Commercial Law - Application Checklist

LAW APPLICATIONS: YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR
DRAFTING A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION
How to use this guide 2

Tailoring your Application 3
WHAT CAN YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR APPLICATION? 3
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DISCUSS? 4
HOW TO RESEARCH THE FIRM 7

Law CV Guide 8
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN EACH SECTION 8
GENERAL TIPS 10
CV TEMPLATE 12
EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETED CV 13
CV CHECKLIST 14
Drafting a Law Cover Letter 15
WHAT IS A LAW COVER LETTER? 15
WHO ASKS FOR A LAW COVER LETTER? 15
BASICS 15
TOP TIPS 16
STRUCTURE AND FORMATTING 18
COVER LETTER SECTIONS SUMMARY 20
COVER LETTER EXAMPLE 23
COVER LETTER CHECKLIST 25

Drafting a Law Application 26
WHAT ARE LAW APPLICATIONS? 26
TYPES OF APPLICATION QUESTIONS 27
Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

ANSWERING MOTIVATIONAL QUESTIONS 28
ANSWERING COMPETENCY QUESTIONS 29
ANSWERING COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS 31
COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS EXAMPLE 34
APPLICATION CHECKLIST 35
Disclosing Mitigating Circumstances 38
WHAT ARE MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES? 38
SHOULD I DISCLOSE MY MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES 38
WHERE TO INCLUDE THIS? 38
HOW TO DISCLOSE THIS? 39

Submitting an Application 40
How to use this guide
When preparing to submit an application to an employer within the legal sector, please refer to
this document to develop your understanding of how to draft a law CV, cover letter, and
application questions. This will help you to showcase the full extent of your strengths as well as
to avoid common pitfalls in legal applications.
To jump ahead to a specific section, click on the section that you are interested in using the
contents table above, and follow the link. This will take you straight to the relevant section.

Tailoring your Application
When preparing law applications, it is important that you tailor it to the employer.
We know researching legal employers can be tricky, even overwhelming, especially when a lot of
employers use the same buzzwords, for example “high-quality, cross-border work” and
“collaborative, diverse and inclusive work culture”.
In this section, we’ll cover what you can write about to show a genuine interest in legal employers
and to make your application stand out. This will include information on what to mention and
where to find out more.
WHAT CAN YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR APPLICATION?
● People you’ve met or networked with from the firm:

○ When doing this, mention their first and last name and their position (legal
employers can be really big and the person reading it will appreciate some
guidance)!
○ Paraphrase what you spoke about or why the interaction was interesting.
○ For example, “I am drawn to the firm’s supportive culture. I enjoyed speaking to
trainee Muhammad Smith at [event name] where he shared that his team
organised weekly dinners to foster a team spirit..”
● Previous events you have attended:

○ This can include upReach events, Law Fairs, Open Days, Insight Schemes,
Competitions you’ve competed in, University events, Legal Cheek events, Bright
Network events, sponsored competitions e.g. Moots etc.
● Previous legal work experience

○ If you have done an Open Day, Insight Scheme, Vacation Scheme, mentoring
programme or similar with a specific employer, mention this in your application.
○ This is because all of these events are competitive and if the employer knows
you’ve secured an Open Day or Vacation Scheme with them before, they are more
likely to show an interest in your application, and to invite you to the later stages of
their application process.
○ Don’t worry if you haven’t yet done any legal work experience. To get started, we
recommend using Forage to complete free virtual insight programmes with a
number of legal employers. Many employers will look at whether or not you have

completed their virtual insight programmes on Forage in order to determine
whether to invite you to the later stages of their application process, so try to do as
many of these as you can, if you are interested in applying to the employers that
offer them.
○ These virtual insight programmes are free and do not require an application. They
usually take you about 6-8 hours to complete and will give you insight into legal
employers, build your industry knowledge and legal skills, and help you to develop
your commercial awareness.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DISCUSS?
These are a few other things that you can mention in your application. These include:
● An employer’s unique selling point, for example:

○ Baker McKenzie is an international firm, not a US or UK firm. When mentioning
details like this, be sure to explain why this is important to you.
● An employer’s international presence. For example, does the employer have an office
outside of the UK? Does this complement your background or previous work experience?
Why?
● An employer’s practice areas. Do they specialise in a particular area? Do they offer a full
service range of legal practices? Do they have any highly-ranked practice areas? Do they
have a niche or interesting practice area?
● An employer’s sector specialisms. Does the employer support clients in specific sectors?
Are any of the sectors relevant to your interests? How does this benefit their clients?
● An employer’s culture and values. What clubs and groups do they have to help ensure a
good work-life balance? Do they have employee networks to bring those with similar
interests/backgrounds together? What do they consider important in terms of their staff
and the work that they do for clients and the community?
● An employer’s CSR work. Has the employer got any CSR goals or aims? Does the
employer work with external groups to achieve community goals? How has the employer
used its influence to drive positive change in society? Has it set specific targets to help it in
doing so?

● Clients that the employer works with. Does the employer have any interesting clients?
● An employer’s diversity & inclusion work
○ Diversity and inclusion are different! Diversity focuses on the demographics that
makeup the employer’s workforce and can include gender, race/ethnicity, age,
sexual orientation, socio-economic background. Inclusion is a measure of culture
that enables diversity to thrive.
○ Diversity: Is the employer committed to a diverse culture and workplace, reflected
in its partnerships, diversity reporting, and progression plans? This includes
supportive diverse recruitment through the firm’s own accessibility initiatives, and
work with charities and organisations such as upReach.
○ Inclusion: Retention is also important – how does the employer retain it’s talent?
Does the employer have internal networks that celebrate diversity? What is the
employers retention of diverse talent like?
● Awards an employer has received, for example:
○ Legal Cheek, FT Innovative Lawyers Awards (for Europe), The Law Society,
Law.com International/The British Legal Awards, The Lawyer, Legal Business,
Who’s Who Legal, The Legal 500, The Week Innovation Awards, The UK Diversity
Legal Awards
● Employer opportunities, for example client secondments or international secondments.

However, don’t exclusively focus on international secondments as many firms have
cancelled these due to the impacts of Covid-19. It’s fine to mention that the idea of one is
exciting, but don’t use this as one of your main reasons for applying to the firm at the
current time.
● An employer’s response to Covid-19. Does the employer have a WFH policy? What have
current staff said about the employer’s handling of the pandemic? Did the employer give
out bonuses to staff as a ‘thank you’ for their work during the pandemic?
● An employer’s legal rankings (Chambers, Legal Cheek Scorecard, Legal 500), for
example:
○ I am drawn to upReach LLP’s Banking team which is ranked Band 1 by Chambers.
○ I am eager to experience upReach LLP’s high-quality training, epitomised by the
firm’s A* rating by Legal Cheek.

● Deals that an employer has worked on. Has the employer had any significant deals
recently? Can you link these deals to an area you’re interested in or that you’re connected
to? TOP TIP: Chambers Student discusses numerous recent deals that legal employers
have worked on.
● Law firm partnership models. For example, is the firm Swiss Verein or LLP and why does
this matter?
● Strategies that the employer uses. This can relate to expansion, their international
approach, investment into tech, and diversity and inclusion goals, amongst other things.
● Training or development opportunities. Does the employer have regular continued

professional development opportunities to support the growth and progression of its
staff?
● Company growth (internal and external). Does the employer regularly recruit to expand
its talent pool? Does it have strategies in place to support the growth of the company, for
example through merging with other law firms?
● Innovation and Legal Technology. Does the employer use innovation or legal technology
to optimise performance and maximise client service? Some employers may have
developed their own technologies, while others might purchase it.
● Trainee retention. Does the employer retain a high proportion of its graduates/trainees
after they have completed their training? What percentage of trainees continue to work at
the firm 6+ months after their period of recognised training? What about 12 months?
Remember that if you are citing these statistics, it is important to include the date.

HOW TO RESEARCH THE FIRM
1. Employer websites
○ Employers invest a lot of money into their graduate recruitment material and the
information they want you to know can be found here.
2. The employer’s LinkedIn page

○ This will include information about their employees, deals and any recent
developments.
3. upReach
○ If applying to a partner employer, please look at the Employer Guides on
my.upReach
4. Chambers Student Guide

○ This has employer rankings by practice area and location.
○ Has information about what trainees think of the employer, clients and recent
deals.
5. Legal Cheek
○ This has employee profiles which includes information about the employer,
breakdowns of details including GDL/LPC maintenance grants, the number of
graduate roles on offer, and diversity statistics, amongst other things.
○ You can also attend events that Legal Cheek organises in partnership with
employers from across the legal sector.
6. Roll on Friday
○ Roll on Friday has information about recent commercial deals and general ‘gossip’
from across the legal sector. This is useful to get a flavour of what’s happening in
the industry.
7. Legal 500
○ The Legal 500 has profiles on legal employers, as well as information on legal
rankings related to practice areas which can be useful to reference in your
application.

Law CV Guide
● Throughout the process of applying to legal opportunities - whether that be anything from
Open Days to Training Contracts - you will often be asked to share your CV with graduate
recruitment teams.
● A law CV is designed to showcase all of your educational, work, and extracurricular

experience to date. It is an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and
experience, as well as to showcase your hobbies and interests, which help to show how
well-rounded an individual you are.
● The CV represents an opportunity to provide a law firm with a clear, concise overview of
your experiences to date. From your CV, those individuals screening applications will very
quickly make decisions regarding your motivations and suitability, so it is of the utmost
importance to ensure your CV is as good as it can be.
● Below, we provide further guidance on how to showcase the best of your abilities in your
CV. Also included in this guide is a CV template that you can fill out with your own
experiences.
● To ensure your CV is of the highest possible standard, be sure to submit it to your Law
Programme Coordinator via my.upReach once you have finished drafting it so that they can
provide you with feedback.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN EACH SECTION
Education
● In this section, you should outline your academic career from GCSEs through to your
current year of undergraduate / graduate study
● If realistic, outline all of your university module grades, separated by year of study. Grades
should be listed from highest to lowest in order to showcase your best results first. All
module grades should be in percentage format where possible.
● If your A levels were adjusted under REALrating, include these too. You can view this on
my.upReach by clicking your photo icon and then MY REALrating. You can include this in
the following way:

○ A levels: ABB in History, English and Biology. AAA REALrating contextualised
grades.
Legal Work Experience
● In this section, you should outline the legal experiences you have taken part in to date at
any point in time. Depending on your level of experience, this can range from firm-led
webinars to vacation schemes.
● Be sure to highlight the most transferable elements of each of these experiences.

Although talks on culture or firm history are important, other legal employers viewing your
CV will be more interested in the hard and soft skills you have gained from these
experiences.
● Therefore, focus on activities like shadowing, case study sessions and group tasks which
teach you some of the skills necessary to excel as a trainee. Although we don’t
recommend explicitly naming the skills you picked up, describing the experience itself will
inherently signal these skills to an employer.
● However, if you have attended a more ‘culture-focused’ event at the firm that you are
applying to, then make sure to include this in your application to that particular firm.
Non-Legal Work Experience
● In this section, you should outline the non-legal employment you have completed to-date.
Consider whether the experiences you are including are relevant to the opportunity you
are applying to based upon the knowledge and/or skills you are developing.
● All experience is valuable experience regardless of how unrelated it may seem to

commercial law. ‘Real world’ employment can be a great way to show the transferable
skills valued by legal employers in practice.
● When outlining your experiences, prioritise the actions/responsibilities that most closely
link to those of a trainee solicitor. It’s also essential that you discuss any achievements, for
example a promotion, that you accomplished as a result of your work.
Activities and Interests
● In this section, you should outline your experiences outside of employment and
professional development. Consider whether the experiences you are including are

relevant to the opportunity you are applying to based upon the knowledge and/or skills
you are developing.
● You may choose to mention your extracurricular activities, interests, volunteering

commitments, and positions of responsibility.
● Although this section may seem somewhat unrelated to commercial law, it can make or
break your CV. As elsewhere, legal employers are hoping to gain an understanding of your
future potential. Therefore, make sure to highlight experiences that demonstrate
transferable skills such as teamwork and communication that are relevant to life as a
trainee lawyer.
Skills and Qualifications
● In this section, you should outline further relevant employment skills.
● This can include: language skills, IT skills, and other forms of professional training.
● Where possible, include the recognised level you have achieved in a given skill e.g Italian
(Intermediate B1).
● You can use this section to outline any further formal education that you have completed
outside of university or secondary school.
GENERAL TIPS
● Ensure consistent formatting throughout. Some key things to look out for are font size,
alignments and the use of bullet points. If in doubt, please download the ‘Law CV
Template’ from my.upReach and use this to input information about your experiences.
● Unless stated otherwise, CVs for legal employers should be no more than two pages in
length. You should use a size 11 or 12 ‘professional’ font like Times New Roman or Calibri.
● You should not include a Personal Statement in a legal CV. A personal statement is a
series of thoughts about your own competencies that does not include any evidence to
demonstrate the truth of such statements. Instead, let your experience speak for itself.
● Each section should be written in reverse chronological order from the end date. This
means that you start with the most recent experience and then work backwards.
● Avoid using narrative language when outlining your experiences - you shouldn’t write as if
you are having a conversation or writing an essay.

● Instead, use a series of clear action verbs to explain your role e.g. “Managed a team of 15
staff members” or “Analysed a range of qualitative and quantitative data in order to…” By
leading with an action verb, a recruiter can quickly identify your transferable skills, e.g.
teamwork, leadership, and analysis
● It is important to remember that you shouldn’t be naming these transferable skills. For
example, you wouldn’t add ‘built leadership skills’ to the team management example
above. Stick to the facts and let the reader understand your skills implicitly.
● Where possible, quantify your experiences and explain the end result of your actions. For
example ‘Raised £5000 in sponsorship funding.’ This helps draw attention to your impact
on an organisation or employer.
● Make small changes to your CV depending on the law firm you are applying to in order to
tailor it to the firm’s preferences. Make sure to research which competencies the firm
values most and ensure to highlight these within your CV.
● Review your own CV with a critical eye. Remember that graduate recruitment teams can
spend as little as 20 seconds reviewing a CV, so clarity and ease of understanding is key.
● Legal employers also receive so many applications that they are often looking for reasons
to reject applicants as much as they are looking for reasons to progress applicants.
Therefore, any mistake can lead to your application being rejected.
● Think carefully when deciding which experiences to include in order to abide by the
two-page limit. When in doubt, consider which experience best demonstrates your
suitability for a career as a future trainee lawyer.
● As a general rule, if an experience is older than two to three years old, you should be extra
certain that an employer will see the transferable benefits of this experience.

CV TEMPLATE
First Name Second Name

Email address | Phone Number
Education
University Name – Degree Course Sep 2018 – Present/End Date
● Final Degree Result (If you have graduated):
● First Year Module Grades: Enter Here in alphabetical order or in order from highest to lowest
● Second Year Module Grades (If Applicable): See Above
● Third Year Module Grades (If Applicable): See Above
High School Name START DATE – END DATE

● A Level Grades: Enter Here in order from highest to lowest grade
● GCSE Grades: Enter Here
Legal Experience
Employer Name – Position START DATE – END DATE
● Outline of role, responsibilities, actions and results




Activity – Position START DATE – END DATE
Activity – Position START DATE – END DATE


● Languages:
● IT Skills:
● Further Qualifications:

EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETED CV
Kyrie Irving
kyriveirving@university.ac.uk | 077777777
Education
University College London – Law Oct 2016 – Jun 2019
● Final Degree Result: First (73%)
● First Year Results: Civil Law 1 (76%), Constitutional Law (66%), Criminal Law (65%), Law of Tort
(72%)
● Second Year Results: Comparative Law (72%), Family Law (70%), Land Law (66%)
● Third Year Results: Commercial Law (73%), Company Law (76%), Competition Law (71%)
London Secondary School Sep 2009 – Jul 2016

● A Level Grades: Law (A*), History (A), Politics (B)
● GCSE Grades: Eight A*s and Three As (including English A and Maths A*)
Legal Experience
Slaughter and May – Vacation Scheme Jul 2020 – Aug 2020
● Sat in the Tax team and delivered research on DAC6 and Digital Services Tax.
● Analysed key information regarding the department’s strengths and presented a client pitch.
● Edited and proofread legal documents as requested by the supervising Senior Associate.
● Undertook legal research and summarised a case for a legal journal.
Macfarlanes – Professional Experience Week Aug 2018


upReach – Future Charity Leaders Programme Sep 2020 – present
Tesco – Warehouse Assistant Jul – Aug 2017


UCL Basketball Men’s First Team – Captain Oct 2016 – Jul 2019

● Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Advanced), Italian (Intermediate)
● IT Skills: Microsoft Office Package, Java (Intermediate), Python (Advanced)

CV CHECKLIST
● Before you submit your CV for a legal opportunity, please use this checklist to evaluate the
quality of your submission.
When putting together my CV: I have... Check-box
Used my name as the heading. I have removed the words ‘CV’
Ensured that my email address is ‘professional’. If my personal email

is not suitable, I have used my university email
Listed my first name and surname as well as my preferred name
Listed my grades from highest to lowest and included REALrating

A-levels if applicable
Listed my experiences in reverse chronological order using the end

date
Double-checked my formatting to ensure that it is consistent

throughout. This includes:
● Using the same bullet points throughout
● Putting full stops at the end of all sentences
● Having the same line indentation
● Taking a consistent approach to font and font size
Avoided a narrative format and outlined my experiences using

specific actions and results
Where possible, quantified my achievements with concrete numbers
Researched the target firm’s desired competencies and made small

tweaks to my CV in order to demonstrate these
Kept my CV factual. I have listed my experiences as they happened

and the law firm will infer my transferable skill-set from these
experiences.

Drafting a Law Cover Letter
WHAT IS A LAW COVER LETTER?
Mastering cover letters is an important skill when making strong legal applications. Cover letter
styles and templates can differ depending on what opportunity you are applying for.
Cover letters can be trickier to write because there is no particular question to answer. You are
given freedom to write and construct whatever you want to tell the firm. This is why it’s
particularly important to have a good structure.
WHO ASKS FOR A LAW COVER LETTER?
Cover letters are used by a number of legal employers for Open Day, Insight Scheme, Vacation
Scheme and Training Contract opportunities.
The firms, as of October 2021, that are using cover letters for Vacation Scheme / Training Contract
applications include: Allen & Overy, Slaughter and May, Cleary Gottlieb, Jones Day, Kirkland &
Ellis, Norton Rose Fulbright, Travers Smith and White & Case.
BASICS
● Your cover letter should be 1 full A4 page.

● Your cover letter should be size 11 or 12 font.
● Use a professional font e.g. “Arial”, “Times New Roman”
● You don’t need to include your own or the firm’s address.
● Do not minimise your margins to an unconventional size to accommodate too much text.
● If there is a gap in your experience, explain this in your covering letter.
● Ensure that you have proofread your covering letter, and have someone else proofread it
for you (hint: your Programme Coordinator can do this for you).
● Save your cover letter as a PDF with an appropriate title e.g. “[Name] – [Firm] Cover Letter

TOP TIPS
What to do:
● Use simple language and short sentences
● Use an active instead of passive voice. Compare:
o “M&A has long been the subject of my interest because…” X
o “I am interested in M&A because…” ✓
● Show, don’t tell. For example:
o Don’t write “I did XYZ and this developed my attention to detail and leadership
skills”.
o Instead, you should focus on what you did and let the recruiter infer what skills you
developed.
● Be specific
o Instead of saying “We raised a lot of money”, say “We raised £200”.
o Being less vague will make it easier for the reader to understand your achievement.
● Be consistent
o If you say “Secretary of the Law Society” make sure you use the same capitalisation
and wording throughout i.e. don’t then go secretary of WULS etc.
o Be mindful of your use of tense. For example, if you are writing in the present
tense, don’t switch to the past tense later on.
What to avoid:
● Avoid cliches
○ Cliches include; “I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was young”, “invaluable

opportunity”.
○ This is because recruiters read lots of applications and cliches come across as
disingenuine and unoriginal.
● Avoid the use of adverbs.
○ Phrases like “I am very interested” can be made more precise by removing “very”.

Paragraph structure:
PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation) is a useful tool to structure your paragraphs. When using this,
make sure you have only one main point per paragraph.
Section Description Example
P (Point) What is the point you are trying I am drawn to Slaughter and May because
to make? How does it link to the of the firm’s commitment to diversity and
main point of the paragraph? inclusion.
E (Evidence) Which example of all the Slaughter and May’s partnership with
evidence you have researched upReach, particularly the firm’s
are you going to use to back up sponsorship of the Law Springboard
your point? Programme,...
The firm’s Mentoring Scheme...
E (Explanation) How are you going to Coming from a socially mobile background,
demonstrate that the example or I am eager to pursue a career at a firm that
evidence proves / supports your recognises the challenges faced by
point? students from low socio-economic
backgrounds. Through the firm’s
Professional Experience Week…
I have gained an understanding of the

inclusive culture at the firm through weekly
calls with my mentor...

STRUCTURE AND FORMATTING
Most legal employers will give an indication of what they would like you to include in the
cover letter. If you can’t find any information on this, your letter should ideally answer the
following three to four questions:
1. Why are you interested in a career in commercial law?

2. Why are you interested in XX firm/chambers?
3. Why are you interested in this particular training contract/vacation scheme/work
experience opportunity etc.?
4. What makes you a good candidate? And what skills and experiences have you done that
make you suitable for the role?
Make sure your paragraphs are similarly weighted in lines.
Addressing the letter
● The law firm will usually specify who they want the letter addressed to, for example:
● Dear Ms/Mr [Last Name],
● If you can’t find this information, address it to:
o Dear Graduate Recruitment Manager, or
o Dear [Firm] Graduate Recruitment Team,
Signing off the letter
● “Yours sincerely”: When you address the letter to a named person e.g. Ms Smith
● “Yours faithfully”: When you address the letter to an unnamed person e.g. Recruitment
Manager or To whom it may concern

General Structure
Dear [Mr/Ms Last Name]/Dear [Firm Name] Graduate Recruitment Team,
I am a [year in words e.g. third-year] [subject name] student at the [insert University] and I am
writing to apply for [company’s name]’s [opportunity] as advertised [where you saw the
advertisement].
● Paragraph 1: Why are you interested in a career in commercial law?
● Paragraph 2: Why are you interested in XX firm/chambers?
● Paragraph 3: Why are you interested in this particular training contract/vacation

scheme/work experience opportunity etc.?
● Paragraph 4: What makes you a good candidate? And what skills and experiences have
you done that make you suitable for the role?
Wrapping up line: Something like, “I believe my motivation for commercial law, interest in [firm],
varied work experience and resilient nature will make me an asset to the firm.”
Yours [sincerely/faithfully],
[Name]

COVER LETTER SECTIONS SUMMARY
Introduction: I am a…
This is generic and doesn’t require much innovation or change. When mentioning where you
heard of the opportunity:
● Mention ‘through upReach’ if applicable as it’s a good way to flag you’re a current
Associate.
● Mention a firm event you attended where you heard about the opportunity e.g. ‘as
advertised during the firm’s Open Day’ as this is a good way to signpost you’ve attended
the firm’s events.
Paragraph 1: Why are you interested in a career in law?
This first paragraph sets the tone for your cover letter. You want to introduce your motivations and
career journey in a memorable and unique way to help you stand out and encourage the reader to
read your cover letter with interest!
Your answer to this question should focus upon the specific area of law you are interested /
applying for roles in, e.g. commercial, family, employment or immigration law, and it should link
to the work that the firm/chambers you are applying to do. This means that you should make
specific reference to what exactly about a career in (insert area of law) interests you.
Note: If you are applying for commercial law, you can jump straight into why commercial law.
There is no need to first discuss 1) why law and then 2) why commercial law.
There are a number of ways that you can do this, including:
● Discussing the work that lawyers working in the area of law that you are interested in do,
perhaps with reference to a specific practice area that interests you.
● Talking about developments in the area of law you are interested in, and why these
interest you.
● Mentioning aspects of your studies e.g. specific modules, or extracurricular activities
related to law e.g. negotiation, mooting competitions, or pro bono volunteering, that have
motivated you to pursue a career in this area before explaining why this is.
● Reference to previous experiences of the area of law that you are interested in e.g. open
days, insight schemes, legal presentations, internship or similar.

Please note that the above are just a small selection of possible discussion points. What you
choose to include should be based on your own interests, motivations and experiences. In this
way, your cover letter will be much more convincing.
Paragraph 2: Why this employer?
This is arguably the most important part of the application as it:
● Shows your research into the firm/chambers

● Convinces the firm that you’re genuinely interested in them
● Differentiates you from other candidates
● Shows them you’ve made the effort to make this application personalised
You need to make this answer personal to you - what is it about the particular firm/chambers
which has attracted you? Why this is important to you? Where possible, you should also refer to
any relevant experience that you have had with the firm/chambers. Describe what this experience
was (e.g. talks, presentations, law fairs and open day) and how it motivated you to apply.
For more information on how to tailor your application and research the firm, please read above.
Paragraph 3: Why are you interested in this training contract/vacation scheme/work

experience opportunity?
When writing this section, you should aim to demonstrate your knowledge of what the work
experience opportunity involves, and based upon that, how it will help you in working towards
your long-term career goal(s).
You could address the following:
● What excites you or motivates you to apply for this specific experience. Is there something
unique about the opportunity that you like? e.g. does the firm have client secondments, a
unique training contract structure such as 6 seats and not the conventional 4? Does the
opportunity grant you direct access to a partner?
● What do you hope to gain from the experience?
● How will it help you in working towards your long-term career goals – what are these, and
which of the different elements of the work experience opportunities do you feel will be

the most beneficial when it comes to developing the knowledge and skills that you need in
order to pursue these goals? Why is this the case?
● The areas of law that you are interested in, and how the work experience opportunity will
allow you to gain exposure to those areas of law (assuming the firm practices in those
areas, which it should, as you should only mention areas of interest that you know the
firm/chambers works on), developing your knowledge and skills as a result.
Paragraph 4: What makes you a good candidate?
In this section, you should refer to one or two experiences that you have had, during which you
have demonstrated/developed the knowledge/skills that the firm/chambers you are applying to
looks for in their candidates. It is important that you find out what these are and refer to them
specifically in this section of your cover letter.
Remember to ensure that every point you make has evidence. For more information on the
structure of this, look at the notes on PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation).

COVER LETTER EXAMPLE
This is an example of a cover letter to Norton Rose Fulbright. Please note:
● This is by no means a ‘template’. Cover letters are designed to allow you to structure and
present the information in a unique and individual manner
● Please do not copy any parts of this.
● Note that the question had a 750 word limit. This means it is longer than one A4 page.
Please enter your cover letter below. In your letter you need to include why you think you will
be a good commercial solicitor and why you are applying to Norton Rose Fulbright. (750
words)
Dear Norton Rose Fulbright Graduate Recruitment Team,
Attending the ‘Building a Sustainable Energy Future’ event and the Open Day has confirmed my
desire to pursue a legal career with Norton Rose Fulbright.
I strongly believe my skills, international experience and interdisciplinary academic background

will ensure my success as a commercial solicitor.
At the NRF Open Day, Partner [Name] shared the importance of being a reliable team player. This
resonated with my experience serving on [Committee], where teamwork was essential in
successfully organising a [event]. As [position title], I organised meetings, documented minutes
and applied my contract law studies and analytical skills to proof-read vendor contracts. My
ability to allocate and co-ordinate the Committee’s tasks was recognised with an invitation to be
on the following year’s Committee.
Law firms are a business and I believe my engagement with commercial issues and current affairs
will give me a breadth of perspective to deliver commercially sound solutions. Whether it is
attending a discussion on whether Artificial Intelligence will replace lawyers and judges, or
participating in upReach’s video forum on the challenges of cryptocurrency regulation, I strive to
understand how lawyers can best serve clients in an ever-changing world. My keen interest in
political and economic issues led to my participation in [Society/event] where I networked with
leaders involved in the US-China Trade War.
I believe my adaptable and curious nature would be an asset in an international law firm such as
NRF. In 2018, I was accepted by [commercial law firm] for an internship. I applied the legal skills I
developed from my [previous legal work experience], tapped into my international experience and
used the communication skills I had honed while working in [previous work experience] to
effectively present my research into the effects of [research task].

Norton Rose Fulbright is the firm I desire to train and qualify at because it possesses all the
values and attributes I am seeking in a potential employer; international and African presence,
high-profile work, an inclusive work culture and investment into legal technology.
The firm’s 59 offices in 35 countries and strong African presence – epitomised through the firm’s
recent strategic alliances with firms in Uganda and Zimbabwe – complement my international
outlook and [African country] upbringing. Growing up in [African country], I have a keen interest in
African development. I hope to belong to a firm that capitalises on the wealth of opportunities in
the region, and I believe NRF’s success in major African deals – such as Barclays reducing their
holding in South African bank ABSA – demonstrates the firm’s ability to do so.
Studying [degree/course] at [University], I am strongly drawn to issues of renewables and energy,

particularly in emerging markets. I attended NRF’s ‘Building a Sustainable Energy Future’ event
and relished the opportunity to hear from the lawyers that contribute to the firm’s Band 1-ranked
Energy practice by Chambers. During the question-and-answer session, [Firm employee] and
[Firm employee] presented a nuanced answer to my question regarding the ethics of the
‘polluter-pays principle’ in the Global South. Their insights provided me with a novel perspective
on recent developments in the energy sector, particularly Total’s purchase of a stake in Adani Gas,
which is part of a wider trend of oil and gas companies transitioning into energy conglomerates
with diverse capabilities.
During the Open Day, I experienced NRF’s friendly, collaborative and global outlook and learnt
about the opportunities available to the firm’s lawyers. [Firm employee] and [Firm employee]
shared their international secondment experiences in Moscow and Paris respectively, [Firm
employee] expressed the values of gaining inhouse experience on her client secondment to
Goldman Sachs and trainee [trainee name] spoke about their Pro Bono work at Croydon Law
Centre. The conversations instilled confidence in me that NRF is a firm where lawyers are given
various opportunities to grow professionally.
I strive to work in a firm of the future. I believe NRF’s recently launched MicroCert in Disruptive
Technologies will successfully attract and retain clients navigating the complex, dynamic and
fast-paced effects of technology and I look forward to engaging in NRF’s innovative initiatives.
I am excited to learn and contribute to Norton Rose Fulbright with my diligence and drive for
excellence, and I believe my skills would be an asset to the firm.
Yours faithfully,
Jamie Bond

COVER LETTER CHECKLIST
When putting together a cover letter: I have... Completion status
Only put in addresses (my address and the firm’s address) if I can’t fill
the entire page with content
Used font size 11 or bigger
Tried to find the person to address the cover letter to. If I can’t find it, I
went “Dear {{Firm Name}} Graduate Recruitment Team,”
My first paragraph includes: 1) The year of my academic study, 2) the

course I’m studying, 3) the University I am at, 4) the opportunity
you’re applying for and 5) [if relevant] where the opportunity was
advertised
Signed off “Yours sincerely,” if you know the person you’re addressing
to e.g. Ms Smith
Signed off “Yours faithfully,” if you don’t know the person you’re
addressing to e.g. Dear Sir/Madam; Dear Graduate Recruitment Team
Used the structure of 1 point per paragraph e.g. your first line of the
paragraph should introduce the point you want to make for the entire
paragraph
When possible, used the PEE (Point, Explanation, Evidence) formula

per paragraph
Backed up every point with evidence. Remember: If you state

something you have to use evidence to support it. E.g. “I am a
hard-working student. This is demonstrated by being a…”

Drafting a Law Application
WHAT ARE LAW APPLICATIONS?
Legal employers use a wide-variety of application questions in the first stage of the application
process. These can include; a CV, cover letter submission or motivational, competency, or
commercial questions (sometimes a combination of two or more of these).
The length of law applications vary. The most common word limit is 250 words but these can
range from 100 - 750 words. Some firms use character limits instead. In this case, use Microsoft
Word to track the number of characters (with spaces) you are using.
It is really important to note the word limit and aim to meet it (or get very close to it). If the word
limit is 250 words and you only write 200 words, you have to remember that your competitors
(other applicants) that write the full word count are able to tell the firm more about themselves
than you are. It also could be interpreted that you’re not that interested in the opportunity. That
said, answers should be concise and succinct, so don’t include ‘waffle’ just to bulk your answer up.
In addition to answering written application questions, law applications will require you to input
your personal details, information on your work and extracurricular experiences, references, and
details of mitigating circumstances.
In this section, we will break down the different parts of a law application form, including the
different types of questions you may face and how to answer these. As with the above sections,
we will also include an application checklist to help you when drafting your answers to
application questions.

TYPES OF APPLICATION QUESTIONS
Question type Definition Example Response structure
3-point response e.g.

Why are you
“There are three main
interested in a
reasons I am
Designed to assess your career in
interested in a career
Motivational interest in the opportunity, commercial law?
in commercial law.
company, and/or sector.
These are…”
Why do you want
to join the firm?
PEE Method.
Tell me about a
time that you have
Designed to assess your
adapted your
transferable skills e.g.
Competency communication STAR Method.
teamwork, problem solving,
style to meet the
communication.
needs of different
audiences.
Tell me about a
Introduce an example
Designed to assess your recent news story
before using SWOT or
knowledge of current affairs, that has interested
Commercial PESTLE to analyse this
business practices, and the you, and the
in relation to the
commercial world. impact of this on
question.
our firm.

ANSWERING MOTIVATIONAL QUESTIONS
So, how should you go about answering motivational questions like “Why are you interested in a
career in commercial law?”
First, let’s consider what you might discuss as part of your answer to this question. Below is a list
of potential topics that you could cover when answering a question like this one:
● Personal journey
● Legal work or extracurricular experiences
● Different practice areas of interest
● Day to day responsibilities of a solicitor/barrister
● Example cases or business deals that have interested you
● Relevance of the law to society
The above list is not exhaustive; there are many things you could choose to discuss as part of your
answer to this or similar questions. If you are unsure of what to include in your answer(s), speak
to your Programme Coordinator for further guidance.
Whatever you choose to discuss, it should be personal and meaningful to you and the
employer. Your answer(s) should not simply regurgitate information on employer websites, nor
should they outline what you think the firm wants to hear, as this will come across as inauthentic
and likely result in an unsuccessful application. To prevent this, reflect upon your skills, interests,
and values, and consider how these can be applied to your answer(s).
Once you have decided what you want to include in your answer(s), you then need to put pen to
paper. To do this, consider using the below structure for your answer(s):
1. I am interested in pursuing a career in law for three reasons; X, Y, and Z.

2. Reason 1: Firstly, I am interested in a career in commercial law is… This is because…
3. Reason 2: Secondly, I am interested in commercial law is… This is because…
4. Reason 3: Finally, I am interested in a career in commercial law because…
This structure will help you to provide a clear and concise response, as well as to organise your
answer according to the level of importance of each reason you plan to include. An alternative to
this would be to structure your response chronologically - explaining your interest in the sector
based on when it first began, and how it has developed since then.
When you’re asked a question about ‘why the firm’, it is very important to make the application
tailored to the firm and the opportunity. One rule is that if you could submit the exact same
answer to another firm (and just change the firm name), then your answer isn’t specific enough.

ANSWERING COMPETENCY QUESTIONS
Next up is competency questions. What is the best way to answer these I hear you ask?
Much like above, let’s start by outlining some potential topics for discussion:
● Examples of work you have done as part of part- or full-time employment

● Extracurricular activities that you have participated in
● Projects that you have worked on at college or university
● Positions of responsibility that you have held
The example(s) that you choose to discuss will likely depend upon the question you are asked.
Below are some examples of competency questions that are commonly asked during
applications or interviews:
1. Tell me about a time that you have led on a project, and how you saw this through to
completion.
2. When have you had to balance multiple competing priorities, and how did you organise
your time to ensure you did this effectively?
3. Tell me about a time that you have worked in a team to deliver on a project. How did you
approach this?
To prepare for answering questions like these, make a list of the different skills employers in the
legal sector look for, and start to create a record of past and present experiences that you
have had that demonstrate these skills.
Now that you have some examples of competency questions, let’s discuss how to answer these
effectively. The most common way to answer competency questions is using the STAR Method.
This stands for:
1. Situation: a 1-2 sentence summary providing context relating to your example or

experience. For example, your employer or year of university study.
2. Task: a 1-2 sentence summary of your specific role or responsibilities.
3. Action: a 3-4 sentence outline of how you approached the task at hand, and how you
fulfilled the responsibilities expected of you.
4. Result/Reflection: a 3-4 sentence summary of the outcome of your actions. Did you
achieve what you set out to? If not, why, and what would you do differently next time?
Okay, so, we know what a competency question is, and how to structure our responses using the
STAR Method. It’s time to see an example of what a good quality answer looks like. To do this,
we are going to look at question 3 from the above list:

“Tell me about a time that you have worked in a team to deliver on a project. How did you
approach this?”
1. Situation: In October 2020, I began volunteering for Greenpeace as a Youth Speaker.

2. Task: Shortly after commencing my role, myself and another speaker were asked to record a
virtual presentation on deforestation for the UK Youth Climate Summit, a week-long festival
encouraging young people to learn about and take action in response to climate change.
3. Action: To do this, I arranged a meeting with my co-speaker to discuss the presentation’s
structure, format and content, as well as to agree upon our respective roles and
responsibilities. After detailed discussion, we agreed to deliver a presentation on the causes
and effects of deforestation, as well as the actions young people, their families, and schools
could take in response to deforestation and its impacts. This included a meat-free meal
planning activity template so that audiences could go away and take tangible actions
designed to help them learn about how individual actions can contribute to responses to
environmental issues like deforestation.
4. Result: After recording and publishing the presentation online, it was viewed almost 10,000
times by schools across the UK. Following the success of this, I was later asked to deliver
further virtual presentations on deforestation to primary and secondary school students at
15,000 schools across the UK, with over 100,000 teaching staff receiving copies of these.
Having read the above example, how well do you think it meets the criteria set out in the
description of the STAR Method above? Does it demonstrate teamwork skills?
Take some time to write down the strengths and areas for improvement of the above
response, and use these, as well as the above example, to help you in writing your own
answers to competency questions, including both the examples above, and real questions
taken from application forms.

ANSWERING COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS
Finally, let’s talk about commercial questions.
Once again, we’re going to start by listing some of the potential discussion points you might
include when answering a commercial question:
● An example of a recent current affairs event that has interested you, and is relevant to the
legal/commercial world
● An example of a recent case or deal that a law firm has worked on
● Changes in laws or regulations that are likely to impact a law firm and/or its clients
● The short-, medium-, and long-term impacts of any of the above
● A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) or PESTLE (Political, Economic,
Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental) analysis
As with the previous styles of question, the discussion points you choose to include in your
response from the above will depend upon what you are asked. Below are some examples of
commercial questions that you may be asked during applications or interviews:
1. Tell me about a recent news story that has interested you, and the impact of this on our
firm.
2. Focusing on one or more of our sector specialisms, what challenges and opportunities for
growth do you see presenting themselves over the coming 12-24 months?
3. What does exceptional client service look like from a future facing lawyer?
To prepare for answering questions like these, it is important that you make time in your
schedule each week to do the following:
1. Keep up to date with the news. You can do this by watching the news, reading
broadsheet newspapers or websites (e.g. The Times, The Guardian, the BBC etc.), or
listening to current affairs podcasts on Apple or Spotify. We recommend Finimize which is
a free service that sends you a daily summary of finance news stories that take 3-minutes
to read.
2. Research legal employers that you plan to apply to. Regularly check the website of legal
employers you are interested in. Research what their practice areas and sector specialisms
are, what their strategy is (e.g. how do they bill clients, what is their approach to working
with international clients etc.), the cases/deals they are working on, and what they are
writing about. Many legal employers publish articles on their websites via blogs, which
should help you to understand what they consider important. Make a point of following

their social media pages also, as they may publish updates on the work that they are doing
here too.
3. Spend time learning about how the legal sector is changing in response to advances in
technology and changing client demands. The legal sector is undergoing rapid change in
response to advances in technology and the changing needs of clients. It is important that
you know and understand the impact that this is having on employers within the legal
sector, as it is highly likely you will be asked about it at some point during your
applications.
4. Practise analysing examples of current affairs or deals that legal employers are
working on. You can do this using a SWOT or PESTLE analysis framework. If you’re unsure
of how to use this, visit LawCareers.Net for a series of videos on using the SWOT and
PESTLE frameworks to analyse real life case studies, including the government bailout of
Flybe.
Next, let’s talk about how to structure your answer to a commercial question. Given the nature of
commercial questions, there is no set structure to follow for all types of commercial questions. As
such, below are just some of the ways in which you might look to structure your response to a
commercial question.

Question Structure Example
Which business Impact focus Introduction: A recent news story that has interested me
news story has (time-based, is… This is because it has political, economic, social,
interested you the PESTLE etc.) technological, legal and/or environmental challenges and
most in the last opportunities.
12 months and
why? P1: The challenges are… This is because… Some ways in
which the firm can respond to these impacts are.
P2: The opportunities are… This is because… Some ways in

which the firm can respond to these impacts are.
Conclusion: In summary, the main impact of X on Y firm

are… This is because… Some of the ways it can respond to
these impacts are… Of these, I think that the most
appropriate responses are... This is because...
Focusing on one SWOT Introduction: X’s work in Y sector faces a number of

or more of our Analysis challenges and opportunities for growth, including…
sector Before discussing these further, I would like to identify the
specialisms, what firm’s strengths and weaknesses in order to put these into
challenges and context, and explain how it can respond to these.
opportunities for
growth do you Strengths: Some of X firm’s key strengths are… This is
see presenting because…
themselves over
the coming 12-24 Weaknesses: In contrast, some of it’s key weaknesses
months? are… This is because…
Opportunities: With the above in mind, the main

opportunities X firm faces are… Using it’s main strengths
of…, it can capitalise upon these by…
Challenges (or threats): On the other hand, given the

firm’s weaknesses, the main challenges the firm faces are…
In order to overcome these, it needs to...

Let’s finish by demonstrating what a high quality answer to a commercial question looks like
using the example question below. Note, this was written by Micayla Colman (a Programme
Coordinator at upReach) in November 2019. She has chosen a South African-themed business
news story as she is from there.
COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS EXAMPLE
Which business news story has interested you the most in the last 12 months and why?
(Maximum 1500 characters / approximately 250 words)
Introduction: South African Airways (SAA), a state-owned airline company, is on the brink of
collapse as a result of years of mismanagement, competition, strikes and corruption.
Relevance to you: This story greatly interests me for three reasons; it resonates with my South
African upbringing; it intersects with my interests in law, the environment, international business
and politics; and it reflects the challenges the global airline industry is facing.
Impacts: Growing up in South Africa, I have witnessed the damaging effects corruption has on
economic prosperity. SAA was once Africa’s largest airline; however, it has not turned a profit
since 2012. In the last financial year, it suffered losses of £300 million, and despite South Africa’s
government investing around £1,5 billion over the last twenty years, the airline has been placed
into business rescue (a bankruptcy protection process).
SAA’s failings have jeopardised their reputation and sustainability. Travel insurance companies
have stopped offering protection against SAA issued tickets and a proposed joint venture with
Ethiopian Airlines has lost traction. The government’s decision to bailout SAA will likely impact
their ability to fund other failing state-owned enterprises and it will dictate whether lawyers will
be preparing for liquidation, joint venture or continuation.
Big picture outlook: Finally, SAA’s problems mirror a year of challenges in the aviation industry.
Thomas Cook and Monarch Airlines’ collapsed, Flybe had to be rescued and growing pressure on
airlines to be more environmentally friendly led EasyJet to announce their flights would be carbon
neutral.
Conclusion: I am eager to follow this developing business news story; and I hope that SAA’s
business rescue will effectively restructure the airline, save jobs and rid itself of the damage
caused by years of corruption.
Much like you have done with previous examples, take some time to write down the strengths
and areas for improvement of the above response, and use these, as well as the above
example, to help you in writing your own answers to commercial questions, including both the
examples above, and real questions taken from application forms.

APPLICATION CHECKLIST
When you begin drafting your own answers to application questions, use the below Application
Checklist as a guide to assessing the quality of your responses before submitting these to your
Programme Coordinator for review.
When writing the firm’s name, I have... Check-box
Wrote the firm’s full name (unless in the question there was an
abbreviation) and with the correct style e.g. ‘Slaughter and May’ not
‘Slaughters’/‘Slaughter & May’
Double-checked my spelling of the firm’s name
Avoided writing “your firm”. Instead, I have used the firm’s name or “the
firm”
When answering motivational questions, I have... Check-box
Answered all parts of the question
Used a 3-point structure to organise my answer in a clear and concise

format
Referenced a range of legal insight events that I have attended e.g Insight
Days, Vacation Schemes (including virtual), Webinars
Mentioned a transaction or dispute that the firm has been involved in
Mentioned a lawyer (by name and position) from the firm whom I have
spoken to
Mentioned an aspect of the firm’s culture that I particularly value
Linked motivations back to my personal interests, values, or skills, to

explain why they matter to me

Avoided writing “your firm”. Instead, I have used the firm’s name or “the
firm”
Checked if the answer could just as easily be submitted to another firm. If

this is the case, it is not specific enough to the firm I am applying for.
Proofread my answer(s) for spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes
Sent my application to my Programme Coordinator for feedback
When answering competency questions, I have... Check-box
Created a list of the different skills that the employer is looking for
Written down a range of examples of study projects, work or

extracurricular experiences I could use for each competency the firm is
assessing before drafting my answer
Decided upon which example of study project, work or extracurricular

experience I think is best for the specific competency being assessed
Chosen one example from my studies, work, or extracurricular experience

to write about as part of my answer to a question on a specific
competency e.g leadership
Used the STAR Method to structure my response
Proofread my answer(s) for spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes

When answering commercial questions, I have... Check-box
Answered all parts of the question
Set aside time in my schedule to follow the news, and to research

legal employers and the wider sector
Thought of an original answer that is relevant to me and that I would

feel comfortable discussing in an interview. Avoided topics like Brexit,
Covid or
Included an example of a recent current affairs event that has

interested me (if applicable)
Included an example of a recent case or deal that has interested me

(if applicable)
Discussed the impacts of a specific example of current affairs, or

changes in law or regulations, on legal employers and/or their clients
using SWOT, PESTLE, or a similarly appropriate impact framework
Proofread my answer(s) for spelling, punctuation and grammar

mistakes

Disclosing Mitigating Circumstances
WHAT ARE MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES?
Mitigating circumstances are any serious circumstances which may have adversely (or sometimes
even not) affected your academic performance.
These include but are not limited to:
● Medical conditions
● Personal and domestic circumstances
● Covid-related challenges
● Accidents and incidents
● Disturbances during exams
SHOULD I DISCLOSE MY MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES
The decision is absolutely up to you!
If you feel your grades or work experiences do not accurately reflect your abilities, disclosing
mitigating circumstances can be a great way for the employer to understand and holistically view
your performance.
WHERE TO INCLUDE THIS?
Most employers will have a ‘box’ that asks you to disclose any mitigating circumstances.
This can look like:
● Do you feel your results reflect your abilities? If no, please give details.
● Please use this space to outline any mitigating circumstances that you
would like to be taken into account?

HOW TO DISCLOSE THIS?
This is completely up to you and you do not have to share anything that you don’t feel
comfortable with.
If you would prefer to discuss this over the phone, we would recommend:
● Emailing the employers Graduate Recruitment Team before the deadline,
● In the email, introduce yourself as a prospective applicant and request a call about
disclosing your mitigating circumstances
If you would prefer to include this in the application ‘box’, you can choose how much (or little) you
want to include. You do not need to go into a lot of detail and only share what you feel
comfortable with.
We would recommend speaking in broad terms and highlighting the impact of your circumstances
on your studies in order to demonstrate why you might need reasonable adjustments. For
example:
1. I had severe depression in my second year because my Mom lost her job as a carer, my
Dad was diagnosed with cancer and during Covid, I found it very hard to be at home with
poor internet, my grades suffered. X
2. I had a health issue in my second year that was exacerbated by financial hardship, my
Dad’s illness and the challenges of the pandemic. ✓
Please discuss disclosing your mitigating circumstances with your Programme Coordinator if you
are unsure of how to do so.
For further guidance on flagging your mitigating circumstances, see MyPlus, which supports
students with disabilities (including mental health and neurodiverse students), as well as running
events on how to disclose mitigating circumstances and request reasonable adjustments.

Submitting an Application
Congratulations! Hopefully you have now finished drafting your application and you’re ready to
submit! Before you press ‘Send’, please look at this checklist:
Before submitting my application, I have: Check-box
Done a final proofread and made sure that:

● I have included all my information
● I have answered all of the questions
● I have copied and pasted the correct answers into the correct
boxes
If the employer asked for a cover letter or CV, I have:

● Saved the cover letter/CV as a PDF
● Named the cover letter/CV appropriated, for example, ‘[Name]
– [Employer] Cover Letter’

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LAW APPLICATIONS: YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR

DRAFTING A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION

How to use this guide 2

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DISCUSS? 4

HOW TO RESEARCH THE FIRM 7

WHO ASKS FOR A LAW COVER LETTER? 15

STRUCTURE AND FORMATTING 18

COVER LETTER SECTIONS SUMMARY 20

COVER LETTER EXAMPLE 23

COVER LETTER CHECKLIST 25

TYPES OF APPLICATION QUESTIONS 27

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

ANSWERING COMPETENCY QUESTIONS 29

ANSWERING COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS 31

COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS EXAMPLE 34

SHOULD I DISCLOSE MY MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES 38

WHERE TO INCLUDE THIS? 38

HOW TO DISCLOSE THIS? 39

How to use this guide

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

WHAT CAN YOU INCLUDE IN YOUR APPLICATION?

● People you’ve met or networked with from the firm:

● Previous events you have attended:

● Previous legal work experience

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DISCUSS?

● An employer’s unique selling point, for example:

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● An employer’s diversity & inclusion work

● Awards an employer has received, for example:

● Employer opportunities, for example client secondments or international secondments.

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

● Training or development opportunities. Does the employer have regular continued

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2. The employer’s LinkedIn page

4. Chambers Student Guide

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

● A law CV is designed to showcase all of your educational, work, and extracurricular

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN EACH SECTION

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

Legal Work Experience

● Be sure to highlight the most transferable elements of each of these experiences.

Non-Legal Work Experience

● All experience is valuable experience regardless of how unrelated it may seem to

Activities and Interests

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

● You may choose to mention your extracurricular activities, interests, volunteering

Skills and Qualifications

● In this section, you should outline further relevant employment skills.

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

First Name Second Name

High School Name START DATE – END DATE

Employer Name – Position START DATE – END DATE

Non-Legal Work Experience

Employer Name – Position START DATE – END DATE

Activities and Interests

Activity – Position START DATE – END DATE

Skills and Qualifications

Website: www.upreach.org.uk | Registered Charity Number: 1158896

London Secondary School Sep 2009 – Jul 2016

Macfarlanes – Professional Experience Week Aug 2018

Non-Legal Work Experience

Tesco – Warehouse Assistant Jul – Aug 2017