Any graduate job attracts huge numbers of applications, and this is absolutely true of law. The old adage about failing to prepare being preparing to fail is 100% true for law apps. Helping you with applications is a topic for a good long book so today we’re just going to give you a few quick pointers. We will be coming back to this topic. Keep reading our blog to see our next comments. Top tips for today:

Read the question. We know we keep saying this. It is as true for applications as it is for exams. Lots of law firms ask similar questions. Understandably you get into a roll on answering them. Take this example:

“Why do you want to work for this firm?”

Blah! Blah! Blah! But did you notice that the question you’re answering this time is;

“What will you bring to the firm?”

It isn’t the same is it? Your answer needs to be different! It might have some elements in common with the first question but it needs to be differently angled and not copied and pasted.

Write good English. It’s another one of those things we keep going on about, but it matters. A legal career is all about crafting language in everything you do. You craft language when you draft, when you advise your client, when you negotiate. You need to demonstrate to law firms that you have a really good command of this most basic tool. Get your spelling and grammar right, be succinct, keep your sentences short.
Show research into the firm you are applying for. The very worst howler is obviously to include in an application for ABC firm that you want to work for XYZ firm because…. Don’t laugh, it happens so often! Don’t just get the name right but show that you know what is different and unique about the firm to which you are applying. Show that you have researched their website, the wider legal press, that you’ve spoken to staff members (fine to name them with their consent). If you can do this your app will stand out.
Explain why you’re the best candidate. Know your personal USP (unique selling point) and work it in somewhere. Perhaps it’s your tenacity, your intellect, your experience – think this one through and go for it!

Good luck!