2023

1. We’d love to know why you are motivated to pursue a career in a commercial law firm, in particular SPB (200 words)

I am impressed with the high-quality work at the firm. SPB is ranked top tier in many practice areas I am interested in, including commercial property in Legal 500 and band 1 for tax and real estate in Chambers. My interest stemmed from helping my parents sell their small business and I really enjoyed my work experiences at commercial property firms where I undertook lease and licence drafting to achieve the client’s needs. Additionally, the firm has a breadth and depth of different practice areas and with its unique six seat training contract, I believe I can get a grasp at many of the practice areas SPB excel at. Coupled with a 50% chance to go on client secondment, working at SPB will give me early responsibility and a real understanding of a lawyer’s role. Responsibility is something I am accustomed to at a young age. Particularly, applied to SPB due to its commitment in diversity and inclusion and even won the 2022 Law Firm Diversity Award from United Parcel Service. This shows that the firm takes diversity seriously and works with clients who feel the same. This is an important criteria for me when applying for training contracts.

2. We want to learn more about the skills you have gained from any extra-curricular activities, hobbies, job or work experience. Please select TWO skills from the list below and provide examples of how you have developed these skills in your previous experiences and how these skills will help you in a career in law. (300 words)

Collaboration Working independently Taking responsibility Showing initiative Undertaking analysis and research Problem solving Self-improvement Attention to detail Creativity Communication Adaptability

Communication

One example as a tax professional at X, I was required to undertake a debt recovery call with a taxpayer regarding £10,000 owed in back taxes. In a difficult scenario, I diffused tension by listening to their frustration; providing answers that took account of the taxpayer’s position and giving them a clear picture of the situation by using jargon-free language. I followed the call with clear written correspondence which provided extra information to help the taxpayer understand X’s position. This led to an outcome of tax compliance. I then communicated this outcome to my managers to aid them in the overall reporting of tax recovery for my team.

It is considered that these skills will assist me in a career in law when I need to explain legal positions to clients, negotiate in difficult scenarios, or when I need to deliver a presentation.

Initiative

I volunteered with a charity to collect surplus food from stores and distributed it to the public. I came to realise that businesses were giving food to the charity without allergen information on, potentially causing problems for the charity’s beneficiaries. I took the initiative to explain to the charity’s head of support the importance of only distributing labelled food. I created and sent notices to managers of the stores, to educate them on ‘Natasha’s Law’ and the risks if they were to give the charity unlabelled food. I hosted a short meeting to volunteers to explain the importance of not accepting unlabelled food.

This is an example of my ability to see the bigger picture whilst also being involved in the detail; and to work out solutions to problems without supervision. It is considered that this is a central part of being a successful commercial lawyer meaning that I would be well placed to succeed.

2023

Why are you motivated to pursue a career in a commercial law firm, in particular SPB? (200)

After attending an exclusive [redacted RG university] event with Squire Patton Boggs (SPB), I am applying to the firm for two reasons.

Firstly, I am impressed by the type and quality of work at the firm. SPB is highly regarded for mid-market M&A transactions, evidenced by its Tier 1 by The Legal 500 in this area. The broad range of specialisms are appealing, particularly as trainees are exposed to them through the six-seat training contract. This structure would give me the ability to experience a variety of work and ensure that I am able to make a well-informed decision regarding where to qualify.

Secondly, after attending the SPB virtual event, I was impressed by the culture of the firm. Francesca Puttock, a trainee in the Birmingham office, spoke highly of the supportive and non-hierarchical environment at the firm, demonstrated through her high levels of responsibility during her first seat. The combination of the firm’s culture and location appeals to me as I hope to work on projects that I can see the tangible results for. In particular, I am excited to work with local clients such as Aston Villa Football Club and bring my nuanced understanding of Birmingham culture.

Select two skills from the list and provide examples of how you have developed these skills in your previous experiences and how these skills will help you in a career in law. (150 each)

Collaboration

Working independently

Taking responsibility

Showing initiative

Undertaking analysis and research

Problem solving

Self-improvement

Attention to detail

Creativity

Communication

Adaptability

Attention to detail:

During my vacation scheme, I was tasked with taking notes during a client call in order to provide an accurate witness statement. The client was a witness to a fraud crime and so was giving her account of what happened. I ensured that each minor detail was recorded accurately. I then had to read through around 100 pages of evidence and compile an accurate summary. Upon review, my supervisor praised me for the quality of work that I submitted and used it for her final witness statement report. Paying close attention to detail will ensure my success in a career in law. It is important as a trainee’s key task is to find new developments in the law, as well as proofreading and negotiating tightly worded clauses in contracts. This is crucial when serving clients and meeting their expectations.

Communication:

Through volunteering at the Citizens Advice Bureau, I have developed my communication skills. I learnt the importance of tailoring my approach and adapting my tone when liaising with clients. For example, in one case, an elderly client called, who was not advanced with technology so could not be emailed information. Therefore, I had to outline the advice in an easily digestible and allow her time to make a note of her next steps. It was also important that I decide on which information is the most relevant to the client as it was often impractical to explain everything found in my research. As part of my role, I was required to also email the advice given to each client. However, in this case, I decided to print out the advice and post it to the client in order to communicate the advice in the best way.

Use this section to tell us about any other experiences/activities or achievements you have been involved with that you feel is relevant to your application.

Activity:

Nature of the activity you have undertaken or achievement you have been awarded. If you are referring to an activity, please remember to specify the dates and the typical number of hours spent per week on this activity.

Activity: Python course

Dates: (18 Feb 2021 – 15 April 2021)

Hours per week: 2

Nature: I completed an 8-week course to learn the basics of python programming. By the end of the course, I was able to successfully code my own ‘Top Trumps’ game.

Activity: Arabic course

Dates: August 2020 – Present

Hours per week: 3

Nature: Currently completing an online Arabic course, designed to improve my understanding of classical Arabic

Activity: Secretary of ‘The 93% Club’ Society

Dates: [redacted dates – 1 academic year]

Hours per week: 1-2

Nature: ‘The 93% Club’ society is a national social mobility initiative dedicated to improving the university experience of students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. My role involved recording minutes for monthly meetings, supporting the president and communication with other committee members, promoting events on social media, communicating with potential partner organisations, and scheduling events.

Activity: Student mentor

Dates: [redacted dates – 3 months]

Hours per week: 1

Nature: I was responsible for supporting eight first year students, involving dealing with any queries, giving a university tour, and an introductory presentation.

Activity: B-Enterprise Bootcamp:

Dates: [redacted dates – 3 days]

Hours per week: 24 hours over three days

Nature of activity: Team captain of six students, tasked with creating a pitch for a technology product that solves a real-life issue. The team was one of six, out of a total of eighteen, to reach the semi-finals. Managed the team by creating a schedule, delegating tasks according to each member’s strengths and ensuring that any conflicts were dealt with efficiently.

2022

We’d love to know why you are motivated to pursue a career in a commercial law firm, in particular Squire Patton Boggs?

A career with active involvement in the market, when offering business and legal solutions to clients greatly interests me. Having worked at a wealth management firm, I recognise the importance of understanding a client's competitors, accumulation strategy and core values before offering advice. Thus, as a commercial lawyer, I look forward to learning about the individual needs of my clients when considering innovative legal and business solutions within the commercial environment.

Currently researching my final university essay on the value of Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity, I am highly motivated by Squire Patton Boggs' Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & Digital Assets practice area. With a distinct focus on security studies at University, I have regularly formulated arguments on developments in the commercial sector and analysed their potential effects on the wider Domestic and International environments.

Thus, with offices in 20 countries, a commercial career at Squire Patton Boggs will enable me to pursue a legal career from an international commercial perspective; where I will enjoy aiding clients to anticipate potential challenges and opportunities through my understanding of the dynamic international environment. 

Skills Question (number of skills to select from)

Select first skill: Showing initiative

Examples of how you have demonstrated this skill:

When working in the Real Estate department at [International Law Firm] in Munich, I recognised that my colleagues were struggling to explain a particular section of German subletting Law to English-speaking clients. Therefore, I decided to take the initiative and draft a leaflet interpreting the differences between UK and German subletting Law. As a lawyer, this skill will help me when identifying client risks, because I was proactive in laying out potential liabilities. Furthermore, wanting to ensure my understanding of the German Law was correct for the client, I carefully discussed challenging concepts and terms with a fellow colleague in my office.

This skill will benefit my relationship with my supervisor and colleagues, because I took the initiative to submit a high-quality proof-read document. This was because I did not want my supervisor to dedicate her valuable time to editing/correcting the document before it was ready to go out to clients.

Select second skill:: Collaboration

Examples of how you have demonstrated this skill: 

Whilst I was working at [Wealth Management Firm], I was tasked with collaborating on a Centralised Investment Proposition (CIP) with the Managing Partner. Having no prior experience in the Finance industry, I was energized by the challenge to work alongside an expert.

Motivated to contribute value to the task, I researched in-depth the use of a CIP and the FCA guidance. After drafting the CIP, I suggested devoting each meeting to discussing separate sections. This organised approach ensured that we were efficient and were progressing with the CIP. Highly motivated by the collaborative working-relationship that I had established, I found it rewarding to have delivered on creating a CIP now valued by clients and the firm.

This skill will be instrumental to my success at Squire Patton Boggs, because I can learn from different approaches and ideas, leading to a higher quality of work and improved client solutions.

2022

Personal statement (300 words). Guidance from the firm on what to include:

●      A personal introduction – Think about what you think we ought to know about you as a person. At our firm, we love hearing about individuals and their journeys. Is there anything that makes you stand out or anything from your background you feel we would want to know?

●      Relevant skills, interests and experiences – These do not have to be entirely related to the legal industry; however, naturally, the legal side should take priority, if possible. Think about your legal and non-legal work experience, as well as your studies. What is it that you are passionate about?

●      Achievements – Think about what you are most proud of, this could be a work - or non-work-related achievement, or perhaps an achievement from your education. Again, think about relevance and how this links to the role of a trainee solicitor.

●      What you would bring to the organisation? - We look at the whole picture when it comes to our trainees, so we want to know how you would work with our teams and the type of personality you would bring to us. Try to incorporate any legal knowledge that you have, as well as how this would benefit our firm.

●      Your professional or academic goals – The age-old question, “where do you see yourself in five years?” A cliché, I know; however, it rings true with us that this is something we would love to know about you. What are your goals? Where can you see your career heading? Think big, we love that!

Currently working in legal communications, I am a 2018 law graduate seeking a trainee solicitor position to equip me with the skills to become a confident, well-rounded solicitor. SPB’s six-seat training programme, and diverse client-base, offers the ideal opportunity to gain wide-ranging experience, building confidence and adaptability from the outset.

My commitment to volunteering has had a huge impact on my personal and professional growth and my consistent dedication to benefiting my community is my biggest achievement. SPB’s dedication to CSR and promoting inclusion would provide an opportunity for me to continue with this.

Having worked with a diverse clientele, I am confident in my ability to build rapport and establish valuable working-relationships and together with my desire to understand business drivers for success, this enables me to appreciate client requirements to provide tailored legal solutions.

Although I am based in [Silver Circle firm’s] Newcastle office, my team is in London meaning face-to-face contact is limited and communicating effectively is imperative. This can be challenging when working on complex matters and often requires me to work autonomously, using my initiative. This experience would position me well to work collaboratively with teams across the SPB network. Further, SPB’s collegiate working approach would empower me to set my own challenges knowing that I have ample support and supervision.

My experience has enabled me to apply my skillset in a legal environment. My ability to think analytically and creatively has been tested daily, and I am certain I can approach a problem, analyse it and reach an innovative solution  skills that are directly transferable to life as a trainee and will ensure I succeed in this role and would position me as a valuable member of the firm with the ability to lead a project or supervise a team in the years following qualification.

2022

Personal statement (300 words). Guidance from the firm on what to include:

●      A personal introduction – Think about what you think we ought to know about you as a person. At our firm, we love hearing about individuals and their journeys. Is there anything that makes you stand out or anything from your background you feel we would want to know?

●      Relevant skills, interests and experiences – These do not have to be entirely related to the legal industry; however, naturally, the legal side should take priority, if possible. Think about your legal and non-legal work experience, as well as your studies. What is it that you are passionate about?

●      Achievements – Think about what you are most proud of, this could be a work - or non-work-related achievement, or perhaps an achievement from your education. Again, think about relevance and how this links to the role of a trainee solicitor.

●      What you would bring to the organisation? - We look at the whole picture when it comes to our trainees, so we want to know how you would work with our teams and the type of personality you would bring to us. Try to incorporate any legal knowledge that you have, as well as how this would benefit our firm.

●      Your professional or academic goals – The age-old question, “where do you see yourself in five years?” A cliché, I know; however, it rings true with us that this is something we would love to know about you. What are your goals? Where can you see your career heading? Think big, we love that!

As a result of living in Birmingham, I am excited by the prospects of providing legal services that underpin the city’s dramatic transformation in its landscape. I was particularly drawn to Squire Patton Boggs’ offices because of their operation from the city centre for more than a 100 years and focus on the construction and real estate sector. Having completed a 3-week legal internship at [redacted firm in Middle East’s] construction department, I have fostered an interest in the area and have chosen to complete an advanced commercial property elective to further support my understanding of this area. As a trainee, my genuine interest in Birmingham and the firm’s focus in the office, will fuel my desire to stay with the firm in the long run and build my career.

In addition, I believe my international background and language skills set me apart considering Squire Patton Bogg’s activity in the Middle East. Being a native Arabic speaker and having lived most of my life in Dubai, I had the opportunity to complete legal internships in Dubai. My experiences thus have helped me foster a dual-jurisdictional understanding of the law, that I plan to apply and develop as a Squire’s trainee where the prospects of working on cross-border transactions in the Middle East are high.

The firm’s small trainee intake and 6-seat rotation would provide me with an opportunity to take initiative and take responsibility early on in my career. My efforts to run and found our university legal newsletter demonstrate my ability to handle an array of responsibilities. I used my presentation skills to persuade students to join, managed all the columns and their content as well as interviewed lawyers to feature and was the Chief Editor of the publication. My entrepreneurial spirit thus I believe makes me a good fit.

2022

Personal statement (300 words). Guidance from the firm on what to include:

●      A personal introduction – Think about what you think we ought to know about you as a person. At our firm, we love hearing about individuals and their journeys. Is there anything that makes you stand out or anything from your background you feel we would want to know?

●      Relevant skills, interests and experiences – These do not have to be entirely related to the legal industry; however, naturally, the legal side should take priority, if possible. Think about your legal and non-legal work experience, as well as your studies. What is it that you are passionate about?

●      Achievements – Think about what you are most proud of, this could be a work - or non-work-related achievement, or perhaps an achievement from your education. Again, think about relevance and how this links to the role of a trainee solicitor.

●      What you would bring to the organisation? - We look at the whole picture when it comes to our trainees, so we want to know how you would work with our teams and the type of personality you would bring to us. Try to incorporate any legal knowledge that you have, as well as how this would benefit our firm.

●      Your professional or academic goals – The age-old question, “where do you see yourself in five years?” A cliché, I know; however, it rings true with us that this is something we would love to know about you. What are your goals? Where can you see your career heading? Think big, we love that!

As a challenge-driven individual, I am consumed by the opportunities to flourish in a multi-layered global law firm. My intuitive nature prospered during school, where I thoroughly researched areas of intrigue. This uncovered my attentiveness and diligence, which I utilise when analysing complex documents. I received the highest grade in my Psychology exam and as a trainee, I would strive to achieve my impressive potential in every endeavour.

My experience as a Legal Assistant and Legal Advisor allowed for the recognition of employed mannerisms and the importance of collaborative work that is adopted by professionals. I am well-equipped for the client exposure and pro-bono participation that working as a trainee would involve and I admire the 17,500 hours of pro-bono work per annum that the firm commits to.

Working at [redacted large supermarket chain] has unveiled my ability to understand the implications of current events on businesses. Regarding Black History Month, I instigated the hanging of banners. Consequently, feedback relating to inclusiveness has increased. I have acknowledged the importance of commercial consciousness and the positive relation it has with customers and employees. Squire Patton Boggs has employed a policy of accentuating diversity, resulting in a Lex 100 award for inclusiveness. I have been following the firm’s perspective on the pandemic’s effects on the retail industry, where the sector-focussed Birmingham office is strong, and how businesses can reset to avoid future loss.

Squire Patton Boggs distinct culture comprises of their Initial Buddy Program. As a peer mentor, I appreciate an initiative that encourages others to drive their development. I respect the firm’s stance on upholding approachability, which has resulted in the acquirement of the Best Company Culture Award in 2018 from AllAboutLaw.

I see myself receiving a first-class degree which I would exploit to progress at a demanding firm like Squire Patton Boggs.