Covington & Burling LLP Training Contract Application Questions and Answers

Why have you decided to pursue a career as a solicitor? 300

I have decided to pursue a career as a solicitor because I am attracted by sophisticated and challenging work which will provide me with legal as well as commercial exposure. During my employment, I have decided to become a solicitor because I am attracted to the deep exposure to a range of different sectors and international markets which will require me to work at the forefront of legal and commercial developments facing the clients. This will require me to work on complex and industry-specific problems in order to produce innovative solutions for clients.

Given the fast pace of the globalisation of commerce, I am attracted by the prospect of working on complex matters with an international dimension in integrated teams because this will give me an insight into how different jurisdictions and markets operate and interact with each other and enable me to put my skill-set to full use to produce cutting-edge solutions for clients. A career in commercial law will enable me to adopt an entrepreneurial and creative approach because I will be required to deal with ever-changing commercial requirements of clients and think creatively and innovatively about their unique problems.

Why have you chosen to apply specifically to Covington? 300

I am very drawn by the firm’s high calibre clients consisting of many household names because this will present me with complex and challenging work and will require me to operate at the forefront of legal and commercial developments facing the firm’s clients on a daily basis. I have chosen to apply to Covington because it will offer me with prestige and quality of work of a large international firm, yet the intimacy and responsibility that comes with working within a small office. I am attracted by Covington’s global outlook and a strong international reach which will see me operate on exciting and complex transactions spanning different markets and jurisdictions. The global nature of the firm will allow me to work closely with colleagues from across its international offices and build up a network of contacts. I find Covington’s collegiate and friendly culture very appealing because it will allow me to work in closely knit teams which will provide me with deep insight into the cases that I work on and will allow me to build lasting relationships with the members of the firm. I am attracted to Covington because it is a truly innovative firm that is involved with innovative clients and technologies. This will enable me to think creatively about problems and look for new ways of doing things which will make my work environment empowering and interesting.

What distinguishes you from other applicants for a summer scheme or training contract place at Covington? 300

I believe that I am a strong candidate for a training contract with Covington and Burling because I have extensive legal experience and the relevant skill-set which will enable me to successfully operate on an international platform and deal with complex commercial issues facing clients globally. I possess an international outlook, commercial acumen and strong problem solving and analytical skills which will enable me to understand individual client requirements and the environment in which they operate and deal with their unique problems across a broad spectrum of industries. At [law firm], I accompanied solicitors and the client to a board of directors EGM in Amsterdam in my capacity as an interpreter. During the meeting, I gave a presentation in order to explain the local nuances of the [language] market affecting the client’s business. This helped the solicitors to produce a solution for the client in a quick-paced environment. I am a good team player and have an ability to express my ideas in a simple and understandable manner. At [law firm], I successfully liaised with the firm’s international offices and contributed my ideas and perspectives to add value to my work. I am very enthusiastic, entrepreneurial and focused which will allow me to bring new perspectives to the table and use my initiative to add value to my work. At university, I have established an amateur [sport] club for the first time in fifty years despite strong opposition from the university, by developing a new approach and thinking about problems creatively. I possess good client-facing skills through which I will be able to deliver a good client service and work with the client to understand their business, objectives and legal requirements. I possess leadership and organisational skills which will allow me to prioritise competing deadlines and manage my time and resources effectively. I am currently running an events management business which requires me to deal with a range of diverse issues and make important decisions on a daily basis. This has developed my ability to manage my workload effectively and operate successfully in quick-paced and demanding environments.

I possess an international outlook, commercial acumen and strong problem solving and analytical skills which will enable me to understand individual client requirements and the environment in which they operate and deal with their unique problems across a broad spectrum of industries. At [law firm], I accompanied solicitors and the client to a board of directors EGM in Amsterdam in my capacity as an interpreter. During the meeting, I gave a presentation in order to explain the local nuances of the [language] market affecting the client’s business. This helped the solicitors to produce a solution for the client in a quick-paced environment. I am a good team player and have an ability to express my ideas in a simple and understandable manner. This will allow me to work closely with the firm’s overseas offices to discuss and develop ideas and contribute my perspectives in order to develop innovative and effective solutions for clients. I am very enthusiastic, entrepreneurial and focused which will see me take initiative and go beyond what is expected of me and think creatively about the clients’ problems in order to devise innovative solutions. At university, I have established an amateur [sport] club for the first time in fifty years despite strong opposition from the university, by developing a new approach and thinking about problems creatively. I possess good client-facing skills through which I will be able to deliver a good client service and work with the client to understand their business, objectives and requirements. I possess leadership and organisational skills which will allow me to prioritise competing deadlines and manage my time and resources effectively. I am currently running an events management business which requires me to deal with a range of diverse issues and make important decisions on a daily basis.

What achievement in the past 5 years are you most proud of and why? 300

In [year], I established an events management business which provides cutting-edge solutions to clients across the UK. This is my greatest achievement because I managed to develop a unique and innovative business model that is helping restaurants and cafes to restructure their operations in order to increase their competitiveness and profitability. I am very proud of the fact that I have managed to grow the business in a very short period of time by getting several prominent restaurants in the [area] and [area] to adopt our business model. This achievement is very important to me because I successfully implemented my commercial knowledge acquired during my employment and studies to start up and run a business in a competitive commercial context. By running this business, I have developed my skills because when I started the company, I was thrown at the deep end and had to think laterally to make important business decisions in a quick-paced and highly competitive environment. I feel that the experience of running this business has significantly bolstered my commercial awareness and interpersonal skills as I am constantly making important business decisions and adjusting the business model to the requirements of different businesses.

Outline your main interests and social activities. Why do those particular activities fulfil you? 300

I enjoy [sport] and run [sport] sessions at my local gym. In [year], I won a gold medal for England in the [English sports tournament name] Amateur [sport] Tournament. Amateur [sport] has helped to develop my self-discipline, leadership skills and resilience to difficult situations. I enjoy training other people because it allows me to share my skills and give back to the community.

I am closely involved with my local community and help people with their legal and administrative matters on a pro bono basis. I find this activity to be very fulfilling because it has helped to develop my knowledge of the legal sector and my problem-solving, analytical and client-facing skills. I also derive a great personal pleasure by seeing my efforts materialise into positive outcomes for individuals.

I enjoy travelling and keep up to date with current affairs and commercial and legal news. I am currently running an events management business. I am assisting the director in making important strategic decisions in order to grow the business and managing branches of the business in [area] and [area]. I find the experience of running a business very empowering and rewarding because I deal with interesting and diverse challenges on a daily basis.

I am a currently working with a company specialising in innovative payment systems in the UK (prepaid cards and e-wallets) and liaising with businesses in emerging markets to devise bespoke financial models that will meet their commercial objectives. I find this activity to be very interesting because it has provided me with a good knowledge of the emerging markets in [country] and many types of businesses.

Please enter your covering letter in the space below, clearly indicating whether your application relates to the vacation scheme, training contracts, or both. 300

Dear Graduate Recruitment Team,

I would like to apply for a training contract with Covington and Burling because I am attracted by the firm’s strength across a board of niche areas combined with its organic growth and increased focus on corporate matters. I feel that this will present me with quality work since I will be presented with high levels of responsibility and an ability to work closely with leading solicitors, which will develop my skills through real hands-on experience.

I would like to become a solicitor because I really enjoy the process of analysing unique factual scenarios and then manipulating and applying law to produce pragmatic solutions. During my employment, I enjoyed working in diverse teams because this exposed me to new ideas and approaches and allowed me to see how my contribution fits within the bigger picture which I found highly empowering. I am very entrepreneurial and feel that I would thrive intellectually on high levels of responsibility in a deadline-driven environment where I would be able to make a contribution.

I believe that I am a strong candidate for this role because I have extensive legal experience and the relevant skill-set to become a successful lawyer. I possess commercial acumen and strong problem solving skills which will enable me to analyse difficult problems and produce effective solutions for the clients. I have very good attention to detail and organisational skills, which will enable me to prioritise between different tasks to meet competing deadlines and complete all my work to the highest standard. I am a good team player and have an ability to express my ideas in a simple and understandable manner. I am very enthusiastic, entrepreneurial and focused which will allow me to bring new perspectives to the table and use my initiative to add value to my work.

I feel that I could make a valuable addition to the firm through my legal and commercial experience and linguistic abilities.

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

Yours Sincerely,

[name]