Freshfields Training Contract Personal Statement Example

Please tell us about any awards, scholarships or prizes you have been given.

I have received a ‘[award name]’ Award for attaining the highest grades at GCSE and A-Level at my institutions of study and local borough. I have received over sixty trophies in amateur [Sport] and won a gold medal for England.

Please write about yourself in no more than 650 words. You may wish to mention any positions of responsibility held at school or subsequently, any regular employment or other work experience, any sporting or other achievements and any particular interests and personal qualities which are relevant. Please also state briefly why you are making this application.

You can type your statement directly in to the box below or draft it in another document, then paste it into the box. Please note, however, that any formatting will be lost.

Since [year], I have been a very zealous member of the ‘[society]’ society. In the past, I have been involved in projects aimed to reduce carbon emissions and promote ‘greener’ living. During my third year at university, I was elected onto the Student-Staff Liaison Committee in my capacity as a third year law students’ representative. I actively maintained a constructive dialogue between the third year law students and the law faculty by attending regular meetings. I was an executive of the [language] Speaking Society and helped to organise a number of cultural events and outings.

At present, I am assisting [law firm]’s London team on the dispute between [high-net-worth individual] and [high-net-worth individual]. I am working closely with [law firm]’s associates from [city] and London offices in conducting disclosure and preparing witness statements. I have confidently demonstrated immaculate attention to detail when analysing documents and meeting tight deadlines. I then collaborated with the wider team to bring individual elements together and reach a successful conclusion. I applied strong communication skills and irrepressible optimism when explaining to associates why I thought specific documents to be relevant to the disclosure request pursuant to the court’s order. This made my experience challenging and allowed me to grasp new concepts with ease.

At [Law Firm Name], I assisted the senior partner on a cross-border case comprising of a shareholder dispute in a joint venture vehicle. I attended a Board of Directors EGM in a natural resources joint venture in Amsterdam in my capacity as an interpreter between [language] clients and English, Dutch and [language] solicitors. At the EGM, I maintained a thick skin and resourcefully tailored my communication for diverse audiences. I applied a sharp analytical mind to explain complex issues in a simple language and made sense of a complicated situation. I maintained a very commercial focus and demonstrated physical and mental stamina coupled with unabating enthusiasm. I was required to think on my feet and see things from a business perspective and always align myself with client’s commercial objectives. The cross-border nature of the case produced more interesting work, greater variety and a wider group of experts to learn from which made my work intellectually and commercially rewarding.

On a sportier note, I greatly enjoy amateur [Sport]. With over [sport performances] I have [done the sport] at national level and won a gold medal for England at the [tournament name]. In [year], I founded an amateur [Sport] club at the [University] for the first time in fifty years through the application of innovative thinking and excellent advocacy skills at all levels. I have displayed commitment and enthusiasm in the management of the club and have successfully prepared several prospective [sportsman]s who went on to do outstandingly well in the ‘varsity’ championships. My other interests include [sport], football, travelling, photography, reading, fitness and networking.

I would like to undertake a training contract with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP because I will be able to see up to eight seats to ensure that I have a really good understanding of which areas of practice interest me the most and play to my strengths. The truly global network and a sheer variety of deals in different jurisdictions and industries make Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP my first-choice law firm. The opportunity of a secondment to the firm’s overseas office would allow me to broaden my horizons and develop greater variety and depth of experience to my work and enable me to operate in some of the richest and most distinct economies of the world. By operating in difficult jurisdictions and dealing with complex cases that do not always have clearly defined solutions will produce an atmosphere of spirit and adventure where I will have to be responsive and apply fresh thinking to complex commercial problems.