Application for Junior Banking Associate Role with Herbert Smith Freehills

Re: Application for Junior Banking Associate Role with Herbert Smith Freehills

Dear Recruitment Team

I would like to submit this covering letter in support of my application for the junior banking associate role with Herbert Smith Freehills LLP.

I am applying for this role because I am attracted by the international nature of the work and the potential exposure to the global financial marketplace. This role will offer me plenty of scope to apply my creativity and knowledge when advising on different ways of structuring transactions to meet the individual business needs of different types of clients. I feel that this will present me with an intellectually stimulating work environment where every single day will be unique and interesting. The relatively small size of the team will enable me to assume high levels of responsibility and help to expedite my learning trajectory. In my previous roles, I have received quality exposure to the financial services sector mostly through the litigation spectrum. I have worked on asset tracing and recovery for major banks and financial institutions in Russia and CIS, litigation around the misselling of interest rate hedging products as well as cross-border investigations into collapsed banks. I am very keen to build on my experience in the financial services sector. I am a very fast learner and the relatively small size of the team will enable me to develop my knowledge of the practice area very quickly. I believe that this role will afford me the opportunity to add value to my work through the application of my language skills and previous experience when working with international clients, especially from the emerging markets.

The firm’s inclusive and collegiate culture will give me a chance to work in one of the largest international law firms with the intimacy of a smaller office, which will allow me to get to know my colleagues and clients on a more personal level whilst still having access to the depth and breadth of the firm’s global resources. 

During my employment at some of the leading international and US law firms, I have received direct exposure on some of the most high-profile legal matters. This experience helped to develop 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 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.

During my employment, 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