to see what a work day is really like. So, if you don’t have a LinkedIn account yet I would strongly advise you to!

How did you know Brachers was the right firm for you?

Every interview I’ve ever had, I was always so nervous, I thought I’d throw up on myself. But when it came time for my interview with Brachers, I was just excited, counting down the days. When the process was initially put on hold because of covid – I spent every day on my emails just refreshing the page waiting for it to be rescheduled.

Obviously, I was a little apprehensive because job interviews are stressful, but I had spent so many hours researching the firm and preparing my answers (probably longer than I spent writing my Masters) that I wasn’t worried about the questions they would ask. That’s how you know you really want the job.

LPC with no TC?

A question I get asked a lot is whether you should apply for the LPC when you don’t have a training contract.

I was in the same position and was terrified I would spend all of my parents savings on my LPC and never get there. Looking back, all I can say is that if you are 100% sure you want to be a lawyer, don’t let the fact you don’t have a training contract put you off – in my class, in my year, I only knew of 2 people that had them – just keep applying and take each rejection as it comes. The more rejections you get the better you’ll be prepared for the next one.

Writing Applications

Book appointments with your careers advisors – this wasn’t something I did until my LPC years but I realised how invaluable it is – they can help you proof read — the number of times I’ve re-read my application 10 times and later realised I’ve made a mistake…it’s always helpful to get a fresh perspective.

Don’t ever rush your application – make sure every sentence you write, every word, adds something.

What experience do I need?

Like every law student, I felt the pressure to have as much legal experience as I could get. But it doesn’t have to be limited to law – firms ask for transferable skills, not legal experience exclusively. Of course it’s important in the sense it shows your passion for your chosen career path, but it is by no means an essential. You may even be able to answer the question better by providing a more genuine example – Working in my family’s ice cream parlour for 10 years taught me more about customer relations and team work than my 1 week vacation scheme.

Go into specifics

When reviewing applications, I see individuals simply list their skills and responsibilities instead of saying how they display that and why it is important.

Preparing for the Interview

Go to interviews, go to assessment centres – even if you don’t get the job, the more practice you have the better. The very first assessment centre I went to was for a tiny firm in Norwich – I almost started crying in the interview I was so nervous… Safe to say I think I’ve improved since then!

Make sure you have an answer to the ‘list of questions’ all firms will probably ask you (in some form or another):

• Why our firm?
• Why do you want to be a lawyer?
• What area of law interests you the most and why?
• Describe a time where you worked in a team
• What is something challenging that you have worked to overcome?
• How do you manage a busy schedule?
• What are the biggest challenges facing our firm and how would you overcome them?

And then the more personal questions everyone loves answering…

• What are your strengths/weaknesses? — weaknesses – ok. But must people hate talking about their strengths – for the fear of seeming arrogant. It’s sad really because you should be celebrating them! I found it really helpful getting my family members to write down what they thought.
• How would your friends/teachers/personal tutors describe you in 3 words – my advice: actually ask them! You don’t want your answers to come across as scripted.

Tips for Nerves

It’s normal to be nervous – it shows you care. Your interviewers will understand it – but I realised that they aren’t trying to catch you out — all they want is to get to know you as a person rather than an application on a piece of paper. Just be yourself!! If you try and act any different, it’s always transparent, no matter how good an actor you are.

Whenever I get nervous, I have a tendency to just….talk. Then I start telling very bad dad jokes and end up being the only one laughing and completely forgetting the question. Make sure to take your time, listen to their questions carefully.

Mentoring Scheme

If your university offers this – join it. I started at the University of Law and was mentored by a Trainee Solicitor from Wedlake Bell. She had some of the best advice – getting tips from someone that has already gone through the process is invaluable.