2025

[address]

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 

2 London Wall, Barbican,

London, EC2Y 5AU

Dear Cleary Gottlieb Graduate Recruitment Team, 

I am writing to express my interest in the 2025 Vacation Scheme at Cleary Gottlieb. I am a Bachelor of Laws graduate with First Class Honours from the University of Bristol.

My interest in pursuing a commercial solicitor career was sparked by participating in an international scheme with Jones Day in April 2022. By participating in negotiation tasks with the firm's associates and drafting a preliminary term sheet, I gained valuable insights into the relationship-driven nature of transactional work, solidifying my interest in pursuing a career at a firm that specialises in transactional work. In June 2023, I interned with the corporate counsel of Cox Energy, a dual-listed solar energy company. During this internship, I supported partners based in Madrid and Mexico City, where I assisted in drafting a letter of intent for a joint venture with a Portuguese business and translated a Shareholders' Agreement from English into Spanish. Working with a small team of lawyers on contentious and transactional matters reaffirmed my strong interest in pursuing a career as a commercial solicitor. 

I am particularly drawn to Cleary’s expertise in capital markets, especially its high-profile work in debt capital markets for clients such as GSK plc and Haleon plc. During my vacation scheme at Debevoise and Plimpton LLP, I had firsthand experience with high-stakes financial agreements when I reviewed a revolving credit facility agreement in the private equity team. This exposure to intricate financial structures deepened my appreciation for the dynamic and fast-paced nature of debt capital markets, where deals can be finalised within days, requiring sharp thinking and adaptability. The firm’s involvement in these high-stakes, fast-moving transactions aligns perfectly with my desire to be involved in complex, impactful deals from the outset. 

Cleary’s low-intake trainee model provides the early responsibility I seek, similar to my experience at Jones Day, where I negotiated aspects of a cross-border M&A deal. At Debevoise & Plimpton, I incorporated limited partners’ requests into a Master Side Letter for the Investment Fund Formation and Private Equity teams. The collaborative nature of this work, where I liaised with stakeholders to finalise documents, directly reflects the teamwork and stakeholder management skills required at Cleary. I am especially drawn to Cleary due to its non-departmental structure. The firm’s client-focused approach, where lawyers develop strong and long-term relationships with clients and advise on a wide range of transactions, particularly appeals to me. Given that I enjoyed the relationship-driven nature of transactional work throughout my internship with Jones Day, I am particularly attracted by how the non-departmental structure enables stronger relationships with clients, as lawyers consistently collaborate with clients on various matters. 

Throughout my experiences, I have developed several core competencies that will enable me to make a meaningful contribution to Cleary. For example, my time at Coxabengoa strengthened my ability to take initiative and remain determined, particularly when preparing litigation summaries for a case in southern Spain. I consistently identified potential legal issues and pre-emptively addressed them, helping the team resolve disputes efficiently. In addition, my involvement in the University of Bristol’s Trading Analyst Programme honed my commercial awareness. By closely monitoring market trends and analysing how economic shifts influence business decisions, I gained a deeper understanding of how external factors shape clients’ strategies. This insight proved invaluable during my vacation scheme, where I contributed informed perspectives on the impact of economic volatility on clients’ private equity approaches.

Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

[Redacted]

2024

Cover letter (no more than 1 page) + CV (not provided here)

[Applicant's address]

[Applicant's contact details]

[Date]

Graduate Recruitment

Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

2 London Wall Place

London

EC2Y 5AU

Dear Graduate Recruitment,

Application for Winter Vacation Scheme at Cleary Gottlieb LLP

I am writing to express my interest in the Winter Vacation Scheme opportunity at Cleary LLP, as advertised on your website. As a recent graduate of the University of [REDACTED] with a first-class LLB and a current commercial paralegal at [REDACTED], I am excited to apply to Cleary LLP.

I am interested in commercial law from my experience as a commercial paralegal. At [REDACTED], I work in our [REDACTED] team, where I advise over ten start-up businesses from inception to longer-term commercial decisions. This role has sharpened my ability to understand and align with my client’s strategic objectives and find innovative solutions to propel their success. The dynamic nature of commercial law, with its intricate regulatory landscape and ever-evolving sectors, keeps my intellectual curiosity fuelled. Summarising complex legal matters while providing commercial advice to clients has allowed me to merge my passion for law and business. 

I am impressed by Cleary’s commitment to nurturing multi-specialist lawyers. The opportunity to work across various sectors aligns perfectly with my experiences at [REDACTED], where I provide legal support spanning diverse legal sectors such as tax, real estate, and employment. It reduces departmental bureaucracy and allows lawyers to develop their knowledge in sectors that interest them, strengthening the client relationship. Cleary’s flexible training contract, which encourages trainees to explore different areas of interest, also appeals to me. My exposure to various departments has allowed me to hone my skills in various sectors. Cleary will provide me with the opportunity to build on this mindset and allow me to broaden my expertise to develop client relationships.

My record highlights my strong suitability for Cleary. Winning the Junior Commercial Awareness Competition at [REDACTED] against 120 candidates underscores my commercial acumen. The panel of five partners highly commended my creative solution to addressing sustainability through pensions. Achieving the [REDACTED] Award at my university, recognising my top performance in two challenging modules, while balancing a full-time job, demonstrates my capacity to excel under demanding conditions. My tenure as a paralegal has resulted in clients highly commending my service, demonstrating my strong work ethic and ability to build enduring client relationships. Cleary will allow me to leverage these strengths while giving me the flexibility to develop my multi-sector specialist interest. 

Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

[REDACTED]

2022

Dear Graduate Recruitment,

I am an LLB Law student at the University of [redacted], on track for a First, and applying for your Spring/Summer Vacation Scheme 2021.

Initially considering Finance and Law as careers, I interned at a consultancy firm where I noticed the lack of collaboration compared to law firms. I want to be a lawyer because I enjoy working collaboratively. Reading Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed, I appreciate that diverse teams produce innovative ideas. I am attracted to Cleary's international trainee intake. As an Indonesian, raised in the US and studying in England, international colleagues and global exposure is the working environment I want. I am trilingual and currently learning French to enhance my linguistic capabilities. Tihir Sarkar emphasised that Cleary lawyers are skilled at identifying the nuances of doing business across regions, jurisdictions and cultures. Having achieved work experience in London, Indonesia and Houston last summer, I appreciate corporate etiquette globally.

I want to work at Cleary because of its flexible and bespoke training. The ability to work with multiple lawyers across practice areas and jurisdictions, based on my interests, will give me broader experience. Completing the International Baccalaureate, a curriculum renowned for cultivating multidisciplinary perspectives, I want to gain knowledge from diverse practice areas.

I want to be involved in international, market-related work. I follow business and geopolitics closely through Goldman Sachs Briefings and Bloomberg. By working in commercial law, I can appreciate macroeconomics to have a greater awareness of the world. I aim to gain enough sector knowledge to advise commercial legal strategy in advance of problems. I am particularly interested in Capital Markets work. While Interning at Freshfields, I was excited by the nature of the issuance of a USD 250 million Sukuk due to its complex structure. At Allen & Overy, I attended training on various types of derivative and structured products and this was interesting to me. My achievements reflect my intellectual mindset. I achieved an overall First in my second-year Law exams.

Running two businesses, I find it exciting to discuss strategies allowing companies to gain and maintain competitive advantage. As a tutor and clothing website owner, I learned to be a multi-specialist by managing cash flow, logistics, customer satisfaction, inventory, social media, business development etc. Balancing this with First-class grades, General Secretary and Publicity Officer positions and Campus Ambassador role proves my time-management skills. I appreciate that Cleary lawyers have multiple specialities and consider issues from diverse perspectives.

Thank you for considering my application and I look forward to hearing from you.

2022

Dear Claire,

Application for Summer Vacation Scheme at Cleary Gottlieb

Understanding that Cleary Gottlieb recruits with a long-term goal, I make this application with the highest level of commitment to pursue a career in commercial law with Cleary Gottlieb.

Commercial lawyers are essentially business advisors, and are extremely engaged in the commercial world. Whilst studying A Level Business, I was engrossed with the business world, particularly I was fascinated at how market changes could drive businesses decisions. Moving forward, I trust that it is an exciting role to help businesses navigate through challenging conditions, such as disruptive technological developments and political turmoil caused by corruption. A unique feature of commercial law is that every transaction is different, and this continuous challenge is appealing to me. Instead of taking the Malaysian national exam like my peers, I joined an unconventional yet thrilling, independent-study IGCSE course, which I completed in 5 months, instead of the pre-set 2 years.

I am determined to join Cleary Gottlieb for its bespoke training contract, organic growth strategy and non-departmental structure. The training contract offers unrivalled breadth and independence, where trainees are encouraged to get involved with work outside their allocated seats. I appreciate the opportunity to pursue work that interests me, and also embrace the proactivity required to succeed. I have enjoyed being an Executive in the Malaysian Law Student Union where I am awarded a great degree of freedom to plan and execute events, and also take the initiative to explore new ideas.

With only 1 lateral hire in the Germany office this year, Clearly Gottlieb is a firm that grows organically. This translates into a real emphasis on the people and the training, as illustrated by in-house seminars for future trainees, which enhances both training and integration. Top quality training is something I look for in a firm as I believe it is the foundation of a successful lawyer. Further, organic growth can nurture a strong sense of team spirit. Having spent a month at a commercial law firm, I found comradeship to be essential whilst working long hours in a high-pressure environment.

The firm's non-departmental structure encourages lawyers to develop expertise in multiple areas and prevents a pigeonhole vision. This in return shapes a well-rounded lawyer who is able to survive market volatility which is essential in light of global affairs, such as Brexit, which has dampened transactional work, but increased advisory work. Flexibility is key. To that end, as a mentor, I adapt my approach and session plans in response to my mentees' varying performance and behavior.

Speaking to one of your trainees (Lottie) at the law fair, I learnt about the firm's distinct geeky culture and mixed social circles. This, among other things, has further solidified my desire to join the firm.

Thank you for your time and consideration, I eagerly await your response.

Yours sincerely,