Writing Applications

Start with these three​

1. Plan your application strategy — Andrei Radu
   Andrei explains how he chose firms, organised his applications and decided when to apply.
2. Find meaningful differences between firms — Alice G
   Alice sets out what to research about a firm's work, training and people, and how to work out what matters to you.
3. Make your writing clear and persuasive — Hazal
   Hazal shares examples of how to get to the point, use simpler language and back up what you're saying.

How do I research a firm beyond its website?​

• Go beyond practice-area rankings — Andrei Radu
  What to look into beyond a firm's rankings, including its clients, the size of its teams and where it is growing.
• Identify a firm’s competitors — Amma Usman
  Amma explains how to compare firms using their practice areas, clients and deals.

How do I explain why commercial law?​

• Connect your motivations to your experiences — Andrei Radu
  How to explain why you want to work in commercial law, including if you're moving from another career.

What should I put in the work experience section?​

• Choose experiences and explain what you did — Andrei Radu
  Andrei answers questions about which experiences to include, how to group shorter placements and what to say about the work you did.
• Write stronger work-experience bullet points — Abbie Whitlock
  Abbie explains how to show what you did and the results, with examples of when numbers help and when they aren't needed.

How do I write about a commercial story?​

• Explain what interests you about a story — Hazal
  Hazal explains how to choose a story, research it and say what you think about it.

How do I get within the word limit?​

• Cut unnecessary words without losing your evidence — TCLA Community Assistant
  A table of longer phrases and shorter alternatives to help you make room for the details that matter.

New to commercial law?​

• Foundations of commercial law — Jacob Miller
  Jacob's 2021 introduction to how commercial firms are organised and what their lawyers do.
• First-year schemes, vacation schemes and training contracts — Amma Usman
  Amma's 2025 introduction to the different opportunities and how they fit together.
• Explore law firm practice areas — Amma Usman
  A useful starting point if you're trying to understand what lawyers do in different practice areas.