Ask Osborne Clarke Anything! (2026-27)

[Alex - Osborne Clarke]

Hi Alex!

What made you apply to OC? - aside from the cultural aspect. And what’s something you found out about the firm once you joined? Thank you

I would definitely say that the work that OC do was one of the things that attracted me to the firm most - there are a lot of really cool clients, especially in sectors that I find interesting like TMT, Life Sciences etc.. I think that it ties in with the culture - but the people are also genuinely really nice and this is something that really stood out to me during the recruitment process and has been reaffirmed since joining the firm - which is definitely something that drew me towards OC.

 

[Jay1061]

Hi recruitment team! I have a question regarding this statement from the OC application question:

"We are interested in your own observations and reflections, not information taken from our own website or online profiles".

Please can you explain what you mean by "online profiles". E.g. do LinkedIn partner profiles or official podcast episodes count?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Paz Imarayiosa]

Hello! My name is Laila, and I’m a Recruitment Assistant at Osborne Clarke. I’m looking forward to answering your questions!

Hi Laila,

My name is Paz Imarayiosa. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to speak with us today!

I had one question I was hoping to get your perspective on: when screening applications, what qualities or details do the most successful candidates demonstrate that immediately make them stand out?

 

[Paz Imarayiosa]

Hello! My name is Laila, and I’m a Recruitment Assistant at Osborne Clarke. I’m looking forward to answering your questions!

Hi Laila,


My name is Paz Imarayiosa. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to speak with us today!


I had one question I was hoping to get your perspective on: when screening applications, what qualities or details do the most successful candidates demonstrate that immediately make them stand out?

 

[Laila Griffiths- Osborne Clarke]

How can i stand out. Despite having experience and the skills needed, im still not getting selected. My name is anthony chinedu. I have found that the requirments for training contract roles suggest the need for organisational skills, an individual whom enjoys administration and coordination as well as someone who works well as part of a team, whilst i enjoy the smaller parts of the legal system, my aim is to graft as much as possible, and become a solicitor, and becoming a paralegal with barnes law would be the next step in my career.

Firstly, I am first aid trained, thereby creating an individual who not only works well with others but is also organised, as a first aid trained individual i can not only work well with others but also organise a safe enviroment to save lives. Additionally i was a semifinalist in the 2025 essex client interviewing competition, which backs up my organisational and team working skills, as i was a member of a team whom had the task of organising administrative tasks and questions to ask clients.

I am also german speaking level1 learner, french A2 speaker.

Based on experience backgrounds and what would perpare me for the role, i have always sought competition, with the aim of becoming a solicitor. First as the 2017 premiere academy debate champion, basketball gold medalist 2019. Additionally i have devoted myself to literary and artistic pursuits through poetry, which has a strong link to cognative ability and percission.
In terms of legal experience, that endevour began with kennedys law llp, through a paralegal training programme, creating the perfect foundation for legal knowledge, whilst attending the university of essex.

I was able to learn more from the essex law stars, which created a guided line of though for the various issues which could be addressed in the real world. Next i was granted the opportunity to work with support through court (in-house legal charity) focusing on litigation at the county court, whilst working with the organisation i maintained and supported client intrests, both in person and at court hearings preperations , legal document drafting and in person conversations, scheduling client meetings, exchange of emails about their cases through official channels.

Additionally i was able to organise complex court bundles containing (d11, d84, c100 forms), these would mostly contain documents, images and police records, completed before the courts set trial date across family and civil courts.
Recently i have been granted the opportunity to participate in a Forage paralegal training programme, concerning stakeholder and shareholder responsibilty relating to the objects of a new aquisition of a seperate company. Granting me even more experience in corperate and commercial law
These are just a few factors which makes me adequately suited to join the team.
Many thanks
Anthony chinedu

Hi Anthony,


It is great to hear you are interested in applying for a training contact!


Applications are now open and will close on 15th January 2027.


You may be interested in attending one of our open evenings. These include a panel discussion with partners and associates, alongside opportunities to network and ask questions


You can see our upcoming open evenings and sign up via the link below.

Events | Join us at Osborne Clarke

 

[Jay1061]

Any tips on how to make my application stand out? I know it is a very competitive process and I really want to tailor it as much as possible!

 

[kts17]

I would also be interested to know whether you prioritise candidates from the Vacation Scheme (versus Direct Training Contract route)?

As a career changer I would prefer to apply for the DTC but Osborne Clarke is my top choice and would therefore want to maximise my chances.

 

[Elise - Osborne Clarke]

Hi Elise!

Now on your third seat, what type of support does OC give to trainees towards qualification? And are there initiatives that trainees get involved with that applicants might not know about? Thank you!

Hi Janaleia.
OC offers a wide range of support to trainees throughout our TC, including regular cohort days where trainees from all offices will meet up to discuss progress and develop skills that will be beneficial for qualified lawyers. We also have lunch meetings with partners to discuss our TCs and raise any queries we may have. As a second year, these will start to focus on qualification and steps we can take to prepare for applications/interviews etc.

There are lots of initiatives trainees can get involved in! We have regular charitable events, and have a close connection to the Bristol Uni law society which hosts several events for students a year (e.g. assessment centre and interviewing skills) that trainees are encouraged to join.

 

[OliVaughan]

Hi my name is Oli, I have two questions:

For Alex and Elise- Looking back at your vacation scheme, what experience gave you the clearest indication that Osborne Clarke was the right firm for you?

For Laila- What do you think separates candidates who have genuinely understood what makes Osborne Clarke different from those who have simply done their research on the firm?

 

[Jay1061]

I have registered for the London presentation evening in November which I am looking forward to! I also know that it would help with my application (especially the supporting question). I have already written an answer to the application answer based off a webinar and research. However, that is in over a month's time and I know that applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Do you think I should submit my application now or wait until after the event at the end of November, again, bearing in mind that the applications are reviewed on a rolling basis?

 

[Laila Griffiths- Osborne Clarke]

Hello, thanks very much for doing this!

I had a couple of questions I was hoping you could help with:

1. What are the key traits you look for in candidates? I understand you don’t screen for grades (there is no minimum requirement).

2. I am a career changer (2018 LLB graduate) and attended high school outside the UK (EU). For my school grades I have the school leaving certificate (which includes national examinations). I also chose to take some lessons for A-level subjects outside school hours and sit exams for those. Due to the passage of time (2014-2015) I no longer have access to those certificates and do not recall my passing grade for those examinations. I asked my career counsellor’s office and they confirmed that they had not stored this information. Would it suffice to only include my leaving certificate grades in my application? If you would like further detail to answer this query please let me know so I can follow up with you directly.

Thank you very much for your help.

Hello!

Throughout all of our assessments we're looking for potential – we don’t expect candidates to knowing everything about the law. Communication skills and a commercial outlook are essential. Candidates also need to be comfortable working in teams, self-motivated, happy to take on responsibility and, more importantly, are interested in the work that we do.

With regard to your second query, please do not worry about this, just try to put as much information as possible in.

 

[Elise - Osborne Clarke]

Hey Elise! How are you? Thank you for taking the time to connect with us aspiring solicitors. I had a few questions:
1. Was there anything about training at Osborne Clarke that surprised you once you joined, or that you hadn't fully appreciated from researching the firm beforehand?
2. How would you describe the trainee experience in OC's Bristol office, and have you noticed anything about the office's working environment that makes it unique?

Thank you! I look forward to hearing more about your experience.

Hi,
When researching OC I had read about the culture and how collaborative and non-hierarchical it is, and I've definitely found that to be the case since joining! Everyone is so welcoming and willing to get to know you and help you progress throughout your TC. I also appreciate how much responsibility we are given as trainees.

The Bristol office has been a great place to train! As mentioned, everyone is so welcoming and there are lots of opportunities to build relationships beyond your immediate team. I wouldn't say that's unique to Bristol, but it's something I've valued about training here.

 

[Elise - Osborne Clarke]

Hi my name is Oli, I have two questions:

For Alex and Elise- Looking back at your vacation scheme, what experience gave you the clearest indication that Osborne Clarke was the right firm for you?

For Laila- What do you think separates candidates who have genuinely understood what makes Osborne Clarke different from those who have simply done their research on the firm?

Hi Oli,

For me, it was having two full weeks to settle into the firm and experience two different teams and areas of law. This gave me time to move beyond those initial nerves and get a much better feel for what working at OC would actually be like.

Spending a whole week in each team also meant I could see different ways of working and get a broader insight into the firm. By the end of the scheme, I felt really settled and could genuinely picture myself training here!

 

[Laila Griffiths- Osborne Clarke]

Hi. Thank you for this. Do you have many career changers/mature candidates in your training contract cohorts?

Hello! Yes, we do. If you would like to hear more about this, you may wish to come along to one of our open evenings. You can see all our upcoming events and sign up via the link below. https://join.osborneclarke.com/events

 

[Laila Griffiths- Osborne Clarke]

Hi Patrick, Laila, Elise, and Alex, it's great to meet you! I wanted to ask more about your London Open Evening on the 28th October. I am lucky enough to be attending and was wondering what steps you would take in order to get the most out of the day, especially as someone who is looking to use the experience to apply to your 2027 Vacation Scheme. I would be especially interested to hear who will be attending, so I can do some research before the day. Thanks so much!

Hello, there is nothing in particular you need to do to prepare. There will be a q&a section and time for networking with trainees so maybe think of some questions you would like to ask. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

[Laila Griffiths- Osborne Clarke]

Hi Laila,

My name is Paz Imarayiosa. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to speak with us today!

I had one question I was hoping to get your perspective on: when screening applications, what qualities or details do the most successful candidates demonstrate that immediately make them stand out?

Hi Paz,

Communication skills and a commercial outlook are essential. Candidates also need to be comfortable working in teams, self-motivated, happy to take on responsibility and, more importantly, are interested in the work that we do.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[GbrielBurst]

Hi Laila,

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all our questions!

I was wondering if there are mistakes you often see applicants make at assessment days? What are the attributes that successful applicants tend to display?

Relatedly, how can non-law students stand out in assessment days and elsewhere when they may lack some of the legal knowledge or experience that other candidates have?

Many thanks,
Gabriel Hirst

 

[YvonneAspiring]

Hi everyone! I'm Elise, a third seat trainee in OC's Bristol office.

I've completed seats in Real Estate and Projects, and I'm currently in Employment.

I'm looking forward to sharing my experience of training at OC and answering your questions!

Hello Elise, Nice to meet you! I'd like to hear more about your experience in Projects. What did you enjoy most about this seat? What type of Projects work were you working on? Did you get exposure to working on any international projects while in this seat?

 

[Dalia Saffideen]

Hello! Thank you so much for your time, reading the answers to everyone’s questions has been very insightful. I’m not sure if anyone asked this but I’m wondering what made OC stand out to you? If you had any other legal work experience, what made OC stand out compared to the other places? Also are you briefly able to talk about a matter that you particularly enjoyed working on and what role you played in it?
Thank you!!

 

[Alex - Osborne Clarke]

Hi my name is Oli, I have two questions:

For Alex and Elise- Looking back at your vacation scheme, what experience gave you the clearest indication that Osborne Clarke was the right firm for you?

For Laila- What do you think separates candidates who have genuinely understood what makes Osborne Clarke different from those who have simply done their research on the firm?

I think the approachability of all of the people that I worked with on the vacation scheme, in addition to how interesting I found the work made me realise OC was the firm for me