In answering this question, it is therefore crucial to show that you have the ambition to pursue a career in business law. One way to do this is to demonstrate the diversity of legal experience you have gained over the past few years that has validated your interest in the law. If so, try to demonstrate some of the actions you took during your articling and the results you achieved, and how this would be beneficial in a commercial law environment. Are you likely to do unique and interesting work that is a constant intellectual challenge? In this context, will there be unparalleled opportunities to continue learning and developing, perhaps with a steep learning curve? If so, why do you care? Does the potentially difficult work suggest that you will rarely watch the clock or feel intellectually dissatisfied? If you`re interested in the learning curve, can you give an example where you`ve had a particularly steep learning curve in the past? Read this article from Shearman & Sterling if you want to learn more about what a typical articling student will do at a commercial law firm: “What do trainee lawyers do?” Even if you haven`t studied law, think about the other half of your career: trading. Why are you interested in business? Why do you want to help companies overcome difficult business situations? Are you interested in helping in the management of companies and their respective business interests? Why do you want a career as a business lawyer rather than a strategy consultant? Have you completed any competitions related to economics, finance or economics? Does the job involve specific tasks that you think you enjoy? For example, are you attracted by the prospect of solving problems on a daily basis, conducting in-depth research, producing reports, giving presentations, or contributing to the business decisions of large corporate clients? If so, relate your statements to your own experiences. Have you ever enjoyed similar tasks, for example during your studies or during extracurricular activities? Think about the specific practice areas in which the company operates. Write down the areas you specifically address, such as real estate or construction, and explain why you want to work in those fields. However, don`t focus too much on a specific area. You need to show your enthusiasm for the company as a whole. The obvious starting point is legal professional experience. Have you ever gained experience in a business law firm or in corporate law? You may have worked as a paralegal, completed a leave of absence or had another informal experience. The first step is to think about why you are pursuing a degree in commercial law.
What captivated you at first? Write this on a piece of paper at the top of the page. Your job from there is to create a chain of events that brought you to where you are today (i.e. send that request to that law firm). For example, it could be that the first problem was when you ran your own website design business at the age of 14 and had to create a contract for new clients and enjoyed the detailed nature of the work. You then decided to do an internship at a law firm to learn how contracts are built in this environment. This led you to a new fascination with how companies can save money by drafting properly written contracts, and so you were looking for more work experience in banking/finance. And so on, until you reach that point today! This step is all about knowing where you are in the grand scheme of things and making sure that the law firm you`re looking at is the next logical step in your story. You understand what the day-to-day work of a business lawyer (articling student) is all about. Some of these application questions ask why you are suitable for a “long-term career” in the company – describe some of your goals here. Outline how you want to grow and explain why you think this particular company will support your progress. For example, you may want to name the firm`s top clients in a particular field of activity or their reputation for training and mentoring. Again, research is everything.
Find real reasons why you want to pursue a long-term career with the firm – they can come from a thorough reading of the website, conversations you had at a campus fair or cabinet presentation, or time spent there as part of a vacation program or open house.