Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. Why is inclusion important to the success of Taylor Wessing? (250 words max) *

An inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong and everyone is comfortable being themselves, facilitates collective innovation. In this environment, everyone can be the best version of themselves. Diversity is vital to Taylor Wessing’s success because encouraging different viewpoints enables the collaboration necessary to find the most creative solutions for clients.

Feedback: The first half of this paragraph looks decent. The candidate addresses the wording of the question directly from the outset. In doing so, the candidate demonstrates (1) a good general grasp of what inclusion might involve and (2) how it might be beneficial from a business perspective. In turn, this introductory paragraph sets up a good logical platform on which the candidate can analyse these points later in the answer.

However, this paragraph’s central weakness is that it is quite vague and generic throughout. First, the candidate states that an “inclusive culture facilitates collective innovation”. They never explain (1) what they mean by “collective innovation” nor (2) how the concept of inclusivity brings innovation about.  In the same sense, the candidate asserts that “diversity” brings “different viewpoints” which in turn results in better collaboration”. The candidate never fully analyses or explains these points. It is not self-explanatory that different viewpoints bring a more collaborative environment. Instead, the candidate would have needed to explain precisely what these different viewpoints might involve and how Taylor Wessing’s lawyers might bring these together to produce a better commercial outcome for the client.

In your own writing, you must go beyond simply making generic and vague assertions. You must demonstrate a precise understanding of diversity/inclusion, before analysing the specific and objective benefits it brings to law firms.

Championing inclusion and diversity has benefited many situations I have worked in. For example, during sixth form, I took the opportunity to volunteer at [redacted school] as a classroom assistant, helping to teach students with autism and ADHD. By adjusting the system for greater acceptance of different ways of working and learning, the students’ mental health and academic performance was greatly enhanced. It was immensely rewarding to have fostered a more positive learning experience by embracing inclusive ways of thinking.

Feedback: The candidate does well to explain the importance of inclusion/diversity by using a personal example. The candidate concisely summarises (1) what their specific example involved, (2) how they applied the principles of diversity and inclusion to produce an objective positive outcome for their students and (3) why that ultimately taught them the importance of inclusivity/diversity. Though personal examples are not expressly called for by the question, this example provides strong and quantifiable evidence in support of the candidate’s wider argument.

That said, the candidate should have been far more specific in explaining (1) what they mean by inclusion/diversity and (2) how they applied these principles to this specific situation. Throughout the answer, the candidate refers to both “inclusive ways of thinking” and a system they used to promote “greater acceptance of different ways of working”. The candidate never drills down on what they mean by these points. For instance, the candidate never breaks down the “different ways of working” they used, nor do they explain what they mean by the “inclusive ways of thinking” they embraced. By leaving these points mostly unexplained, the candidate prevents themselves from demonstrating a good grasp of diversity/inclusion and what it involves.

The visible impact of this experience gave me confidence in the effect of coordinated diversity and inclusion initiatives. An inclusive approach is embedded across every aspect of Taylor Wessing. This culture is particularly significant at a recruitment level, where people are first attracted and recruited. It is vital that women, minority groups and LGBTQ members do not view their identity or their socio-economic class as insurmountable barriers to the legal profession. This diversity benefits Taylor Wessing because ultimately it leads to a broader pool of talent which is highly valued by clients. Clients expect the firm to commit to inclusion in the same way that they do. A diverse workforce promotes a diverse client base and a happier workplace.

Feedback: The objective of this final paragraph looks good, as it hones the candidate’s analysis towards the crux of the question (namely the importance of inclusivity to Taylor Wessing). Throughout this paragraph, the candidate demonstrates a decent understanding of diversity/inclusion and why it might bring benefits to commercial law firms. In particular, the candidate does well in providing a multifaceted analysis of diversity/inclusion. They not only explain their understanding of inclusivity in full, but they then break down the importance of diversity to specific socio-economic groups. This helps convince the recruiter that the candidate has a full, proper, and complete understanding of D&I and its importance.

However, this final paragraph requires a couple of points for improvement:

1. The candidate’s final points are not particularly strong. Towards the end, the candidate begins explaining why D&I is important to commercial clients. However, they simply make a number of assertions without truly unpacking or analysing them. First, the candidate asserts that “clients expect the firm to commit to inclusion”. This is not a benefit of diversity in and of itself. The candidate never explains why clients expect this from commercial law firms (who are primarily there to advise them on legal risk), nor how that ultimately brings benefits to the law firm and its clients. Secondly, the candidate asserts that “diverse workforces promote diverse client bases” without ever explaining what they mean by these. It is not clear how diversity of people would bring about diversity of clients, nor how that would ultimately lead to success for Taylor Wessing.
2. The candidate’s analysis does not focus on Taylor Wessing precisely enough. Many of the candidate’s assertions are applicable to any City law firm, not just Taylor Wessing. Instead, the candidate should have conducted far more thorough research into Taylor Wessing’s specific D&I strategy before explaining the precise benefits this has brought to the firm. The question asks you to explain why inclusion is important for Taylor Wessing, so you need to address this point directly by picking out specific elements of the firm’s strategy.

The DWF values are core to our culture, actions and behaviours. Consider which value(s) particularly resonates with you. How have you demonstrated this DWF value(s) in your current employment, extra-curricular experience or studies and how you would apply this in the role of a Trainee Solicitor? (250 words)

DWF’s value “Be better together” resonates with me because, at its core, its message is one of celebrating diversity. During my voluntary service tour to [redacted country] with [redacted charity], we invited [redacted nationality] villagers and students of various ethnicities to join our cultural showcase. Our differences had a positive impact on our performance. We recognised, respected and valued each other through knowledge exchange. As a trainee solicitor, I would always bear my life motto ‘The greater the representation, the higher the likelihood of outperformance”. I would share my experience as an ethnic minority promoting an inclusive culture to accomplish the objective of DWF’s Global Diversity & Inclusion Strategy 2025 by making a positive impact with my differences.

Feedback: This is an unusual question that includes both motivational and competency elements. That said, we believe this is a motivational question at its core and so you should produce 2 detailed, well-structured PEEL paragraphs detailing how your personal experiences align with a career at DWF.

You should note how the candidate has structured their writing with PEEL in this paragraph. They begin by stating a point, which explains a key value DWF has and why it interests them. Then, the candidate deploys a high-quality and relevant example which demonstrates why the point appeals to them. Then, the candidate spends most of the paragraph explaining how this experience developed their interest in the initial point (namely the achievement of diversity within law firms). Finally, the candidate links their writing back to a specific paragraph about DWF. This results in a coherent and well-argued that is very easy for the recruiter to follow.

There’s nonetheless a few points for improvement here:

1. The candidate should have been more specific in quantifying the outcome of their actions on tour. The candidate vaguely states that “our differences had a positive impact on our performance” and that they “recognised, respected and valued each other through knowledge exchange”, but it is unclear what the candidate means by any of this. The candidate never specifies how their performance improved or precisely how these outcomes resulted in a tangible benefit. This is a motivational question with competency elements, so you need to be as detailed as possible in describing your experiences and the outcomes as a result. Aim to quantify your experiences with statistics, numbers and factual details wherever you can.

2. The candidate states that they would contribute their experience to DWF’s Global Diversity & Inclusion strategy, but never explains their understanding of this strategy nor precisely how they would contribute to it. If you are going to name-drop facts about a firm in your answer, you need to make sure they contribute to your argument in some way.

3. Again, the candidate’s writing is slightly pompous here. The candidate should cut references to “life mottos” and instead spend every single word developing their argument in some way.

4. As a stylistic point, the candidate should’ve capitalised “Be Better Together.”

“Be better together” also emphasises the importance of team players who encourage, enable, and empower others. DWF’s trainee solicitor Zakkia Syed shared that although the working environment is competitive, trainee solicitors always help each other. During my internship with [redacted company]. I collaborated in a multidisciplinary way with legal experts, business units and external regulators as a well-rounded team player. The force of our collective strength motivated the team to meet urgent deadlines. As a trainee solicitor, I expect cross-departmental cooperation is prevalent at DWF. I would support others at the first opportunity and adapt my approach to communication with colleagues depending on the context. I would manage my time effectively by setting priorities to get individual tasks done earlier and allocating sufficient time for supporting the team.

Feedback: The candidate structures this paragraph equally well. They lead with a point about DWF’s teamwork culture, before substantiating and developing that point with a specific example of a named trainee. Then, the candidate introduces a specific personal example and explains how it developed their interest in teamwork. Then, the candidate links their personal example back to DWF before explaining how DWF’s values ultimately align with the candidate’s own. You should aim for a similar structure by crafting two well-structured PEEL/AL paragraphs.

Regardless, we have a number of points for improvement:

1. The candidate’s writing is not quite tailored enough to DWF in this paragraph. Though DWF might emphasise teamwork and collaboration in its strategy, the candidate never explains precisely what they mean by this (beyond trainees “helping each other”). The issue is that this writing is not tailored enough to DWF. You would think that every firm has “trainees who help each other” and an “emphasis on teamwork” – it’s inherent to the job of a commercial lawyer! As such, the candidate could easily swap out “DWF” with any other law firm and the writing would make just as much sense. This is a motivational question at heart, so you need to make sure you’re writing specific and well-tailored points.
2. The candidate’s writing at the end of the paragraph is not specific enough. They never explain precisely how DWF’s solicitors “collaborate across departments”, nor precisely how this is a value unique to DWF. Again, you need to make sure that every point you make is thorough and well-tailored to your chosen firm.

Reed Smith's core values are Integrity, Quality, Teamwork and Respect, Performance, Innovation and Improvement. How do you think they impact what we do and the way we work with our clients?

Taking part in the Aspiring Solicitors’ Black Mentoring Scheme demonstrated the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion through its internal networks. The firm’s commitment to diversity impacts the way it works as it ensures a variety of different perspectives. As employees at the firm are from various backgrounds with different experiences, they will be able to offer different skills and perspectives when working on deals. This gives Reed Smith a competitive advantage over its competitors as clients want to leverage on the firm’s diversity to achieve better business and legal results.

I am impressed by the firm’s ability to look for the most effective ways to use digital technologies to improve its internal processes as well as provide excellent technology-based solutions to clients. The firm’s Innovation hours program allows lawyers to take time to look for ways to make innovative changes within the office, this enables the firm to maximise their internal efficiency as well as provide more efficient solutions.

The firm’s ability to support clients through the most complex matters seamlessly across multiple jurisdictions is another thing that sets it apart from its competitors. The ability of its lawyers to work within teams cross jurisdictionally means that the firm can support its clients on the most complex global projects. I am impressed by the firm’s ability to advise clients on cross-border complexities and its prestigious clientele of multinational companies like Bank of America, Soundcloud and Royal Bank of Scotland. This is further demonstrated by the London office’s key involvement in the creation of the world’s first cross-border healthcare development impact bond where the firm advised both Optimus and Palladium on the structuring and legal aspects of the bond.

[Feedback:This is a great end to a superb application - one of the best we have read for candidates who have not used our bespoke service. The first paragraph covers Respect and Teamwork as posed by the question. Diversity is important, and the applicant shows his research into Reed Smith along with answering why it is relevant to clients. The second paragraph deals with Innovation and Improvement. It’s clear the candidate understands the inner workings of the firm (per the Innovation hours example) and ties innovation back to improving client service. The final paragraph examines Quality and Performance. It lists key clientele of Reed Smith along with a notable transaction completed by the London office. The writing is decent throughout this answer as well.

The paragraphs do cover all of the key Reed Smith metrics as indicated but could use more signposting to show that they are each being addressed. A few minor writing improvements could be made: “leverage on” is not correct phrasing and “leverage” would be enough;  “efficiency / efficient” is repeated in the second paragraph; and “cross-border” and “complex” are heavily overused in the third paragraph.  The “Innovation hours” in the second paragraph should be clarified to mean (we assume) that lawyers can record time to that and be rewarded for thinking of innovation ideas instead of being penalised for having less billable hours. The third paragraph feels superficial on the covering of clients and transactions and doesn’t really explore the examples in much detail. It could also use a better closing line to round out the answer.]

In 2015 Bates Wells became the first UK law firm to be awarded a B Corp status. If successful, how would you help the firm continue to be a socially responsible organisation?

I am committed to making a positive contribution towards tackling the climate crisis, so I was inspired reading about the actions you have already taken in your recent Climate Programme, including adopting a zero waste to landfill policy and investing in the Sumatra Merang Peatland project. I would be excited to contribute to the project you lead to explore the ways in which law can be used strategically address the biodiversity crisis.

[Feedback:  This question wants an answer focused on how the candidate in question will ‘help the firm continue to be a socially responsible organisation’. However, this paragraph is broadly focused on highlighting the CSR activities of Bates Wells not on how the candidate would help to advance such activities.

The candidate begins by discussing what Bates Wells has done regarding the environment which is a good way to introduce their answer. However, the candidate then only briefly mentions that they would be ‘excited to contribute to the project’. The candidate would have needed to develop this point further – remember, the question is asking you about how you would contribute. Therefore, you should go beyond simply writing that you would contribute and explain how you would contribute and what you would do.]

Your B-Corp responsibilities involve having a positive impact on the community, and if I were to work at Bates Wells I would like to initiate a project focused on improving social mobility. We could partner with other businesses or charities to create an educational outreach programme, to reach children who have fewer work experience or mentoring opportunities. This is particularly pressing as coronavirus is likely to have a long-term negative impact on social mobility.

[Feedback: This paragraph is much better than the preceding one. The candidate begins by using the information in the question as a stimulus before quickly moving into what they would like to do to contribute to the firm’s social duties. The candidate provides their own idea as to how they would envisage contributing before explaining why such a contribution would be particularly warranted and effective in light of current circumstances. This is an excellent answer as it directly addresses the question and is appropriately developed.

To improve, the candidate could have been a little more specific with their writing. For example, they could have provided the names of some charities or businesses that they would have liked to partner with, or they could have mentioned some similar schemes conducted by other organisations that indicate the success of such an idea. Furthermore, the candidate could have better developed their last sentence by elaborating on how exactly coronavirus would impact social mobility – the statement is not untrue; however, it requires some additional development to substantiate the claim.

As a final point of improvement, the candidate ought to have been a little more careful with their choice of words. Though there are no egregious typographical errors, the candidate’s writing is a little informal. For example, it would have been better to avoid writing ‘if I were to work at Bates Wells’. This sounds a little uncertain and unconfident – it would have been better to write ‘At Bates Wells, I would initiate a project […]’.

Furthermore, the candidate should avoid the first-person plural pronoun ‘we’ when referring to the firm and themselves. To maintain professionalism, it is always best to refer to the firm separately, avoiding pronouns like ‘we’ or ‘you’. For example, the candidate could have written, ‘I would create partnerships between Bates Wells and other businesses or charities […]’.]

I was also impressed to hear about the high-impact pro-bono work you undertake when I attended your recent “In the Spotlight” event. I would enjoy participating in pro-bono work if I joined Bates Wells, on both high-profile matters which may lead to changes in the law, and helping vulnerable people solve their individual problems.

Feedback: The candidate has provided some good evidence in their first sentence, highlighting their prior research and interaction with the firm. However, many law firms encourage pro bono work, and many firms obligate trainees to work a certain number of pro bono hours. Hence, this is not a particularly unique point to Bates Wells nor is it as impactful as desired when it comes to advancing Bates Wells CSR drive.

The candidate could have kept their subject of pro bono work; however, we would have recommended an answer that pivoted to the candidate discussing what they would do to enhance the impact of the pro bono work as opposed to merely doing it.

Furthermore, like the previous paragraph, the candidate’s phrasing could have been improved: avoid phrases like ‘if I joined’, ‘may’, and (although not in this application) ‘I believe’. Such phrases demonstrate a lack of conviction in your motivations or opinions. Candidates often use these phrases so as to not sound arrogant; however, if you have provided evidence and explained your answers, there is no reason why you should be uncertain or unconfident in what you write.]