Application for a Pensions Associate Role with Baker McKenzie

Re: Application for a Pensions Associate Role with Baker McKenzie

Dear Recruitment Team

I would like to submit this covering letter in support of my application for a NQ Pensions Associate role with Baker McKenzie LLP.

I have chosen to apply for this role because it will expose me to quality and diverse, high-value work and will afford me the opportunity to work with my colleagues from across different practice areas such as corporate and disputes. This cross-departmental element will provide me with a variety of work and will enable me to understand how different elements come together to produce a final solution for the clients.

The firm’s strong international presence will allow me to operate in highly integrated legal teams when working on international matters. This will enable me to bring my perspective and experience to the table as well as understand how different elements of a legal matter come together to produce solutions for clients. Unlike other law firms that use a PQE model, Baker McKenzie would provide me with high levels of responsibility and client contact, which would allow me to develop into a leading international lawyer without any hierarchical limitations. An opportunity to undertake a secondment with one of the firm’s clients would enable me to better understand the market in which clients operate and the key challenges and opportunities they face. This commercial insight would enable me to devise very bespoke solutions to clients operating with unique business models.

During my employment at some of the leading international and US law firms, I have received direct exposure to some of the most high-profile legal matters. This experience helped to hone my entire set of skills which will enable me to operate successfully as a newly qualified solicitor. I was vested with high levels of responsibility and have demonstrated an outstanding ability to manage my workload and prioritise competing deadlines. I have previously been involved in business development and helped a law firm to come up with innovative strategies to win new clients from Russia and CIS.

I possess very good teamwork skills, which will allow me to work successfully with lawyers and clients from different countries and jurisdictions. I have very good communication and drafting skills. In my previous roles, I helped to draft witness statements, expert reports, a prospectus for an IPO of a luxury goods company and regularly corresponded with clients via email, conference calls and in-person. I had attended a board of directors EGM where I explained complex issues to clients and lawyers in a very simple and understandable language. I possess very good legal research skills and good working knowledge of legal research databases.

I have received quality exposure to multiple industries and legal practice areas, including oil and gas, telecoms, banking and financial services, real estate and some others. This has developed my commercial awareness which, in turn, allows me to align all of my work with the requirements of clients and their respective businesses. I have received a lot of direct contact with very high-profile clients and their associates, which has developed my client-facing skills. I always undertake my work with utmost attention to details. My language skills will allow me to add value to international cases and forge effective relationships with overseas lawyers and clients. I possess very good problem-solving skills and enjoy working on complex cases to devise cutting-edge solutions to problems without any precedents.

I am very motivated and enjoy new challenges. In my spare time, I regularly do [sport] and help to coach others. [sport] has helped to hone my discipline and resilience to pressure and new challenges.

I thank you for your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely