Log in
Register
Search
Search titles only
By:
Search titles only
By:
Log in
Register
Search
Search titles only
By:
Search titles only
By:
More options
Toggle width
Share this page
Share this page
Share
Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
Pinterest
Tumblr
WhatsApp
Email
Share
Link
Menu
Install the app
Install
Forums
Law Firm Events
Law Firm Deadlines
TCLA TV
Members
Leaderboards
Premium Database
Premium Chat
Commercial Awareness
Future Trainee Advice
Forums
Aspiring Lawyers - Applications & General Advice
Applications Discussion
Ask TCLA's New Community Managers Anything!
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="James Carrabino" data-source="post: 89577" data-attributes="member: 16764"><p>You're welcome! I was thinking that it could be most effective for vac scheme applicants in early December as that was when I had myself received my first several rejections and was coming to terms with the fact that the rest of December and January would be quite miserable with loads of apps. It may not be what you're looking for right now anyway; I was thinking it could be insightful in terms of reminding people how difficult the process is for everyone else too...I needed a lot of motivation then and many encouraging posts on TCLA certainly helped me out! So whilst you can look forward to that in the vac scheme thread then, I always want to be as helpful as possible so I'll answer your question now (and feel free to follow up if you'd like more insight) <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>First of all, I did reach out to a couple future trainees, I followed a range of conversations on TCLA regarding application forms and I attended a few open days where firms discussed application technique (some firms also have a page on their website dedicated to this). That was all certainly useful and helped me to begin crafting my motivational and commercial answers, but the key was to continue re-assessing each answer for each new application. The way different firms phrased their questions made me realise that answers I had written for other firms did not fit there. Sometimes you have an incredibly polished 300-word application answer for why commercial law and then the next application gives you only 250 words. Don't think of this as a burden to nitpick words to remove...treat it as an opportunity to consider whether everything in your answer was really as important or relevant as you thought it was! It is always good to come back to your answers with a fresh mind and whilst you don't need to do this in perpetuity (eventually I'm sure your answers will be extremely well polished), I would definitely recommend doing this at the beginning.</p><p></p><p>Following on from [USER=17165]@George Maxwell[/USER]'s point, do as much research as you can for each firm before you start writing. Make notes on a whole host of things you would like to mention and reach out to people to discuss the firm's key characteristics if you like. When it comes time to writing your 250 words or so, know that you simply won't have space to include half the ideas you came up with and don't try to squish them all together in awkward sentences that don't make sense. Instead, allow your newfound knowledge of the firm to permeate your answer as you write so that you can pick and choose from the details you jotted down. None of this research will go to waste as it can all be expanded upon in an interview!</p><p></p><p>Overall, make sure every claim you make relates to every example you give, not just in your head but on paper. For example, instead of writing: 'I worked in a bank doing deals and so I want to be a transactional lawyer', write: 'I enjoyed the intellectual challenge of completing multi-faceted deals when working at a bank and so I know that I will value a similarly complex transactional environment at a commercial law firm'. Then you can explain why you prefer the legal aspect of commercial law to banking and, to really clarify the point, you can add in examples of a deal you worked on where you excelled or times you developed or demonstrated a certain skill in your job that will prove especially useful to a commercial lawyer.</p><p></p><p>This is all of course just an example, but the same approach can be taken to back up every claim that you make. If you want us to read over your answers for grammar, clarity of writing or advice on whether you are conveying your motivations in a compelling way, then you can use TCLA's application review service, which you can get through TCLA premium (in addition to a library of past successful application answers) or separately.</p><p></p><p>I hope all of this helps - do let me know if you have further questions!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="James Carrabino, post: 89577, member: 16764"] You're welcome! I was thinking that it could be most effective for vac scheme applicants in early December as that was when I had myself received my first several rejections and was coming to terms with the fact that the rest of December and January would be quite miserable with loads of apps. It may not be what you're looking for right now anyway; I was thinking it could be insightful in terms of reminding people how difficult the process is for everyone else too...I needed a lot of motivation then and many encouraging posts on TCLA certainly helped me out! So whilst you can look forward to that in the vac scheme thread then, I always want to be as helpful as possible so I'll answer your question now (and feel free to follow up if you'd like more insight) :) First of all, I did reach out to a couple future trainees, I followed a range of conversations on TCLA regarding application forms and I attended a few open days where firms discussed application technique (some firms also have a page on their website dedicated to this). That was all certainly useful and helped me to begin crafting my motivational and commercial answers, but the key was to continue re-assessing each answer for each new application. The way different firms phrased their questions made me realise that answers I had written for other firms did not fit there. Sometimes you have an incredibly polished 300-word application answer for why commercial law and then the next application gives you only 250 words. Don't think of this as a burden to nitpick words to remove...treat it as an opportunity to consider whether everything in your answer was really as important or relevant as you thought it was! It is always good to come back to your answers with a fresh mind and whilst you don't need to do this in perpetuity (eventually I'm sure your answers will be extremely well polished), I would definitely recommend doing this at the beginning. Following on from [USER=17165]@George Maxwell[/USER]'s point, do as much research as you can for each firm before you start writing. Make notes on a whole host of things you would like to mention and reach out to people to discuss the firm's key characteristics if you like. When it comes time to writing your 250 words or so, know that you simply won't have space to include half the ideas you came up with and don't try to squish them all together in awkward sentences that don't make sense. Instead, allow your newfound knowledge of the firm to permeate your answer as you write so that you can pick and choose from the details you jotted down. None of this research will go to waste as it can all be expanded upon in an interview! Overall, make sure every claim you make relates to every example you give, not just in your head but on paper. For example, instead of writing: 'I worked in a bank doing deals and so I want to be a transactional lawyer', write: 'I enjoyed the intellectual challenge of completing multi-faceted deals when working at a bank and so I know that I will value a similarly complex transactional environment at a commercial law firm'. Then you can explain why you prefer the legal aspect of commercial law to banking and, to really clarify the point, you can add in examples of a deal you worked on where you excelled or times you developed or demonstrated a certain skill in your job that will prove especially useful to a commercial lawyer. This is all of course just an example, but the same approach can be taken to back up every claim that you make. If you want us to read over your answers for grammar, clarity of writing or advice on whether you are conveying your motivations in a compelling way, then you can use TCLA's application review service, which you can get through TCLA premium (in addition to a library of past successful application answers) or separately. I hope all of this helps - do let me know if you have further questions! [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Our company is called, "The Corporate ___ Academy". What is the missing word here?
Post reply
Forums
Aspiring Lawyers - Applications & General Advice
Applications Discussion
Ask TCLA's New Community Managers Anything!
Top
Bottom
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…