2025

What is motivating you toward a career at Cooley? (300 words)

Cooley’s Venture Capital (VC) expertise advising clients across all investment phases, from angel to late stage, is attractive. For example, Cooley advised Synthesia all the way from incorporation to its latest $90 million Series C financing. This broad exposure makes Cooley ideal for developing a well-rounded understanding of seed funding and emerging markets. My VC interest stems from Cooley’s Introduction to VC event, where Kerry Corrigan’s explanation of how VC lawyers integrate into clients’ teams to advise on financing rounds resonated with my experience as the founder of LODGE, an innovation society, where I facilitated funding for the winners of a start-up accelerator challenge by engaging local entrepreneurs as investors.

Cooley’s Equity Capital Markets (ECM) broad expertise advising on NASDAQ, LSE and NYSE listings is equally appealing. The firm’s work advising Exscientia on its $510.4 million IPO was particularly interesting as it strategically blended public and private financing through a private placement to SoftBank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. My interest in ECM stems from drafting key financial documents like a summary IPO prospectus during the White & Case Forage Banking & Finance Virtual Program, a task that was particularly engaging as an avid investor in the LSE and NYSE, where I frequently review prospectuses before making investment decisions.

Additionally, Cooley’s emphasis on early trainee responsibility resonates with me, as reflected in Emily Hall’s account of directly engaging with clients and drafting court applications from the beginning due to Cooley’s small trainee intake. I enjoyed a similar environment during my Shearn Delamore vacation scheme, where I drafted client responses from the outset as part of a three-lawyer IP and IT team which accelerated my learning and enhanced my ability to handle complex tasks. Therefore, I wish to work at Cooley which has a similar approach to trainee responsibility.  

Please tell us about interests and activities you pursue and positions of responsibility that are relevant for the role. (300 words)

I host a weekly commercial discussion group, comprising 50 students. My responsibilities include setting the discussion agenda and moderating each topic. I do this by identifying three specific recent commercial developments and providing a brief explanation before opening the floor to other participants to share their views. Debating these topics drove my success in the Aspiring Solicitors and Watson’s Daily Commercial Awareness competitions, where I ranked within the top 5% and 3% of contestants respectively. 

As the EDI Head of the ABACUS society, I fostered inclusivity by hosting five cultural events, including Diwali and Lunar New Year. I also increased non-Asian membership by 40% through hosting two joint events with other cultural societies. During both of these joint events, I developed my ability to collaborate with others by setting up WhatsApp groups and Zoom meetings for planning and communication. I have also honed my ability to develop client relationships by securing eight society sponsorships through emailing and canvassing local businesses. By maintaining regular communication with the sponsors through monthly updates on society activities, I successfully ensured that all eight sponsorships were renewed at the end of my tenure.

As a senior member of my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym, I assist the head coach in demonstrations and teaching techniques to new members. This has honed my ability to adapt my communication style and explain complex concepts to different audiences as I must often present techniques in multiple ways before a beginner can fully grasp them.  

I am passionate about charity and have organised humanitarian trips to Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In Indonesia, I fundraised RM5000 for a nursing home through food sales. In Vietnam I led 30 students in cleaning a care home for disabled victims of the Vietnam War. In Thailand, I oversaw 20 volunteers in constructing a playground for orphans. 

We are all 'work in progress' and need to celebrate our strengths but also focus on our areas for growth. Please tell us about you (strengths and areas for growth)? (300 words)

I am a resilient individual capable of overcoming setbacks to achieve long-term goals, as demonstrated by my weight-loss journey. Having struggled with obesity throughout my life, I committed to pursuing a healthy lifestyle three years ago. Despite relapsing and undoing my progress on four occasions due to binge eating, I never gave up and adapted my strategy after each failure, incorporating new techniques like intermittent fasting and weekly runs. This perseverance enabled me to lose over 30kg. 

I am also a creative individual adept at problem-solving. Identifying an absence of real-time drainage data for cleaning crews as the root cause of local flash floods, I learned and applied Arduino Robotics to develop a monitor that notifies city cleaners when drains are clogged and at risk of overflowing. The sensor I built has since prevented 100+ local flash floods and won four Malaysian start-up accelerator competitions.

Because I thrive when problem-solving, I occasionally struggle with maintaining enthusiasm during later project stages. For example, after planning my EU law formative, I delayed writing the essay to solve complex issues in other projects, leading to a lower mark. When writing my EU law summative, I took a more structured approach by breaking the essay into manageable sections and setting clear deadlines in my schedule. This kept me focused and led me to achieve a 75 and the best in unit prize.  

Another area I have been working on is asking for help when learning new skills. For example, when I first began Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I struggled with basic techniques and was hesitant to ask for advice. However, after a brown-belt proactively offered me advice, I began to improve. Since then, I have sought advice from people more experienced than me and incorporating their guidance helped me progress from a white-belt to a blue-belt. 

Tell us about a situation where you have demonstrated initiative and the result? (300 words)

The Reading Club is a charity that encourages children aged 9-12 to read books and develop English proficiency. As a volunteer, I demonstrated initiative during the Covid pandemic to sustain the program when lockdown disrupted its usual in person, one-to-one format. With no infrastructure for virtual sessions and schools voicing concerns over safeguarding, the Reading Club was reluctant to continue operations. However, I had seen how the program could improve the confidence and academic performance of non-English speaking students and I was committed to finding a solution.

To do this, I arranged a zoom meeting with both representatives of the Reading Club and the primary schools to negotiate next steps. After an hour, we agreed on specific steps to be taken during virtual sessions to ensure safeguarding compliance. A key suggestion I made to convince them was to have each session fully recorded for both the school teachers and the child’s parents to review at their convenience. I then organised another zoom meeting with other Reading Club volunteers to explain the new procedures to ensure smooth implementation. 

An additional issue I took initiative to solve during the pandemic was a lack of student access to books. As Reading Club sessions used to be held in the school’s library, there was abundant access to various books for the students to read and expand their vocabulary. However, few students had books at home to read. Therefore, before each week, I would search online for three e-books of beginner, intermediate and advanced difficulty. I would then send these files to the other Reading Club volunteers who would allocate them based on their students’ proficiency. Through these efforts, the 30 students involved in the program made considerable progress over the lockdown period and achieved above average results in their end of year English exams. 

2024

What is motivating you toward a career at Cooley? (300 words) 

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work as [occupation] is enabling new organisations to secure funding to realise their business ambitions. This is why I am drawn to Cooley’s work with venture capitalist firms and early-stage companies. Supporting Snyk on several strategic acquisitions and funding rounds, contributing to its multibillion-dollar valuation, demonstrates the breadth and quality of Cooley’s market-leading expertise in high-growth sectors. The diversity of work and experience that comes with advising start-ups at all stages attracts me.

As my dissertation focused on the role digital platforms play in facilitating online harms, I am particularly interested in Cooley’s strength in the technology sector. I am motivated toward a career at Cooley due to its track record building relationships with innovative industry players, such FemTech Lab. With its highly ranked corporate, data privacy and cybersecurity, and growing litigation teams, coupled with its global reach, Cooley is ideally positioned to secure the most transformative and complex work as businesses navigate this period of rapid digital transformation.

As one of six consultants at a startup, I have gained early responsibility, enjoying hands-on learning and taking ownership of tasks. I am attracted to the entrepreneurial spirit in Cooley’s small and lean teams, where I could take on a breadth of high-quality, meaningful work from the outset. Cooley takes great pride in the personal and professional development of their lawyers, shown by its bespoke coaching service. I would excel in an environment that encourages you to step outside of your comfort zone within a supportive, collegial culture.

Considering the incredible growth of Cooley’s London office in the past nine years, there is a real energy in shaping the future of the firm. I want to contribute to this ambitious and dynamic vision.

Please tell us about interests and activities you pursue and positions of responsibility that are relevant for the role. (300 words)

Working as a not-for-profit consultant, with tight budgets, demands efficiency and excellent time management. My experience advising organisations operating across a range of sectors has honed my ability to build strong partnerships and communicate with diverse individuals; vital skills for trainees to engage in complex, cross-border matters.

Outside of work, I engage in activities that allow me to continuously learn about the world around me. Last year, I co-designed a collaborative project with [network] aimed at combating anti-gender ideologies. I remain responsible for securing prominent authors worldwide to explore their research in bi-monthly events. I recently hosted an eye-opening conversation with Italian digital rights expert [name], where we discussed the role of the popular Telegram messaging app in facilitating online gender-based harms. I am fascinated by her work, as it uncovers the pressing need for industry to take greater responsibility managing the inherent risk in their products and services. 

Working across borders and practice areas demands teamwork. Collaboration has been important in my committee roles. During my undergraduate degree, I held a leadership position in a new student-led society aimed at tackling sexual harassment on campus. I was responsible for recruiting new members; delegating roles; and, conducting several workshops where I trained students on how to protect themselves while participating in nightlife. My greatest accomplishment was the coordination of three sold-out 100 attendee fundraising events, which significantly raised the society's profile and membership. Additionally, performing a show to raise awareness of the effects of gaslighting at the [event] was one of my most memorable experiences. Engaging in these activities has taught me the value of commitment and the ability to think creatively, especially when things don’t go as planned.

We are all 'work in progress' and need to celebrate our strengths but also focus on our areas for growth. Please tell us about you (strengths and areas for growth)? (300 words) 

Creative problem-solving is a strength that I routinely draw upon. I recently examined the services of a [charity] where I was tasked with interviewing 30 beneficiaries. When I spoke to a recently arrived refugee, I realised he was struggling to complete my survey. Discovering that he liked to draw, I adapted my approach, drawing symbols related to each question which enabled us to communicate. The experience reinforced the importance of perseverance and re-evaluating my strategies.

Teamwork is a strength that I have leveraged in a variety of settings, especially during internships. For example, when I led a student consultancy project for a start-up, one of my responsibilities was to ensure that my team were confident with the tasks assigned. However, I quickly noticed that one member was struggling to find data on a key deliverable. Recognising this as a significant obstacle, I arranged a meeting with the client to suggest a different output. In our feedback, the client praised the interpersonal and collaborative approach.

An area of growth this year has been resilience. Not securing training contracts following vacation schemes this summer initially felt disheartening, but the feedback I received has proved invaluable. I recognise the importance of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and effectively learning from it. This experience has not only given me the confidence, but fueled my drive to apply my learning and development in another scheme.

I use my strength in communication and networking when hosting webinars, facilitating workshops, and writing reports for social enterprises and grassroots organisations. However, I am eager to gain the experience and skills needed to communicate with large corporate clients. This is why I am drawn to Cooley’s ambitious environment, where trainees assume responsibility and gain direct client exposure from the outset.

Tell us about a situation where you have demonstrated initiative and the result? (300 words) 

When one of our directors went on leave, there was pressure on the team to deliver a large project for a [organisation]. I had recently joined the organisation and not led a client assignment before, but volunteered because I was eager to gain experience.

The project analysed the opportunities and challenges associated with embedding [description of project]. I was responsible for driving it forward. This involved liaising with the client, facilitating one-to-one interviews, and writing up the evaluative report. Conflicting opinions soon emerged between the management team and junior staff members over the organisation’s culture. Whilst not initially outlined in the brief, I believed that addressing internal cultural biases would be critical for achieving the project’s overarching goal.

Concerned about meeting the client's expectations, I raised this issue with my supervisor who agreed with my conclusions and suggested I meet with the client. I overcame apprehension about bringing up the issue due to junior status, because I knew that having this difficult conversation would benefit the organisation in the long run, and uphold the integrity of my role as an independent evaluator. I took the initiative to plan alternative approaches for presenting our findings, suggesting that the organisation could edit and refine sections in the final report. This initiative resulted in a solution that everyone could agree upon during the meeting.

Although addressing sensitive issues was challenging, I really enjoyed taking responsibility for bringing stakeholders with different perspectives together. Subsequently, my recommendations were published as a public guide for others in the sector. The experience taught me the value of keeping the bigger picture in mind when confronted with unexpected challenges.

2023

What is motivating you toward a career at Cooley? (300) (296) 

To fund my PGDL, I spent the past year working at [redacted], an expert network which assists companies and investors with commercial due diligence. I particularly enjoyed working with venture capital funds and start-ups. I am therefore interested in Cooley’s market-leading Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practices. It would be particularly satisfying to advise companies through the different stages of their life cycle. Working with innovative clients, often from their inception, demonstrates the firm’s ability to future-proof itself. I wish to work at a firm that will continue to gain market share and work on the most important mandates.

Supporting commercial due diligence on venture-backed companies at [redacted] required creative solutions, as they were either in nascent industries or poised to disrupt established ones. Cooley's focus on early-stage clients puts it at the forefront of legal developments; for example, by helping to set the definition of 'sharing economy companies’ in the US whilst acting for Turo. I am excited at the prospect of working on precedent-setting matters. 

Cooley stands out from other US law firms in London due to its multidisciplinary strength. Having experienced contentious work at a commercial chambers in London and at a German court, I am interested in Cooley’s Litigation practice. The firm is distinguished by its leadership in areas such as Product Liability, representing Whirlpool during the Grenfell inquiry. 

I am attracted to Cooley's culture of giving trainees real responsibility early on, reflecting the firm's lean business model. I have always enjoyed proactively seeking out more responsibility, such as taking on the Student Director role for [redacted university legal advice clinic]. The firm also offers an inclusive and supportive culture. I am particularly impressed by Cooley's refusal to give in to Tesla's demands to dismiss an associate. This demonstrates the firm's commitment to its people. 

Please tell us about interests and activities you pursue and positions of responsibility that are relevant for the role. (300) (295) 

At university, I worked as a volunteer tutor for [redacted tutoring agency], an educational charity which provides supplementary tuition to disadvantaged children. I gave weekly lessons to Syrian refugee children at their school in [redacted English city]. My pupils had undergone traumatic experiences prior to arriving in the UK and their English was poor, which held them back at school. 

I played rugby for the university. I was the only novice in a team of experienced players and had to show extra dedication, with daily training sessions, in order to reach the required standard. I was named Coach's Player of the Year for the 2018/19 season. Playing competitive rugby has taught me the importance of resilience and performing under pressure.

As Student Director for the [redacted university legal advice clinic], I lead a team of volunteers manning the phone lines and answering email enquiries. Meeting with clients to understand their legal issues and providing written advice has helped me improve my communication and drafting skills.

At [redacted], I was promoted early to project lead. Working directly with clients, I learned to think more commercially about the deals I was supporting and how our service could be tailored to meet their needs. I helped to customise our standard product to help a PE firm acquiring a major music publisher under an accelerated timetable. 

We are all 'work in progress' and need to celebrate our strengths but also focus on our areas for growth. Please tell us about you (strengths and areas for growth)? (300) (286) 

When faced with a challenge, I am able to develop creative solutions. For my undergraduate dissertation, I chose a relatively obscure topic: the ideological paradoxes underlying the 1970s German leftist movements. This was challenging due to the lack of primary source material, made more difficult by the closure of archives during the pandemic. Instead, I contacted the publishers of now-defunct journals to obtain reprints of articles and found former members of the movement to interview. My dissertation was awarded a Distinction and selected for publication by the university.

Teaching has allowed me to develop strong communication skills. At [redacted tutoring agency], my students often struggled with basic grammar. I helped them learn by designing activities around different rules or problems. This method of adapting my communication style to fit my interlocutor has proved effective when providing written legal advice as the Student Director of the [redacted university legal advice service]. 

I have sometimes been reticent in giving sufficiently critical feedback to colleagues and teammates. In order to develop this important management skill, I volunteered to take on training responsibilities at [redacted]. By teaching others, I learned to deliver constructive criticism more effectively. I have continued to take on leadership and training responsibilities as the Student Director of the [redacted university legal advice clinic]. 

I have also tended to hesitate to ask for help when trying to learn a new skill. For example, as the only novice in the university rugby team, I felt too embarrassed to ask for help on a number of rudimentary aspects of the game. Things improved rapidly after my teammates proactively offered advice. I took their guidance to heart which, in addition to putting in hours of additional training, helped me to progress from the bench to the starting line-up. 

Tell us about a situation where you have demonstrated initiative and the result? (300) (298) 

As a volunteer tutor for [redacted tutoring agency], I had to display initiative in order to prevent the cessation of tuition during the pandemic. We had been providing supplementary tuition to disadvantaged children in person at their school in [redacted English city]. This allowed us to work closely with the children’s form teachers, who pointed out which areas of the curriculum needed attention. 

When lockdown commenced, the charity’s activities were severely curtailed.  [Redacted tutoring agency] was unwilling to continue tuition remotely, fearing that regulatory compliance in areas such as safeguarding could not be assured outside school premises. Having taken responsibility for improving my pupils’ academic outcomes, I was conscious that this would affect their progress and resolved to find a way to continue helping them. 

I approached the charity, the school, and the children’s parents to devise a solution. After lengthy negotiations, I helped to codify procedures which enabled tuition to be delivered online whilst remaining compliant. This allowed the charity to resume lessons for the remainder of the pandemic. 

During my final year at university, I dedicated more time to providing one-to-one tuition in order to make up for the lost sessions. This additional support was crucial as many children had been struggling with their schoolwork after their regular school classes were moved online. I made an effort to keep in touch with their form teachers by email to learn which areas required the most attention. Setting up the online tuition system and giving extra lessons took up more time than the job had previously entailed. However, it was immensely satisfying to see my pupils make real progress. Their ability to converse confidently in English and to get to grips with their homework greatly improved over the period I taught them. They became more integrated into their school communities, both academically and socially. 

We all have to deal with difficult times which challenge our resilience and ability to deal with stressful situations. Please tell us about a situation you experienced like this (other than exam pressures) and explain how you dealt with it? (300) (300)

At [redacted], I led a project for a PE firm acquiring a major music publisher. [redacted]’s expert network is mainly geared towards connecting clients with a small number of industry experts as part of commercial due diligence. However, the client expanded the project shortly before the deadline, demanding insights from 70 experts as opposed to the original 20. It was apparent that its investment committee were demanding greater reassurance from commercial DD given the increasingly challenging market for acquisition financing. 

The PE firm was a new client yet our management had been prepared to drop the project because it was incompatible with our normal scope of work. I insisted that it could be completed on time. 

I drafted a more focused questionnaire which allowed the expert interviews that normally lasted an hour to be conducted in less than 20 minutes, with minimal sacrifice of content. I revised the pricing model and successfully pitched the idea to the client. We identified more industry experts and persuaded 70 to participate, exceeding [redacted]’s normal conversion rate. 

I worked late most evenings and over weekends, prioritising my workload. I handed over some of my projects to other teams, selecting those still in their early stages to minimise disruption to clients. I force-ranked my remaining projects according to urgency. I was also conscious of time zones, prioritising my European clients in the morning to free up my afternoon for US-based projects. As the project lead, I used a similar system to prioritise and assign tasks to my colleagues.

The work was delivered on time and the client successfully completed the acquisition. The project was our team’s largest that year in revenue terms. Simultaneously, I was able to meet expectations on all my other projects. This enabled me to exceed my monthly performance target by 100%.