Teacher Stern Training Contract Application Questions (and Answers!)

I enjoy fitness and regularly practise [sport], go jogging and play football. I share my skills and passion for the sport by providing lessons to friends. I enjoy travelling as it helps to expand my mind and allows me to meet new people. I specifically enjoyed the gothic settings of Cornwall, home to several of my favourite gothic books and the historic splendour and idyllic gardens of the Leeds Castle in Kent. I regularly take part in charitable runs and in the past, I helped to raise over four thousand pounds for the McMillan Cancer Support. I enjoy taking part in community initiatives and during one summer, I helped to refurbish my local church. My other interests include current affairs, reading, technology, social outings, motoring and photography. I enjoy mooting and at university, I participated in the Clifford Chance Mooting Competition where I successfully attained a third place. On weekends, I enjoy going to exhibitions, museums and social and cultural events as they help me to learn something new and relax from work. I like to read books whenever I have spare time as it enables me to learn more about the world and rest my mind.

In [year], I went on a road trip to [country], [country] and [country] because when I was visiting [country], along with a group of friends, we decided to explore the Baltic region and have a quality time. In [year], I travelled to Poland to see several friends. In [year], I visited Turkey because I like warm climate and I wanted to learn more about the country’s exotic culture. In [year], I visited Spain to watch the Football World Cup Final between Spain and Germany and to have a break from my studies. I went on a tour to a mountainous region because I wanted to experience something new and have a good time. In [year], I travelled to a Board of Directors EGM in Holland on a business trip whilst I was employed at [law firm].

Achievement

At [law firm], I assisted the senior partner on a cross-border case comprising of a shareholder dispute in a joint venture vehicle. As the client could only speak [language], I was the first point of contact. The client requested that I attend the Board of Directors EGM of a natural resources joint venture in Amsterdam. At the EGM, I acted as an interpreter between the [language] shareholders and English and Dutch solicitors. 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 was required to think on my feet and see things from a business perspective and always align myself with client’s commercial objectives whilst managing to remain robust and calm under pressure. This is an important achievement for me because I performed well under pressure and successfully applied problem-solving skills to produce real-time answers to complex questions. I have become more commercially astute and developed my organisational and team-work skills.

Why Teacher Stern

I have decided to become a lawyer whilst working at several law firms. At [law firm], I realised that I wanted to become a solicitor after attending a board of directors EGM in Amsterdam. I enjoyed thinking on my feet and working as part of a diverse team to solve problems in a quick-paced environment. At [law firm] , I enjoyed collaborating with the London and [city] offices. I was very fascinated by the multi-jurisdictional elements of the case as it allowed me to take multiple angles to the problem by working alongside solicitors from different jurisdictions.

Teacher Stern appeals to me because I am attracted by the small intake of trainees because 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. I am very attracted by the wide range of departments and the firm’s entrepreneurial culture because this will allow me to become into a more rounded solicitor.