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Your law training contract application form gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your dedication to a career in law. It also gives you a chance to show exactly why you’re an appropriate candidate for the role the firm is offering.
It’s important to take your time on this section of your training contract application. This is not something that can be completed in an hour, so set aside a good few hours to perfect it.
You can tell a lot about a firm from the training contract application questions it asks. Identifying qualities the firm is looking for in a candidate will help you answer the questions the way the firm wants you to.
Some firms guide you with targeted training contract application questions like “give an example when you showed good leadership skills”. Others will be more vague, hoping you’ll have the astuteness to pick up on the characteristics they’re looking for. You can usually find a list of qualities on the job specification – use this as your guide.
Once you know what the firm is looking for, be specific with your answers. Saying you’re determined is not as valuable as giving the firm an example of a time where you showed determination.
Training contract application questions will always include a variation of “why are you suited to work at our firm?” To answer this question effectively, you’ll have to research the firm’s practice areas, culture and values. Doing this will allow you to draw comparisons between what you’re looking for and what the law firm you’re applying to is looking for.
Commercial awareness is a key requirement for trainee solicitors. These types of questions will encourage you to show off your knowledge of the current legal sphere and how the law firm you’re applying to operates within it. Use them to provide examples of cases or news stories you have been following that are relevant to the firm.
Being able to write a good training contract cover letter is a skill that needs practice.
It’s the chance to make an impact on the recruiters before they even look at your training contract application form or CV.
The letter, similar to the law personal statement, should be no more than one page long with a font size of either 11 or 12. It’s important to be as concise as possible with it. Some firms will even give you a word count for your training contract cover letter, and if this is the case, you must stick to it.
1. Keep the introduction brief. Try to give details of your academic background, including what stage of study you’re at, to a maximum of three sentences.
2. State the reasons you chose this particular law firm. Do this by giving specific examples of why you’re applying to each law firm. Showing knowledge of each firm’s practice areas and explaining why these are of interest to you will demonstrate your interest.
3. Explain how your skill set and personality fit with the firm. Highlight why your skills and personality fit in with the specialisms and core values you have demonstrated knowledge of in the previous section.
4. End your training contract cover letter with any outstanding information. If you have any gaps or poor grades on your CV, explain them here. Finish by highlighting your availability for training contract interviews.
Your training contract CV is a vital part of your training contract application. It should display a list of your academic achievements, relevant law experience and interests. It should be concise and take up no more than two pages.
1. Personal details
Include your name, address, email address and phone number.
2. Personal statement
Use this paragraph to highlight again why you are the best candidate for the job. Mention your skill set, work and extra curricular experiences and personal qualities.
3. Education and grades
List your most recent academic qualifications, the dates you achieved them and the names of the institutions you studied at.
4. Work experience
Start with your most recent work experience and work backwards. For each placement, include your employer’s name and location, dates and a brief outline of responsibilities, achievements and skills acquired.
5. Skills
Include any tech skills and foreign languages spoken along with all other relevant skills. If you’re applying for a firm in a small town, include a full clean licence if you have one.
6. Achievements
Include details of relevant prizes, awards, scholarships and any other notable achievements from work, education or your personal life here.
7. Extra-curricular activities
Include some of your hobbies and interests and mention whether they’ve led to you completing any courses or voluntary placements.
8. References
Include details of two referees. Ensure you have consent from your referees before you add them to your CV! It is a good idea to provide one academic and one work reference.
Here are our top tips for completing a training contract application:
Read about what the graduate recruitment teams at Freshfields, Taylor Vinters and Herbert Smith Freehills want from potential candidates.
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