2024

Why have you applied to Morgan Lewis? What do you think are the skills and attributes you possess that distinguish you from other applicants? (300 words)

I am motivated to pursue a career at Morgan Lewis, as I find its international expertise, range of practice areas and hands-on training contract to be appealing.

With a diverse range of clients spanning Fortune 500 companies and major financial services institutions, training at Morgan Lewis will expose me to complex, intellectually stimulating and exciting transactions. This is something I find appealing, given the excitement and satisfaction I felt working for similar internationally renowned clients at [rec firm]. Morgan Lewis also has strong specialisms in my practice areas of interest: finance law, international commercial law and employment law, all fields I took LPC electives in. Finally, Morgan Lewis’s small trainee intake and pragmatic training system promises to provide a tailored opportunity for me to develop my legal skills. This inclusive and close-knit approach is exemplified by Morgan Lewis’s high supervisor/partner approachability score. This is important to me as feedback on my work is something I highly value.

My strongest attributes are my interpersonal skills, client focus and resilience. While my academic performance shows that I am intellectually capable of legal practice, I possess the often overlooked quality of having exceedingly strong interpersonal skills. In order to build lasting relationships with clients and function generally, a lawyer needs to be able to be able to perceive the emotions and idiosyncratic logic of their interlocutor. Through my various people-facing roles, I have honed this ability. I also have a passion for delivering value to stakeholders. I have frequently shown this by going above and beyond in my positions of responsibility. Pursuing that passion required resilience, a trait I possess. When faced with openly hostile aggression while engaged in the census initiative or dealing with a family bereavement during my PGDL, I was able to stoically overcome the challenges I faced.

Discuss a news story that interests you. What do you think are the implications for a law firm like Morgan Lewis? (300 words)

The recent discussion around the potential tax cuts in the 2024 spring budget is a news story that is interesting to me. It demonstrates the potential for a political decision to benefit or harm a business. It is also the latest development in the domestic policy battle to curb inflation arising from the twin geopolitical events of COVID and Ukraine.

Jeremy Hunt has further hinted at tax cuts in the spring budget. The scope of these potential cuts is not yet clear. However, the Prime Minister’s comment that the cuts will be focused on the ‘supply side’ of the economy indicates that business tax cuts are likely to be entailed in the budget.

These telegraphed tax cuts could indicate a positive development for Morgan Lewis. Finance and investment management, two of Morgan Lewis’s major offerings, are two practice areas that have been deeply affected by both the UK economy’s slowdown and the high interest rates utilised to cool inflation. Slow growth and high interest rates are likely to reduce debt financing and related M&A transactions. While these cuts are independent of an interest rate reduction, they could offset the financial pain of borrowing, in turn increasing business for Morgan Lewis.

However, if drastic, these tax cuts may also result in inflation rising. This could mean sustained or higher interest rates, functionally wiping out any benefits gained by the cuts. Given the product specificity of inflationary trends, this is unlikely but still a possibility. Similarly, these cuts may be promptly reserved by a succeeding Labour government, which is vocal in its criticism of them. Even if this does not come to pass, this uncertainty may cause clients to postpone transactions they are currently considering until a later date when clarity can be achieved.

Providing an exceptional client service is at the core of everything we do, please provide an example of a time you have delivered exceptional client service. (300 words)

I was repeatedly elected as course representative for all three years of my undergraduate degree. In my final year, I was elected senior representative for my course and appointed co-chair of the university’s staff-student liaison committee (‘SSLC’), due to my experience acting as course representative. I held this role alongside my senior representative position. As co-chair, I organised the motions, feedback and action points of all three cohorts of course representatives, managed the committee meetings’ agendas and mentored new course representatives.

My final year began in 2020, after the initial arrival of COVID. Lockdowns were in full effect. Faculty and students alike were grappling with the challenges of online study. Frustrations on either side of the pedagogical divide reached a breaking point in the first term. As I always ensured to be exhaustive in gathering data on the student body’s mood, I became aware that the students wanted to be entitled to unlimited self-certified extenuating circumstances claims. These would allow them to defer their exams and coursework at their own discretion. When I communicated this desire to the faculty at a committee meeting the response was outright refusal. Understandably, the faculty, who were striking due to workload the year previous, did not want their carefully planned deadline matrix disrupted.

Many representatives saw this as a dead end. However, I felt obligated to continue to try for another solution. I organised a petition, held an advocacy session and negotiated with the faculty for a more balanced remedy, highlighting their commercial interests in maintaining their courses' and university's reputation alongside moral considerations. Due to my commitment to stakeholder service, a compromise was struck where a limited but useful number of self-certified ECs were awarded per student. This was a practicable solution for the faculty that alleviated the pressure on the student body.

How do you ensure that you are a valued member of the team? Please provide an example where you have been able to contribute to the team’s success. (300 words)

In teamwork situations, I am typically asked or happen to assume a managerial or leadership role. This is because identifying others’ strengths, appraising their capabilities and discerning where they are most needed is a competency I possess. This skill is also valuable when I am not inhabiting a leadership role. My ability to apprise the capabilities of others allows me to discern where I am needed in relation to them. As such, I can add value to a team by ensuring I position myself where my colleagues are most likely to need me, so as to pick up slack and account for any limitations they may have, while giving them the best opportunity to account for any of my limitations.

I best showcased value as a team member while part of a student consultancy programme, where I acted in a team of five working for the fintech firm [fintech firm]. We were tasked with proposing 3-4 new features for their app. My teammates decided that I should hold a managerial/leadership role given my leadership experience. By talking to my teammates, I observed their strengths and interests and suggested tasks they should undertake, while listening to their feedback on my suggestions. This methodology proved useful and our team operated efficiently and with good collaboration.

I was also able to use my aptitude for appraising colleague's strengths to help reconcile a conflict within our group. When the number of suggestions we were set to pitch exceeded the maximum, we realised we would need to cut one of our ideas from the roster. This sparked a disagreement over which idea to cut. I was able to successfully persuade two teammates to combine their respective strengths and ideas into a single synergy, which arguably became one of the strongest suggestions our team put forward.

Please provide details of your interests and extra-curricular activities - including any positions of responsibility you have held at school, university or otherwise - and an achievement of importance which you are most proud of. (300 words)

In sixth form, I was elected head boy by both a popular vote of the student body and by a staff vote. I represented the school at events, giving speeches and providing tours. I convinced a local IT business to provide IT skills workshops to students in younger cohorts. I also organised my cohort’s student ball.

In my first year of university, I worked as a volunteer counsellor for the [charity] charity. [charity] aims to help disadvantaged pupils decide on their next steps. I mentored three pupils. Two of these with learning difficulties that I had to take into account. My mentee count doubled to six when a fellow mentor quit due to pressure. I accepted the increased workload and spent extra time with the additional pupils I received, staying later than the hours requested by the charity.

In my undergraduate degree and LPC, I acted as a course representative. In my final undergraduate year, I was made senior course representative and co-chair of the staff-student liaison committee. This entailed a great deal of responsibility in representing and advocating for the student body.

I was elected as head editor of the main university magazine. I managed the website, finances, social events and print editions of the magazine. This required a great deal of organisation and attention to detail. I edited the print edition articles personally, directed our designers and liaised with the printers. This role developed a number of skills, but most importantly collaboration. This position entailed a great deal of crisis management. An event where a writer plagiarised another magazine article saw me successfully negotiate with the offended publication and reconcile consequent internal disagreements. An achievement I am most proud of is having the magazine be awarded an SU trophy, despite operating during the turmoil of COVID.

2021

Why have you applied to Morgan Lewis? What do you think are the skills and attributes you possess that distinguish you from other applicants?

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (Morgan Lewis) is globally renowned for the services provided to clients. The small trainee intake ensures more responsibility, ‘hands on training’, and enables the strengthening of personal relationships. This provides greater opportunity to learn as well as make a personal contribution to the success of the firm.

The firm’s leading finance practice in London has earned a reputation for an exceptional ability to provide the highest standard of advice. Morgan Lewis advised We Soda Ltd. on a $1.66b loan facility provided by a consortium of international lenders. We Soda Ltd. is the world’s largest soda ash producer, indicating the magnitude of work Morgan Lewis is involved in. Having already experienced legal work from a financial perspective during an internship at Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets (LBCM), this core capability of Morgan Lewis is of importance as I wish to advance knowledge in this area.

As the only intern in the legal department of LBCM, I developed strong analytical skills in a financial setting. Several presentations I produced during the internship were provided to clients of the bank, ensuring that I paid close attention to detail and worked successfully under pressure. A strong lawyer should be orally articulate and maintain strong communication with clients and colleagues, skills I have evidenced through conducting mock interviews for Oxbridge law applicants. Being able to adapt communication style is vital as a solicitor.  Showing tenacity and perseverance to achieve the highest standard of work serves to distinguish me from other candidates.

Discuss a news story that interests you. What do you think are the implications of the story for a law firm like Morgan Lewis?

Recently, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) cleared the £6bn merger of Takeaway.com and Just Eat. The approval by the CMA that there are no competition concerns for the market ends a turbulent process for the two companies. After the two companies had announced their intentions to merge, Prosus made a hostile bid for Just Eat that was ultimately unsuccessful. Regulatory approval came as the combined Just Eat Takeaway.com announced that it had raised €700m in new financing, which the group said it would use to pay down debt as well as providing ‘financial flexibility to act on strategic opportunities which may arise’.

The implication of this news story for a firm like Morgan Lewis includes considering the impact of the CMA’s more active and interventionist approach when the firm is advising clients that are trying to remain competitive. The CMA appears to be working to maintain competition in the current uncertain economy, but as a result, companies may be dis-incentivised from continuing to operate in the UK. Morgan Lewis will have to be aware of the commercial and economic atmosphere in other jurisdictions, as companies may be looking to merge or acquire other companies abroad. If mergers and acquisitions cannot proceed in the UK, there may be work for Morgan Lewis in alternate sectors such as business restructuring. Finally, there may be a deterrence effect to starting up or investing in new businesses if CMA investigations continue to cause significant delays.

Please give us an example of when you have learned from a mistake. What was the mistake you made, and what did you learn from it?

I have learnt the importance of being clear and direct from the outset of any scenario. When writing my personal statement for the study of law at Cambridge University, my school provided a mentor to provide individual feedback. After creating an initial first draft, my mentor provided feedback insisting that I should remove a certain part of my personal statement, in particular where I had stated my winning of a unique bursary for study at the school. I should have been clear with the mentor faster than I had that I wished to proceed with including the specific part of my personal statement. I felt strongly about including the part about the bursary since I believed it would help to distinguish me from other candidates. By not being immediately clear with the mentor of my intentions, much distraction was caused by this disagreement, as opposed to working constructively to create the best possible personal statement that could be submitted. In the hope of preventing outright contention or disagreement I was not as direct as I could have been, which took time out of having discussions that could have been more valuable. I have learnt that it is important from the outset to be clear and frank, such that all time is used efficiently and effectively. Luckily, I was then able to work constructively with my mentor to achieve a successful result by acceptance into Cambridge University. 

How do you ensure that you are a valued member of the team? Please provide an example where you have been able to contribute to the team’s success.

The pinnacle of being a valued member of the team is identifying the attribute that you possess that will be the most useful to achieving success for the team. Team members should supplement each other to produce the best collective result. Identifying how I could contribute best by utilising my skillset ensures that I can be a valued member of a team, through adapting to any situation presented.

An example of a time when I was able to contribute to a team’s success was my involvement as the leader of a group that aimed to help the homeless in Cambridge. Winning the competition for spreading the most awareness and raising the greatest amount of money out of the competing teams signifies success from the team activity. Subsequently featuring in the Cambridge Mail demonstrates how as a collective entity my team strove to excel in the task undertaken.

As leader of the group, I evidenced my ability to take control of a situation and achieve the best possible outcome. It was valuable to work collaboratively by delegating responsibilities to each individual team member where that individual believed that they would be able to be of the most use. It was particularly important to be able to adapt to any obstacles faced, such as when a team member felt uncomfortable fulfilling one of the responsibilities attributed to them. Being able to adapt to the situation to provide a viable alternative is a skill vital to the work of a commercial solicitor.

Please provide details of your interests and extra-curricular activities - including any positions of responsibility you have held at school, university or otherwise - and an achievement of importance which you are most proud of.

An important achievement that I am most proud was competing at a young age in a challenging full scholarship competition held between The Oxford Times and St Edward’s School, and thereby securing the much coveted place to study by being awarded the unique anniversary bursary. This signifies that I am able to endure the pressures of competition and thrive. I continued to demonstrate my willingness to work hard and impress through my position of senior prefect and academic scholar. Holding the position of President of the Law Society and Vice-President of the Economics Society enabled me to become aware of the workings of different sectors of society. I have maintained such enthusiasm throughout my time at university, indicated by being appointed a Lloyds Scholar. I regularly champion the Lloyds Scholars programme to future applicants, by targeting individuals from lower income households and providing valuable information in regards to the scheme.

I have become more aware of the issues that are faced by women within the legal industry. Having been selected to attend Shearman & Sterling’s ‘Women in Law Conference’, I quickly became more alert to the obstacles facing women in the legal industry. There has been an increase in the willingness to actively promote inclusivity and equality, but there is still much that can be done. Through my position of College Representative to the Cambridge University Law Society, I aim to organise campaigns to raise awareness of such issues.

In my spare time, I play the piano regularly and am competitive on the sporting front. I also spend my leisure time reading novels, at the moment I am currently enjoying the works of Harper Lee and Marjane Satrapi.