2024

Why have you applied to Winston & Strawn London LLP for a vacation scheme placement? (250 words)

I am applying for a vacation scheme placement at Winston & Strawn London LLP as I am eager to join a fast-moving firm that excels across a diverse range of sectors with a wide range of clients. Operating for more than 160 years, with more than 975 lawyers in 15 offices across the globe, the firm is a clear leader in delivering results for high-profile, international clients. To be part of a firm that not only is steeped in history but also can prosper in the present only solidifies my interest in pursuing a vacation scheme at Winston & Strawn.

I am drawn to the firm’s London office due to its broad client base and range of expertise – the office excels in representing high-profile US, UK and multinational clients in emerging markets across the world. I am particularly interested in the office’s corporate practice, where the team works on everything from start-ups to international corporations. Indeed, the team’s strong expertise is reflected by the London corporate team being shortlisted for ‘Corporate Team of the Year’ at the Lawyer awards 2016 for its involvement in the acquisition of Airwave Solutions by Motorola Solutions. A notable deal that stood out to me in this sector would be the team’s work in 2023 representing Mark Walter in connection with the acquisition of Fordstam Limited. With Winston & Strawn’s varied expertise in the corporate market, the firm’s London office provides the perfect environment for me to learn from leaders in this field.

Winston & Strawn London LLP is a firm where you cannot hide in the crowd. We recruit those who we believe have the potential to rise to a challenge, are self-starters, take ownership of their work and who can roll up their sleeves and get stuck in for the benefit of the team as a whole. Why do you believe that you have the skillset to thrive in our environment? (300 words)

I believe I have the skillset to thrive in the environment at Winston & Strawn London LLP – I believe that I am proactive, reliable and work well within a team.

I believe I am a self-starter and always rise to a challenge; in order to further my commercial awareness and gain a greater insight into the legal industry, I co-founded the independent legal podcast ‘The Firm Rundown’ – a graduate-led podcast which releases weekly episodes to provide insight into legal trends and insider firm information from legal professionals. So far, we have interviewed solicitors from Travers Smith, Akin Gump, Cooley, Hogan Lovells, RPC and more. This position has not only helped to develop my analytical mindset and commercial awareness, but also demonstrates my strong leadership skills and ability to take initiative. Here, I seized the opportunity to create a unique product in the developing on-demand content market.

One of my biggest strengths is my ability to get along with anyone and work in a team. This has developed through a range of routes: namely by leading a public-facing retail team at the Wimbledon Championships, working as a waitress and supervisor as a gastropub over the last two and a half years, and my large involvement in team sports such as hockey throughout school and university. I have often been complimented for being easy to get along with, something I pride myself on being. I am confident, sociable and amicable, and have the ability to adapt to the working environment to make sure I am working as effectively as possible. With teamwork being at the heart of the firm’s environment, I know that I will be able to be a valuable and welcome addition to whichever team I am working with at a given time.  

What motivates you? (200 words or less)

I believe that my primary motivator and drive is my passion. For example, for as long as I can remember, I have had a keen interest in the history of films and film production. In my opinion, the best thing about film is that it is something to be shared. As such, I have always tried to create environments where I can share my passion, and I find that it in these environments is where I excel.

In my second year of university, I started up a weekly show at my university’s student radio station on film history entitled Popcorn Conversations. Each week, I chose a selection of films from/by a particular film genre, director or actor and spoke about the cultural and historical significance of the films and their soundtracks. In my final year, I decided to make the show more accessible, editing and uploading all show recording into podcast episodes onto Spotify. I am delighted to say that my podcast received Best Researched Podcast at my university radio awards in 2022 and was nominated for Best Podcast Programming at the Student Radio Awards in November 2023.