Thanks so much for your advice on how to approach it. Luckily I do aim to apply to firms that have a common theme - I guess I could just omit the few that don't fit into my rationale.They haven’t got any ability to check unless you give your permission to contact firms. Even if you did this, firms haven’t got any capacity to either check with other firms or start giving out these details when other firms request it.
You are going into a profession where integrity is everything so I am someone who believes lying isn’t a good idea. It can also trip you up massively - trust me I have seen it happen!
Instead of lying just be tactical about what you say. For instance, “I am considering applying to Joe Bloggs LLP” is very different to “I have applied to Joe Bloggs LLP” when you haven’t.
They aren’t looking for alignment to that firm though - this is a common mistake many people assume. They are looking for you to provide rationale as to why you are considering these types of firms. I have heard exceptionally strong answers where the alignment was very limited, but well explained through rationale as to why the individual is considering varied firms.
Therefore explain your rationale. I suspect there are some common reasons/themes why you have applied to both firms - even if it just comes down to you have enjoyed meeting people from them.