Hi, below I have pasted a response that I drafted to the HSF application question. I would appreciate any help or guidance on how to make this a stronger response. Thanks!
Why are you interested in pursuing a career at Herbert Smith Freehills and what skills, qualities and attributes would you bring to the role? (Up to 300 words)
I am interested in pursuing a career at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) because the firm is progressive, values personal leadership and offers trainees a high level of responsibility from the beginning.
Firstly, the firm’s understanding of innovation being an “absolute necessity” (Justin D’Agostino, CEO) aligns with my adaptive nature. I enjoy finding creative solutions to multidimensional problems, demonstrated by leasing the UK’s first manicure robot whilst working as a receptionist for a London beauty salon. This led to a 32% increase in client bookings, increasing revenue for the business, and showing my forward-thinking mindset.
Secondly, HSF places an emphasis on personal leadership. Recently, I was tasked with the role of team leader of 8 individuals for a fin-tech company. I led weekly meetings where I fostered a collaborative environment by establishing a bond over shared personal experiences which helped the team to work comfortably and efficiently. The culture at HSF that allows individuals to seek new opportunities for themselves will encourage me to take charge of my own career. I am keen to develop my leadership skills in a way that can expand the capacities and strengths of myself and others. HSF’s vision and approach to training align with my own personal goals.
Finally, the level of responsibility that HSF trainees appeal to me. Unlike other firms, trainees at HSF have the opportunity to research, complete due diligence, file statements and more for influential commercial deals. Having meaningful responsibility from the outset, combined with varied training seats and the help of a partner to help me progress through a training contract will all allow me to make continuous improvements that will be invaluable in becoming a well-rounded solicitor. I value my personal development deeply, and I believe that HSF cultivates an environment for me to grow personally and professionally.
What skills, qualities and attributes would you bring to the role? 300 words
On the vacation scheme, I will bring my collaborative working style, ability to work under pressure and initiative to seek new opportunities. Participating in both mooting and negotiation workshops, I found the latter to be more rewarding. I was able to listen to the ideas of others and confidently present my own in an open space as opposed to researching and preparing an argument individually. Working with over 6 negotiation partners during my time with the society, I upheld my position as a Midland Negotiation Tournament finalist for 4 consecutive university terms, demonstrating a strong ability to work well with others. I intend to demonstrate my flexible and open mindset on the vacation scheme, by listening to the ideas of others whilst offering my own diverse perspective.
Additionally, I would bring my strong ability of accuracy and meet deadlines. In my intern role for a women’s fashion brand, I submitted research reports including updates on UK privacy laws under tight deadlines. I prioritised tasks in order of urgency and accumulated resources and references I wanted to use in advance to help me work efficiently. In my receptionist role, I learnt the details of over 40 beauty treatments and effectively communicated this with clients, demonstrating the ability to retain large amounts of information. This will prove useful when summarising cases, completing drafts and producing research notes on the scheme.
Finally, I enjoy seeking new opportunities for myself. Whilst completing my marketing internship with a fin-tech start-up company, I adapted my marketing role to a technological one, using my contacts at the company to land a Talent Associate role with a venture capitalist, Zinc. In the scheme, I intend to seek opportunities to understand the role deeper through asking questions outside of tasks, networking with partners and associates, and showcasing my potential to thrive at HSF.
Why are you interested in pursuing a career at Herbert Smith Freehills and what skills, qualities and attributes would you bring to the role? (Up to 300 words)
I am interested in pursuing a career at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) because the firm is progressive, values personal leadership and offers trainees a high level of responsibility from the beginning.
Firstly, the firm’s understanding of innovation being an “absolute necessity” (Justin D’Agostino, CEO) aligns with my adaptive nature. I enjoy finding creative solutions to multidimensional problems, demonstrated by leasing the UK’s first manicure robot whilst working as a receptionist for a London beauty salon. This led to a 32% increase in client bookings, increasing revenue for the business, and showing my forward-thinking mindset.
Secondly, HSF places an emphasis on personal leadership. Recently, I was tasked with the role of team leader of 8 individuals for a fin-tech company. I led weekly meetings where I fostered a collaborative environment by establishing a bond over shared personal experiences which helped the team to work comfortably and efficiently. The culture at HSF that allows individuals to seek new opportunities for themselves will encourage me to take charge of my own career. I am keen to develop my leadership skills in a way that can expand the capacities and strengths of myself and others. HSF’s vision and approach to training align with my own personal goals.
Finally, the level of responsibility that HSF trainees appeal to me. Unlike other firms, trainees at HSF have the opportunity to research, complete due diligence, file statements and more for influential commercial deals. Having meaningful responsibility from the outset, combined with varied training seats and the help of a partner to help me progress through a training contract will all allow me to make continuous improvements that will be invaluable in becoming a well-rounded solicitor. I value my personal development deeply, and I believe that HSF cultivates an environment for me to grow personally and professionally.
What skills, qualities and attributes would you bring to the role? 300 words
On the vacation scheme, I will bring my collaborative working style, ability to work under pressure and initiative to seek new opportunities. Participating in both mooting and negotiation workshops, I found the latter to be more rewarding. I was able to listen to the ideas of others and confidently present my own in an open space as opposed to researching and preparing an argument individually. Working with over 6 negotiation partners during my time with the society, I upheld my position as a Midland Negotiation Tournament finalist for 4 consecutive university terms, demonstrating a strong ability to work well with others. I intend to demonstrate my flexible and open mindset on the vacation scheme, by listening to the ideas of others whilst offering my own diverse perspective.
Additionally, I would bring my strong ability of accuracy and meet deadlines. In my intern role for a women’s fashion brand, I submitted research reports including updates on UK privacy laws under tight deadlines. I prioritised tasks in order of urgency and accumulated resources and references I wanted to use in advance to help me work efficiently. In my receptionist role, I learnt the details of over 40 beauty treatments and effectively communicated this with clients, demonstrating the ability to retain large amounts of information. This will prove useful when summarising cases, completing drafts and producing research notes on the scheme.
Finally, I enjoy seeking new opportunities for myself. Whilst completing my marketing internship with a fin-tech start-up company, I adapted my marketing role to a technological one, using my contacts at the company to land a Talent Associate role with a venture capitalist, Zinc. In the scheme, I intend to seek opportunities to understand the role deeper through asking questions outside of tasks, networking with partners and associates, and showcasing my potential to thrive at HSF.
