Dorsey & Whitney Training Contract Covering Letter

Dorsey & Whitney
21 Wilson Street
London EC2M 2TD

Dear [name],

I have completed a qualifying law degree at the [University] with an upper second class grade in [year]. I am applying for a training contract to commence in [year] advertised on Latestlawjobs.com.

I am attracted to Dorsey & Whitney because it will provide me with work that is interesting and challenging. I will operate in small teams of partners and associates in a highly integrated way. This will ensure that I receive highly focussed personal training by gaining a hands-on experience on important matters. I will receive early responsibility and experience a steep learning curve, which will make my work environment challenging and exciting and would make me feel like a valued member of the team, giving me the confidence to excel right from the start of my career as a lawyer. The fact that there are relatively few trainees at the firm will present me with an opportunity to work with a wide range of departments on various matters. This exposure will allow me to follow my interests and abilities and get a very good insight on how different practice areas interact. Another aspect that sets Dorsey & Whitney apart from its competitors is that it advises established and emerging businesses which will present me with variety and a scope for challenging work and an opportunity for me to apply my language skills. The opportunity of a secondment would allow me to broaden my horizons and develop greater variety and depth of experience. This would be an invaluable insight going forward in my legal career.

I want to become a solicitor because every day is varied, challenging and engaging. As commercial matters span many areas of law, industries and borders, they demand the application of lateral thinking and extensive problem-solving. In turn, this would see me work in integrated teams with a commercial focus on the problem in a quick-paced environment with approaching deadlines. At [Law Firm Name], I especially enjoyed liaising with Dutch, English and [language] solicitors on a shareholder dispute within a joint venture. This produced more interesting work, greater variety and a wider group of experts to learn from which made my work environment stimulating and rewarding.

I possess initiative, drive and commitment which makes me suited for a training contract with Dorsey & Whitney where I will have to transgress boundaries when solving complex problems. For the first time in fifty years, I have established the ‘[University] Amateur [Sport] Club’ in [year] and was the president of the society. As a dedicated member of the [environmental society], I helped to introduce and develop social responsibility initiatives at University. I had successfully organised and developed a scheme whereby all unused desktops at the library were turned off during the vacation breaks to help reduce the University’s carbon footprint.

I should be offered a training contract because I possess outstanding interpersonal skills and commercial acumen. At [Law Firm Name], I assisted on a shareholder dispute in a joint venture vehicle. I attended a Board of Directors EGM of a joint venture in Amsterdam in my capacity as an interpreter between clients and overseas solicitors. I successfully managed the meeting and demonstrated initiative. I applied a sharp analytical mind to explain complex issues in a simple language and made sense of a very complicated situation. I was required to think on my feet and always align myself with client’s commercial objectives. At the end of the meeting, the solicitors were more informed of the client’s problem which allowed them to act more swiftly.

Having worked for a number of leading legal firms, I can attest to the importance of building and maintaining professional relationships. This, coupled with my fluency in languages would make me a valuable asset when working on cross-border transactions or with international clients.

I would be grateful for the opportunity to attend an interview for which I am available at your convenience.

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

Yours sincerely,

[Name]