➔ Advice for the Case Study
● Make notes on the key points
● Composed in a structure easy for you to be able to recite to the assessors
● Be prepared to think quickly
● Do not worry about coming up with a ‘perfect’ answer
● Be prepared to be assessed on your thought process
Time Spent:
The likelihood is that you will be doing written applications for a number of firms, so there is a limited time frame in which you can spend writing each individual application. Addleshaw Goddard recruits on a rolling basis, so Caitlin ‘really focused on writing a well-researched and coherent application’.
Research:
“You need really niche individual points about the firm that you have looked into – their recent cases, clients, charitable efforts or awards. In your written application, show them that you have done as much research as possible, beyond just being able to recite their firm website. Link together these key points and your individual interests and experiences to help you stand out, and to better convince them that you would be a suitable candidate for the firm.”
Work Experience/Hobbies and Interests:
Caitlin had prior legal experiences in local firms and offices and developed a greater understanding of the inner workings of a law firm.
– What tasks trainee solicitors commonly do
“However, legal work experience is difficult to get as a student, and law firms really value other experience- it is all about the skills you have developed, rather than where exactly you worked.”
Other examples:
● University societies- President of the York Student Minds Team, Captain of the hockey team
These non-legal work experiences ‘advance my skills of leadership, organisation, handling issues in high-pressure situations and adaptability to different challenges. AG also values individuality, so I mentioned my experience in uni societies, with my committee position on the York Student Minds team demonstrating my passion for mental health, which I used to align with the firm’s commitment to employee wellbeing.’
What kind of work can candidates expect to experience during the vacation scheme?
Candidates have the opportunity to get involved in real trainee-level work. On the Easter placement scheme, the students are sat in one department for the whole week and on the summer scheme, they’ll sit in two departments across the two weeks. Candidates attend informative sessions, take part in group exercises and complete assessments. There are also opportunities to attend social events with the others on the scheme and with some of our trainees. Everyone is allocated a supervisor during their time in their seat(s) and will be paired up with a trainee who will act as their buddy for the duration of the scheme.
What key skills does your firm look for in candidates when they apply?
We look for candidates who are passionate about embarking on a career in commercial law at Addleshaw Goddard. We want our future lawyers to be enthusiastic, driven and committed. Teamwork is also really important to the firm, so thats another key quality that we look for.
What has been your most memorable moment in the job?
So far the highlight has been planning and running three of our summer placement schemes, which took place in Leeds, Manchester and London. It was nice to start a new job and kick straight off with these schemes and meet so many bright and enthusiastic aspiring lawyers.
How is the firm adopting the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE)?
From 2024 onwards, our trainee cohorts will work towards qualification via the SQE route before completing their qualifying work experience at Addleshaw Goddard.