How to decide which firms to apply to
Jake Schogger
Commercial Law Academy Founder I Best-Selling Author I Legal Adviser For Start-Ups
With many training contract recruitment processes opening over the coming months, I thought it would be helpful to offer some thoughts on how to decide where to apply. But first...
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Finding the right firm for you
Sometimes it may feel that everyone else from your university course knows exactly what they want to do in life. But in reality, it’s rare for someone to have clear, fixed career objectives.?
And of those that think they have found clarity early on, it’s likely that many will find that their choices do not quite align with their expectations.
So how can you start to figure this stuff out?
Firstly, being aware of your values, strengths and drivers can help you to identify and articulate what is most important to you.?Equipped with this knowledge, you can try and focus your research and applications towards companies and roles that are more likely to align with you, which will increase the chances of finding a job that will give you higher levels of day to day satisfaction.
Different types of firms
Training at a large, international commercial law firm is the best way to start your career if you want to work in the City and have an aspiration to handle very high value commercial transactions.
In addition, you will be given fantastic opportunities to develop your soft skills and technical abilities (not to mention the boost it can provide to your CV). However, try not to lose sight of the fact that the legal profession offers a broad range of opportunities for employment.?And bigger isn't always better...
Regional firms, boutique firms and high street firms may not offer the same opportunities to work on matters worth hundreds of millions that span dozens of jurisdictions. However, smaller transactions/disputes may offer the opportunity to get far more involved at a more junior stage. This is because there is less at stake financially and potentially less complexity.
If you’re the kind of person that really gets a kick out of seeing a deal on the front page of The Financial Times, then perhaps smaller firms aren’t for you. However, if having more control over your time and (potentially) a greater overall impact on a deal gives you a greater sense of job satisfaction, then certainly consider all the options that are available.
Different types of roles
In-house roles
Post-training, there are ample opportunities to work “in-house” (and there are also a growing number of opportunities to train or paralegal in-house). Working in-house simply means working for a company rather than a law firm. For example, corporations (e.g. Apple), banks (e.g. J.P. Morgan) and private equity firms (e.g. Cinven) all have their own legal teams.
These in-house legal teams tend to carry out the company’s day-to-day legal work, then work alongside external “private practice” legal advisers on larger transactions or disputes. Your work/life balance tends to be a little better working in-house, although the pay is typically lower (especially at a more junior level and at smaller companies).
International roles
There are also various opportunities to work abroad. For instance, there are many firms based in tax-efficient jurisdictions (e.g. the Cayman Islands) that look to recruit English-qualified lawyers, whilst some firms offer opportunities to qualify into (or go on an extended secondment to) one of their international offices.
Other legal careers
It's worth mentioning that there are many other opportunities across the legal sector. Some lawyers practice as barristers rather than solicitors, which involves focusing more on contentious matters and advocating in court. Other lawyers qualify as solicitors, but practise, for example, family law, criminal law, human rights law, residential real estate law, private client law (e.g. wills and trusts) and so on.
If you are unsure of the type of law you want to practice, then look to train at a firm that has a wide range of practice areas. The more areas you try, the more likely it is that you will find the best fit for you. You might find that a firm that offers private client work as well as commercial work gives you the widest opportunity to explore different kinds of legal work and make an informed decision on your future.
Researching legal careers
You can use LinkedIn to research into the employers that graduates from your university and course tend to join, as well as the roles they take on. If you find an employer that you like the look of, you can then use the LinkedIn “similar companies” search function to find similar companies/options.?You could also look at the 90+ detailed firm profiles published by Commercial Law Academy, as well as sources such as Chambers, Legal 500 and Prospects.
Use this for inspiration, but don’t restrict yourself too much: just because an alumnus from your course hasn’t previously joined your preferred employer doesn’t mean you won’t have a chance.
Complete our “Introduction to commercial law” course to learn more about how to reflect on your interests, your priorities and the roles available across the legal profession.
As a reminder,?Commercial Law Academy?offers 22 in-depth courses, covering: insights into legal careers, firm profiles and interview insights, expert advice on writing applications and tackling psychometric tests, dozens of example (verified) successful cover letters and applications, resources to help you prepare for interviews and internships, example interview case studies, practical content to help you understand and confidently discuss commercial concepts and current affairs, plus tips on how to network, negotiate, deliver presentations and write professionally. Check out this?animated explainer video?for more information.