Answering 'what practice area are you interested in?' - W&C

[alanshore]

Hi all. I have 2 queries about the following question:

"White & Case is a full-service law firm; which practice area would you like to discover more on during the Discover: University Insight Scheme and why?"

When talking about a specific practice area, what structure should I use? For similar questions in past unsuccesful applications I have generally used [deal that piqued my interest] -> [job simulation of the same practice area] -> [third experience if I can link it to practice area] -> [specific firm USP in practice area that I value for x reason]. What can I change from this format?
Would it be wise mentioning an alternative practice area to show my knowledge of the firm better?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi all. I have 2 queries about the following question:

"White & Case is a full-service law firm; which practice area would you like to discover more on during the Discover: University Insight Scheme and why?"

When talking about a specific practice area, what structure should I use? For similar questions in past unsuccesful applications I have generally used [deal that piqued my interest] -> [job simulation of the same practice area] -> [third experience if I can link it to practice area] -> [specific firm USP in practice area that I value for x reason]. What can I change from this format?
Would it be wise mentioning an alternative practice area to show my knowledge of the firm better?

Hey!

I'd say that your current structure is solid overall, and it probably just needs a bit of refining rather than a complete overhaul. It might be that your approach currently is slightly experience-heavy (i.e. listing lots of examples), so I'd shift towards a more interest-led focus. A clearer structure could look like:

• Start with why that practice area interests you: what about the work actually appeals to you, not just the deal itself. This is where you can briefly show that you understand what a trainee / lawyer in that practice area actually does, before linking it to yourself.
• Use 1-2 strong examples (e.g. a deal, work experience, or a job simulation) to support this interest: display how you gained the interest discussed above by linking it to your previous experiences. It is usually more beneficial to go into slightly more depth on 1 or 2 examples, so you can show what you learned from that experience, rather than listing lots.
• Link to why White & Case specifically in that area: this is a key point for this question! A lot of law firms will have the same practice areas, so it is important to show why W&C's practice specifically appeals to you - this could be due to their international work in the area, the type of clients they work for, or the responsibility given in the team.
• End with what you're hoping to gain from the scheme: this is another key part of this question. Make sure to discuss what you hope to learn about the practice area on the scheme itself, and how you'll make the most of it.

Essentially, you are showing: here is what I know about the area so far -> here is why I am genuinely interested in this area, supported by evidence of things I have done -> here is why this firm is the right place to learn more about it.

On mentioning a second practice area, I would personally avoid it as the question only asks for one. It could dilute your answer and make you seem less decisive overall - it is better to show a clear and well-reasoned interest in one area, you can show your knowledge of the firm by going into more depth!

Best of luck with your application!