Hi Jaysen,
The online application asks applicants to copy and paste a covering letter. It then goes on to ask you why commercial law and why
Orrick. Usually a cover letter covers the 2 later points. At the open day did they indicate what they would like applicants to convey in the cover letter?
To add to the great advice
@bronson gave, the very helpful candidate above said the following:
Well to get on the Open Day we did the same application for the direct Training Contract one so when we got to the Open Day they didn't talk about the application form...
However, I've briefly written down what I wrote on each section to help!
My application structure:
1. Cover letter:
a. I covered my interest in
Orrick
b. Paragraphs:
· (1) My interest in the firm’s tech focus + examples
· (2) Innovation + examples
· (3) Diversity initiatives and other training opportunities
2. Extra-curricular Q
· Gave 2 detailed examples and 1 brief example (sports)
3. Achievements
· Academic: Competitions/scholarships just briefly outlined
· Non-Academic: Sports/ piano
4. Proudest achievement
· Gave an example of my time management with all the different things I did during university whilst having strong academic achievements
5. News article
· Talked about private equity story and linked it to how they had lateral hires in this area (talked about how these will present opportunities to
Orrick)
6. Why commercial law
a. Why commercial law (commercial aspect)– my experience
b. What else attracts me about it (skills) – other experience
c. Why international law scheme (breadth/international work)– my vac schemes
7. Why train at
Orrick?
a. With this question I talked about the training contract structure – they have six seats and so I focused on that and how that would benefit me
b. Talked about their recognition as a global 20 law firm and types of clients
So the differentiator between the Cover Letter and Why
Orrick is that Why
Orrick specifically asks why you want to TRAIN there so look at their training contract too – there’s lots to talk about in the Cover Letter (think about what’s great about the firm in total segregated from being a trainee there, e.g. things mentioned innovation etc), there’s a lot on their brochure that they’ve prided themselves on.
· Could even talk about a deal with the training Q
· Cover letter – I could have talked about some of my other experiences as I usually do 1/3 Why Law 1/3 Why them 1/3 Why me, but there were so many Qs in this
Orrick app that I think you could just focus on them – their brochure has a lot to talk about
· Where I could I used their names – e.g. when lateral hires… or their women partner stats I wrote down the names of the women who got promoted (only 3)
