Morrison & Foerster Training Contract Cover Letter Example

[address line 1]
London
[POST CODE]

[date] [year]

[recruiter’s name]
Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP
CityPoint
One Ropemaker Street
London
EC2Y 9AW

Dear [recruiter’s name],

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

I have developed my interest in law throughout my academic career at [university]. In my second year I have completed a legal practice course where I was working in a group on a mock-trial case involving a breach of contract. This course has allowed me to incorporate my knowledge of law in a simulated solicitor’s environment. I genuinely enjoyed the team work and problem-solving elements of the course. As follows, I am actively involved in mooting competitions at the university as I genuinely enjoy debating and disputing a legal position of a client. Applying law to a particular scenario stimulates my intellectual curiosity and arouses a sense of passion in me when it comes to communicating the legal argument to the judge.
I am interested in corporate and commercial law because it will allow me to assume the role of a project manager and will afford me early responsibility. Given that commercial law is both transactional and ongoing, it is clear that I will have to build a rapport with the client and apply strong communication skills coupled with high technical ability when forming a clear picture of the client’s needs and objectives and then explaining what may well be a complex area of law when advising on the best solution. This may require me to liaise with a number of legal departments thus making each day a unique, enjoyable and fulfilling work experience.

I am attracted by the small intake of trainees which I feel will offer me bespoke training that is individually tailored to my interests, experience and aptitude. Small teams also suggest that I will have increased responsibility and operate as a lawyer from day one in an informal and collegial working environment. More importantly, I will receive the excitement and challenge of working on high value, complex transactions and disputes, in the size of office where everyone knows who you are. For me this will mean getting involved in real work from the start whereby I will be able to add something to the cases I work on. This environment will unquestionably foster my professional and personal growth in my capacity as a lawyer.

Unlike other law firms, Morrison & Foerster aims to achieve innovative and business-minded solutions. I feel that Morrison & Foerster’s strategy of going beyond the conventional to find new solutions would put me in a very dynamic training environment where I will be able to exercise my imagination, passion and ideas.

I am also exhilarated by the idea that partners are to the fore throughout every transaction and that they lead small and close-knit teams that stay with clients for the long-term. Being a member of such a team will allow me to develop real relationships with clients and a genuine in-depth understanding of their business. This will therefore increase my sectoral expertise and allow me to deliver quick and efficient solutions to client problems. Similarly, the work will become more personal and subsequently personally and professionally rewarding. Travers Smith’s entrepreneurial approach distinguishes it from many other firms since it focuses on results it can achieve for its clients rather than focussing on scoring points. I feel that this is a very equitable and ethic approach to conducting business, which would therefore make Morrison & Foerster a real pleasure to work for.

I am also very much attracted by the training prospects at Morrison & Foerster. Unlike other firms, Morrison & Foerster provides a ‘best friends’ relationships with other independent law firms. This would provide me with an opportunity to go on an exchange programme for assistant solicitors with US and European law firms. This would expose me to multiple jurisdictions which I would be very keen to learn about especially since I have recently completed an advanced competition law module which provided me with a comparison of EC, UK and US law. I found ‘refusal to supply’ cases to be of the utmost interest, especially the ruling of EC in the Microsoft case which produced a split between US and EU competition on the subject of consumer welfare.

Having worked for a number of private clients at leading legal firms, [law firm] and [law firm], I can attest to the importance of building and maintaining professional relationships. This, coupled with my fluency in [language], English and [language], 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]