hey hey,
i know, its so weird. Abbie's done a few posts on this:
Hi!
Happy New Year to you too!!
Based on what you have outlined, I'd resist trying to force the full traditional "why law / why firm / why me" structure into the cover letter, given that Orrick has explicitly separated out "why commercial law" into a separate 300 word question. In my view, this is a sign that they don't want you to duplicate that content in the cover letter itself.
It might be sensible to approach it as:
This way, you avoid repetition and ensure you answer exactly what each question is asking. You can also go deeper and be more specific in both responses, rather than trying to cram everything into the cover letter!
- Cover Letter: focus mainly on why Orrick and why you. As you know that the graduate recruitment team will also read your "why commercial law" answer, you don't need to necessarily re-justify the career choice in the cover letter. You could potentially make a brief mention of your commercial interest if it links to your motivations towards Orricks work, but I wouldn't use much of the word count on explaining "why law".
- Why Commercial Lawyer: this is where you can discuss your "why law" narrative, which you would normally address in the cover letter. Just make sure to mention the factors and influences that affected your decision to pursue this career path, using examples from past work experiences or university.
I hope that helps, and best of luck with the application!
Hello!
You're absolutely right that there's some overlap between the cover letter and the two subsequent questions - it can feel a bit repetitive at first glance! The trick is to think of the cover letter as the big picture narrative that ties everything together, while the other two questions let you to into depth on specific points.
One way to approach it could be:
I would think of the cover letter as the overview that shows your entire profile as a candidate, and the two follow-up questions as supporting sections that provide more evidence and reasoning behind the themes you have introduced. Some overlap is fine (and you will want to look consistent across your application), but I would avoid copy-pasting sentences between sections.
- Cover Letter: Treat this as your overall introduction and pitch. I would summarise who you are, your motivation for law in broad terms, and why Orrick stands out to you - but keep it concise and integrated between each section. You don't need to unpack every detail here, just enough to create a coherent, personal story and show enthusiasm!
- "Why commercial law?" question: Use this to explore your motivations in more detail - you could refer to specific experiences, influences, or reflections that made you decide to pursue a career in commercial law. This is a chance to go deeper into the why, not just the what.
- "Why Orrick" question: This is an opportunity to show real research and insight into the firm. Focus on showing your interest in the firm, and what genuinely differentiates Orrick - it's clients, international reach, innovation, culture, training structure, etc. Tie in your previous experiences and skill set to why this makes you a good fit for the firm, and how it's unique features make it the right place for you to train.
I hope that helps!
it's making me anxious that I don't have many firms left to hear back from
but will resist
shoutout to 
(literally pray) that VI was no joke…
