2025

What personal or career goals do you have for yourself at present? (200 words)

My goals are to be able to start my legal career and it becoming part of who I am. I want to further develop the skills that I have obtained during my academic experience, work experience and positions of responsibility and refine them to suit the legal career. On a longer term, my goals are to try to have an impact on society in a way or another. I believe that the career that I choose needs to allow me to make a positive change in the world. A legal career can do just that, as any practice area, from energy to intellectual property, involves projects and deals that can change the way societies function.

Moreover, I believe that one of the more general goals one should have when choosing a career is to find that one is respected by his/her peers. That is one of the benchmarks by which to measure success in a career, as being recognised by people doing the same thing as you is a sign that your work has not gone unnoticed.

Why have you decided to pursue a career as a solicitor? What other options did you consider seriously and why did you choose not to pursue them? (200 words)

To begin with, a commercial solicitor has to be able to provide a wide variety of legal services for his/her clients. This means a solicitor has the challenging task of having to possess extensive knowledge about the legal world as well as the business world in order to be able to be creative when it comes to solving legal issues, same as how a guitarist has to know all the chords before he can start improvising with jazz. This, I believe, allows a lawyer to fully immerse themselves in their professions and really become masters of their craft, which leads to a fulfilling career.

Moreover, the opportunity to be part of deals that can change the face of a particular business sector and, thus, possibly even the entire society, from early on has attracted me to such a career, as I believe it offers an incentive to give 100% in your role.

I also considered management consulting, as in school I enjoyed studying Business Studies and I was also a very good mathematics student. While finding it to be an attractive alternative, I believe that my passion for advocacy and law can properly be furthered by a legal career.

Why do you feel you are suited to K&L Gates LLP?

First of all, I believe a K&L Gates lawyer has to add value to the work he/she is doing by being creative in order to find the legal solution that would give the firm a competitive advantage. I believe I have been able to develop this creativity by trying to develop my analytical and critical thinking skills, both through my debating experience as well as through my degree at the LSE.

Second of all, interpersonal skills are crucial for developing long-term relationships of trust with clients and with K&L Gates colleagues. My legal work experience, my position as the Vice-President and co-founder of the European Horizons Society as well as being the head of the debating team all prove that I have managed to develop such interpersonal skills both when working as part of a team as well as when managing a project or a team from a leadership position.

Finally, my previous legal work experience has shown me what professionalism, creativity and teamwork are in a legal context, and has allowed me to strive for these qualities already. This is even more relevant in the case of K&L Gates that expects trainees to take the initiative from the start.

Please use the space below if you wish to add a covering letter to your application form.

Dear Ms Atherton,

I am applying for the legal work placement available at K&L Gates in July 2021 as I believe I am suitable for such an opportunity, as proven by my answers on the application form.

I am especially interested in the international arbitration practice area of K&L Gates as I am passionate about advocacy. I am mainly interested in investment treaty arbitration due to the added political component. Besides impressing by being part of the GAR 30, the firm's involvement in disputes such as the one between Spain and France after an oil spill is exactly the kind of work I would like to be doing, as it has a geopolitical aspect that excites me.

Furthermore, the level of responsibility offered to trainees at K&L also seems to prepare them for the career ahead, with trainees facing more direct contact with senior lawyers as the intake number is low. It is crucial for me that the training that I receive at the law firm is of high quality. The open-door policy of the firm and access to comprehensive training allows for the trainees to fully understand what skills they have to develop in order to succeed as future solicitors.

Finally, the vibrant organisational culture leading to a diverse working environment would suit me. This is due to my international background, having grown up in multicultural [eastern European country] and studying in the global hub of London. Thus, my time has been always spent amongst a very diverse group of people, which has become part of my DNA.

I believe that my positions of responsibility, academic and work experience as well as interest and activities prove that I have the necessary skillset to be able to join K&L Gates. I am thus looking forward to a response.

Yours faithfully,

[redacted name of candidate]

2024

Main Social, Leisure, Sporting Activities including community service and positions of responsibility held: 

(a) At university (300 words) 

During my first year of study, I was a member of [redacted] a society which aided the homeless community in [redacted] through handing out ‘care packages’ on the local Highstreet. I aided the organisation of bake sales on campus and baked traditional Arab bread dishes to help attract Arab students on campus who were missing home (I asked my grandma for the recipe!). This idea improved our revenue and budget for care packages. I enjoyed this community facing role, and over summer I volunteered at my local charity shop. I most enjoyed speaking with elderly customers who often came in for a chat. This spurred me to engage with [redacted] in my second year; to which, I visited elderly residents in care homes. My social nature allowed me to have meaningful chats and gain great wisdom. 

Further, I co-founded a Land Law reading group with my seminar tutor where we arranged a bi-weekly reading group. We wanted to spread our knowledge, so we made a ‘Zine’ (a homemade magazine). I led the project, as Content & Design lead, by writing materials, securing university funding for printing and considering the copyright elements. I am very proud that through our collective networks, the Zine has been physically distributed in: England, Ecuador, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain and Qatar.

Finally, I mentor with [redacted], a scheme which provides mentors to year 12 students to facilitate their university and career aspirations. I decided to volunteer because I enjoy sharing my personal lessons, as to ensure that others are better informed than I was. We arrange monthly meetings where I give my mentee pointers, proofread application questions and CVs and share resources which I found helpful when I did my A-levels. 

(b) At school (300 words)

At [redacted], I was nominated as Head Boy by the Senior Leadership Team. This role placed me as head of the school council, which helped facilitate reforms like improving the range of food available at the canteen.

At [redacted], I was elected Deputy House Captain. Part of my role included helping with the organisation of teams for Sports day and Debating competitions. I was also involved in presenting assemblies to the entire Sixth Form cohort; to which, my speeches centred around my readings on confirmation bias/statistical manipulation and critical curiosity. Further, I helped facilitate changes to House Time which included reading all commendations at the end of the week to save time and reduce students being late for their following lessons. 

I also engaged in extracurricular projects, of which I am most proud of Winning ‘[redacted] big essay competition’ with an essay on ‘To what extent is morality subjective?’. I was also Highly Commended in the Robert Walker Prize for Essays in Law and NCH Essay Competition which discussed social media regulation and criminal liability for infectious diseases.

Additionally, I co-led Model United Nations (MUN) club. This was a club which was co-created with a peer, as there was no existing MUN club at [redacted]. Using our experience from previous schools, and attending MUN conferences, we taught peers the tools and methodology to succeed, as well as organising a conference which we attended.

Finally, I co-led a Young Enterprise company called ‘[redacted]’, which sold organic reed diffusers. I was involved in coordinating each division and ensuring that we worked to a common goal. We arranged stalls at school Winter Fairs as well as on the local high street. As a result of our efforts, we were won ‘Best Website’ at the Young Enterprise Awards.  

What personal or career goals do you have for yourself at present? (200 words max)

I want to develop a global mindset. As a candidate who has experienced various cultures through being schooled in Abu Dhabi, Doha and London, I appreciate the value diversity bringing to enhancing personal perspectives and boosting character growth. I feel that by developing a global mindset, I will be able to become an adaptable and flexible solicitor who has a rounded character and can draw upon a wealth of viewpoints to manage client affairs and offer relevant commerical advice. Engaging in societies like [redacted] has helped me work towards this goal and I would like to pursue this interest in the future.

I also want to work somewhere where I can make a difference. I want to flourish into a solicitor who is able to facilitate global forward thinking commerical projects. Working on such projects allows for infinite personal growth opportunities, and the chance to help steer our society towards greater levels of ambition. I feel this to be exciting and also fulfilling, as it will mean that my work makes a positive difference to society and that I will be using my skills, as the next diverse solicitor, in a beneficial sense. 

Why do you feel you are suited to K&L Gates LLP? (200 words)

My strongest qualities and skills align with those of being a successful solicitor at K&L Gates. My confidence is a key personal quality because it underpins my inquisitiveness. As a result, I am not afraid of a new challenge, for example when nominating myself to draft Advice Notes with Dentons. Further, I treat every task as a learning opportunity, and do not shy away from constructive criticism. This gears me to thrive when engaging with the high-level work which trainees at K&L Gates are empowered to interact with during the Training Contract. I enjoy enhancing my legal knowledge by being resilient and overcoming learning curves and am excited to contribute to big ticket work.  

Throughout university, I have learnt to effectively manage relationships, by appreciating nuances between different dynamics. For example, appreciating the differences between ‘one off’ and long-lasting relationships when comparing my time working as Law Survey Ambassador and mentoring with [redacted]. Further, I have learnt to refine my organisation by engaging with part time work and balancing study time. This has taught me how to prioritise tasks and create effective workflow plans, which is a key transferrable skill when working on multiple client affairs.  

Why have you decided to pursue a career as a solicitor? What other options did you consider seriously and why did you choose not to pursue them? (200 words)

I want to pursue work which offers a wide avenue for growth and is stimulating. This interest was sparked during Barclays Legal Experience Week (BLEW), facilitated by Aspiring Solicitors. Engaging with the programme lead provided insight into how law empowers solicitors to advise on cutting-edge work, like introducing Apple Pay. This motivated me to pursue an internship with Dentons’ Commercial/Corporate team. Through this hands-on experience, I learnt that I enjoyed utilising my interpersonal skills to collaborate with specialist teams, for example, the Australian Corporate team. Therefore, being a solicitor promises constant learning opportunities and avenues for growth, in an embedded teamwork environment, which attracts me.  

I considered a career in Investment Banking. I pursued this interest by speaking with firms at university fairs and attending investment banking insights facilitated by [redacted]. I was drawn by the scope of opportunities available through being a solicitor; being able to specialise in a range of areas that offer broad career opportunities. The diversity of opportunities in Investment Banking is much lower, and so, is less likely to accommodate for new skills which I am keen on learning during my traineeship. In turn, this motivated my pursuit of a career as a solicitor. 

Which of your achievements are you most proud of? What made this achievement stand out from the rest? (200 words) 

I am particularly proud of co-founding the Land Law reading group and publishing a Zine to distribute the information we learnt. A key reason for this is because it gave me greater confidence when moving out of my comfort zone. After expressing frustration with the lack of focus our land law module gave to its theoretical underpinnings, I approached my seminar tutor to ask if they would help facilitate this personal project. Through taking my own initiative, I have been able to establish a reading group with notoriety amongst peers at university. As I move into my final year with the group under my sole leadership, I am proud that I created a space which enables students to pursue their own academic interests surrounding the theory which underpins land law, the idea of ownership and routes to reform. As well as this, I am pleased to champion our ‘Zine’ as a physical representation of our efforts living on my bookshelf. In particular, approaching local bookshops, cafes and speaking with academics abroad has been fulfilling to maximise the reach of our ideas, whilst presenting them in a reader friendly and light-hearted way. 

Describe a time you were faced with a particularly difficult situation or problem. What did you do? Were other people involved? What did you learn about yourself? (200 words max) 

Part of the BLEW included a group presentation task which involved creating a fictional law firm and pitching it to senior Barclays solicitors acting as potential clients. As the nominated team leader, I arranged meetings, segmented work and ensured tasks were completed to a high standard.  

A key decision we had to make was deciding between being a full-service or niche law firm. This created conflict as we were at a deadlock between each option. Without agreement on such a decision, we could not progress with segmenting work to create a pitch deck.  

I learnt that my past experience co-leading [redacted] helped me deal with team conflicts. As such, I arranged a team meeting in which we created a pros and cons list of each option, and I asked everyone to argue for their opposite side. We amicably received a result of 5 in favour of being a niche firm. This was based on the description we were given of our client and the view that being niche meant we could be fully dedicated to this client, who had a high scope of work. Ultimately, we achieved third place out of ten teams, which I am proud of.  

Cover letter 

Dear Mrs Atherton,  

I am keen to challenge myself and have always liked to work hard and really apply myself to solving problems. I have decided that a career in law will give me the opportunity to continue learning and adapting to new situations in a way that will keep me stimulated and on my toes. 

K&L Gates offers an unmatched Training Contract which guarantees that it will propel me into the legal industry. In particular, the truly international presence of the K&L Gates alongside the small trainee cohort is attractive. This creates the conditions for a range of unique perspectives from lawyers in global offices when engaging in cross-border matters. I am drawn to this because of the learning opportunity it offers of presenting novel understandings and unique interpretations.    

As well as this, working with an international firm offers a high level of specialisation. I personally experienced the benefit of this at Dentons, when shadowing my supervising Partner to assist him with a particular client matter. Therefore, I am keen on being able specialise in an area of law whilst feeling confident that gaps in my knowledge will be supported by my global professional network at K&L Gates. 

Further, being able to become imbued with the ‘K&L Gates experience’ is attractive, as the firm sets itself aside from competition because of its position as a trailblazer in innovation; this promises a unique culture that will enrich my desire to thrive as a future-focused lawyer. I feel that my whole Training Contract experience will be underpinned by a forward-facing attitude which empowers its trainees to use their imagination to make an impact, which I possess an appetite to engage with.