Question (3): What are you doing to show you are ‘commercial’?

Some might tell you that commerciality or commercial awareness is something you acquire after practising or being in business for a significant period of time. Others (likely to be more uptight as human beings) will tell you that commerciality is about having a specific knowledge set – being-up-to-date with the markets, and having an almost intimate understanding of the economic variables that affect the way lawyers and business people act and work. At your stage, both these assertions are incorrect. You’re intending to be a lawyer and not an economist. As such, it’s opinions on bigger or macro issues that affect business that will impress. To form opinions, try doing the following:

• Read a broadsheet newspaper every day – cover to cover. Being commercial doesn’t just mean talking about business and/or commerce. You’ll need to show an interest in events that shape the world as well (from the latest Cabinet re-shuffle to Iranian foreign policy) so you’re not a one-dimensional dullard. By the way, the Daily Mail doesn’t count…
• Read The Lawyer, rollonfriday and Legal Week online every week – watch out for your chosen firm or preferred firms!
• Chat to friends once a month who work in other industries (that might impact on the work you could do in your firm) to understand subtle trends challenges – very impressive to raise these in interview or on a scheme!
• Read Private Eye twice a month for a more acerbic look at business and current affairs
• Read The Week if you have been out of the country for some time – a great way to catch up if you’ve missed a lot without trawling through back-copies of the newspaper.

And finally…

Excel – train yourself up to be an excel guru and volunteer your expertise when you get to your firm. Your senior colleagues won’t have a clue how to use it. Big brownie points available if you can use complex formulae.

PowerPoint – do the same – volunteer to take control of slide presentations.

Look – be as formally dressed and turned out as possible to look commercial. Don’t make any statements with clothes (short skirts, socks, ties, cufflinks etc…). Be recognized for your brain and not your look. Be ready to be taken to a meeting at a moment’s notice.

What about the Financial Times? The Financial Times (FT) has two main purposes:

a)       A useful but pretentious way to show off your financial ‘sophistication’ to others on public transport (if you complete the FT crossword in front of others, extra kudos points are available).

b)       A rather long-winded and unnecessarily turgidly-written briefing tool for those who work in business who need to find out how money moulds their landscape daily.

The FT is quite boring (it’s even pink to try to make it look a little bit more ‘interesting’). Given that you need to acquire only a macro- and not a micro-economic knowledge as a lawyer, there are only a few bits and bobs in the FT that are of any use to you as a legal practitioner (bits you can probably find in your daily broadsheet, albeit written with slightly more polemic).

You should aim to ‘read’ the FT three times per week, and whilst we recommend that you keep a copy on your desk every now and then to show willing, here is our very short, pragmatic guide to ‘skim-reading’ the FT:

1.       Read the companies and markets section – read this first (and possibly last if you are pushed for time).

2.       Read the Lex colum – It is on the back page of the main section, it’s written by the FT’s bright young things, it is read by chief executives, bankers and lawyers and it’s a great way of detecting the trading patterns of companies

And stop…

Written by our Guest Writer, Steve Weiner, author of “21st Century Solicitor: How to Make a Real Impact as a Junior Commercial Lawyer”. For more details about this book click here: 21st Century Solicitor

(Copyright – Steve Weiner 2011)

• You’re about to go into a commercial law firm for an interview for either a training contract or a vacation scheme;
• You know or you’ve been told that you will need to display a sense of ‘commerciality’ when discussing your future career with those who might be able to give you a contract or a place on the aforementioned scheme;
• You are worried – after all, what the hell is commerciality?
• You have been frantically reading the Financial Times in the hope that this might ease your nerves.
• You sweat a little at the thought of the inevitable question, ‘what do you think commerciality is?’…

First step on the ladder to commercial success: Stop worrying.

Second step on the ladder to commercial success: Stop reading the FT out of guilt/worry.

Third step on the ladder to commercial success: take some time to think about what it is you are about to do.

‘Think about what?!’, you might ask, ‘I need to get busy preparing, not thinking about preparing!’. Wrong. Sure, preparation is vital in almost every facet of professional life – and commerciality is no exception – but prepare in the wrong way or fail to prepare before commencing your preparation, and you are preparing to fail. Simple.

What should you be thinking about as a student or career changer applying for a legal job or a position in a commercial law firm to show your commerciality? You should be thinking about answer the questions:

1. Why do you want to work in business?

2. What is it exactly that commercial lawyers do that suits your interests and abilities?

3. What have you done in the past and what do you intend to do in the future that shows a real interest in business (not just law)?

Let’s answer these questions in turn:

Question (1): A career in business?

Commerciality at your level is simply about showing hunger and drive for the career you are choosing. You have chosen a career in business. Not in the media, the arts or in medicine. In business – pure and simple. You might be practicing as a solicitor, but you are helping others to do business. In fact, as a junior commercial lawyer, you commercial goals are relatively simple:

For external clients (i.e. the people that pay the fees): remove and/or provide solutions for any legal obstacles that might prevent your clients from doing business. To do this, you need to make it your business to understand their business and the environment that moulds their business. As a junior lawyer, your exposure to external clients might be limited until you’ve proven yourself internally so it is important to focus on a commercial approach when providing a service…

…for internal clients (i.e. the people you work with and need to impress every day in your firm): make it your business to understand how every piece of work you undertake and every interaction you have impacts on the bigger picture (the deal, the matter or the transaction…) to provide a service of excellence to everyone you work with.

Everything you do as a lawyer in a commercial law firm is done for business reasons. You’re not in law school any more. Telling someone about a Supreme Court case decision is interesting but irrelevant unless it has a tangible effect on the work you and your colleagues might do. Think of yourself as a car. Your engine is the law, it powers everything you do. Your steering wheel is business, it guides everything you do. Your chassis is your brand as you work, it leaves everyone with an impression of you (slick or ugly) and ensures or undermines your success. If you have a clever idea, think of the business ramifications before you open your mouth and talk about it.

Question (2): How are you suited to commercial law?

Does money (not earning but working with it) excite you? If you are not passionate about how money affects society at large, commercial law isn’t for you. Especially if you haven’t considered the sacrifices you’ll have to make for success in the profession. Commercial clients, especially large companies, expect advice whenever they want it. This means your senior colleagues will expect your help whenever they want it too. This means you probably won’t be leaving at 6pm much. You won’t be watching the One Show (maybe that’s a blessing). And the successful junior commercial lawyer shows enthusiasm for every aspect of the job, even the duff bits late at night that make you question your own metaphysical existence. Being a commercial lawyer can, if you give it your all, be a highly rewarding and intellectually satisfying job. Resent the demands placed upon you and you’ll be miserable. It’s a lifestyle choice. But it is a choice.

Part 2 of this article will be published in a few days so be sure to follow us via the links below to receive notification

Written by our Guest Writer, Steve Weiner, author of “21st Century Solicitor: How to Make a Real Impact as a Junior Commercial Lawyer”. For more details about this book click here: 21st Century Solicitor

(Copyright – Steve Weiner 2011)

October also sees the start of a new Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle – a 12 month cycle that many firms work to when marketing, and recruiting for, their training contracts. This may come as a surprise to many but it is important to understand that the recruitment process for many law firms actually lasts for a full 12 months.

Here’s an example chronology for the activities of a typical law firm that regularly recruits trainee solicitors:

And then repeat for the next year’s intake.

It may be rather overwhelming to know that you need to be engaged with the recruitment process for a full 12 months – however, if you really want to work somewhere then its worth the effort and is a must if you want to be successful.

The reason why many people don’t know about this Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle, or don’t want to acknowledge it, is because they have not done their research – either into the recruitment processes and requirements or into where they want to apply to. This uncertainty about which firms they want to work at or the type of law they would like to train in permeates many candidates and is one of the biggest reasons for failure in securing a training contract.

Let’s compare two students.

The first knows about the Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle, accepts that it exists and has planned how to use it to their advantage.

The second candidate either doesn’t know about it or sort of knows about it but chooses to put their head in the sand. They will then try to pull a rabbit out of a hat in July when the training contract application deadlines are looming.

The issues which arise a lot more if you are the second type of candidate rather than the first type of candidate are:

If you were unsuccessful with your applications this year then you cannot afford to ignore this advice or fail to take all the opportunities that are available from the start of the Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle. If you are a second year law student, a third year non-law student or otherwise in a position where you will apply for a training contract within the next 10 months or so then we would urge that you do not ignore this either.

If you go to law fairs and open days, and start researching law firms and the recruitment processes and requirements, you are far more likely to get your applications right. The good news for you is that many people will not be given this advice or will see it and ignore it. Therefore you will have a significant competitive advantage if you take this on board and apply yourself consistently throughout the full Trainee Solicitor Recruitment Cycle.

Securing an interview out of the thousands who applied is certainly an achievement, but it’s then that the hard work really begins. Outlined below are some top tips to help you make the most of (and survive!) the interview season.

To read the whole article click here.

The reality is that I did not grow up dreaming of becoming a specialist in investment funds and asset management or a leading authority in franchising and distribution arrangements. I doubt many ever do. Whilst that is not to say that one day I may wish to specialise in one of those areas given the opportunity, many like myself start our journey in law hoping for our very own Atticus Finch moment.

Yet it is often tempting to apply for any and all training contracts available in the hope of securing a fast-track to qualification, regardless of whether the firm’s ethos and values correlate with your own professional ideals. However, those who adopt this approach are likely to find themselves quickly disillusioned and unmotivated with their training contract, which will undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on both the trainee and the firm. It is therefore important to focus on what you are looking to learn and accomplish during your training contract, as ideally you should be targeting a firm at which you see yourself far beyond the first two years.

Speaking of which, I was recently short listed for a final interview at a firm which ticks all the right boxes and at which I hope to pursue my career as a solicitor. A forward-thinking, full service law firm committed to continuously punching above their weight, whilst retaining a personal and approachable feel.

It became clear during the interview that recruiting a business-minded trainee that may be able to contribute to the growth and management of the business was important. This is particularly pertinent although by no means exclusive to a smaller firm, where there is often ample opportunity to contribute to the marketing and generation of new business. Indeed, the age old cliché of being commercially aware is particularly valued in what is an uncertain economic climate, and trainees are increasingly expected to help with business development and marketing, thus contributing to the firm’s future success.

So how can you ensure that you stand out from the crowd in what is in the eyes of many, a training contract drought? As an aspiring trainee, it is clear that the traditional approach to the application process is not always enough. Faced with fierce competition, those like myself who are looking to secure a training contract are often expected to discover innovative and attention-grabbing means of ‘promoting’ themselves. In view of continuing technological developments, I have recently taken a social media marketing approach to the application process by setting up a blog. As well as providing a breakdown of what I can offer and the type of role I am looking for, I hope it will also be viewed as demonstrating initiative and a clear commitment to pursuing a career as a solicitor.

Being able to offer a skill or quality which distinguishes you from your competition is also vital. For example, as a fluent Welsh speaker I was aware that the firm at which I was recently interviewed had a number of Welsh speaking lawyers. Having the opportunity to utilise my language skills is important to me. If I am successful in my application, I hope that I will also be able to strengthen the firm’s prominent reputation at being able to offer services to the Welsh speaking community.

Broadly speaking, it is important to tailor your application to the firms at which you see yourself thriving and stimulated in the long-term. Ultimately, doing your research and preparing well should eventually pay off. Hopefully I will soon be able to call myself a trainee solicitor but if not…erm…I may have to re-think the above!

This is a guest blog post by Rhys Jones, Law Student & Training Contract Applicant

Now that the training contract application season is upon us, here is some advice from our eBook which is simple yet massively effective. Way too many applicants do not follow this advice and fail as a result – make sure you take heed and Keep it Simple Stupid!

Many applicants feel like they have to impress a recruiter with the wording they use in their applications.  This can often lead to over-complicated wording or use of unnecessary wording.  Whilst a recruiter will want to read something that is well written they will not necessarily be impressed with long, fancy words which seem to be thrown in for effect.

They are more likely to be impressed by something that is written in plain English and is simple and easy to read.  To communicate your message simply is actually more of a skill than to write long and convoluted paragraphs.

You should not therefore try too hard to impress with clever wording. Instead, read and re-read what you have written and take out all unnecessary words.  Try to use the least amount of words possible to make the point you want to make.

For example, it is much better to give the recruiter a simple but heartfelt and well thought out reason for wanting to work at that firm than to give a long winded explanation of every reason you want to work there.  They will thank you for having eliminated the waffle and given them the key points in a simple format

This article is an abstract from the new University endorsed Trainee Solicitor Surgery eBook “21 Secrets to Successful Applications”. For more details and to get a free copy of the eBook click here.

Posted via email from traineesolicitor’s posterous

In it she reveals plenty about the graduate recruitment process and requirements that are relevant and not only to Magic Circle applicants. In particular she talks about the skill sets they are looking for, how being good with people is important and how its vitally important that applicants do not view a training contract as a two year extension of their student training but the beginning of their professional life.

Get a pen and paper ready to make notes and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

One of the golden rules of sales is to sell the benefits not the features. Now it may be taking the analogy too far to say that trying to get a training contract is like trying to sell a hoover but there are similarities.

To sell a hoover you need to sell the benefits to the customer. And to sell the benefits you may first have to find out a bit about the customer to know which things about the hoover will benefit them. You can then explain to them the benefits to them of certain features such as it being bag-less or easy to store.

When it comes to selling yourself to a law firm in your applications you need to do similar things. Firstly, you need to find out about the firm so you know what they are after and what will benefit them. Thankfully, most firms provide you with much of these details in their graduate recruitment materials or in their job descriptions. They will say what they are looking for, what they see as important in their trainees, etc.

Far too many applicants miss these signposts and just plough on regardless with the sort of application they think the firm will want to receive. However, if you first find out all the things the firm has said about itself and what it is after this is a much more solid foundation for your application.

Once you have done this you then need to sell to them the fact that you, the ‘product’, can deliver these things for them. You sell to them the benefits of having you as an employee and how the main benefit is that you can fulfil the role they are seeking to fill.

With this knowledge you can then proceed with tailoring your application specifically to the firm in question. Think about the skills, attributes and competencies they are after and then work hard on drafting your applications to display them in yourself.

This article is an abstract from the new University endorsed Trainee Solicitor Surgery eBook “21 Secrets to Successful Applications”. For more details and to get a free copy of the eBook click here.

The e-book was written to fill in some of the blanks about trainee solicitor recruitment.  There is still surprisingly little information available about what goes on in the real world when it comes to the recruitment of trainee solicitors by law firms.

The book gives an insight into some of the more important things to bear in mind when making applications for training contracts.  It also aims to give you an idea about what is really going on within the recruitment processes of many law firms.

The e-book includes:

• An insight into the recruiters – who are they?

• Tips on endearing yourself and your applications to the recruiter.

• Presentation tips for training contract applications.

• Mistakes to avoid in your training contract applications.

• Understanding how applications are reviewed and filtered.

• Tips on researching firms and areas of law before you apply for training contracts.

• Beating Procrastination

• How to sell yourself in your applications

• How to self-analyse your skills and attributes and how to include them in your applications

To have the download link to your FREE COPY of the e-book emailed to you NOW just enter your email address below: