The Clifford Chance SPARK Scheme Part 1
lhalondon.com
This section focuses on Bill’s story up to his acceptance onto the SPARK Scheme and the second and final section to follow this article focuses on his experience during the SPARK Scheme and his attainment of a Training Contract offer.
Summary of BILL’s Journey
At age 21, Bill is a future trainee solicitor at Clifford Chance. He is a second-year undergraduate studying Law at the University of Durham, Senior Finance Editor for The Corporate Law Journal, Real Estate Market Analyst for the Durham University Finance Society, part of the Law Works Project Group at the Pro Bono Society, and President of the Durham University Korean Society. Although all these impressive roles most certainly helped him obtain a training contract at his dream law firm, it is the qualities of which he developed through life experiences as an individual that made him a successful candidate on the SPARK Scheme.
Bill’s Initial Acquaintance with Clifford Chance
Developing the Ability to Adapt and Connect
Bill originated from an American background in South Korea and therefore enrolled in the International Foundation Year at the University of Durham after learning of the opportunity to study law at an undergraduate level in the UK. After excelling on the programme, he was offered a place to study on the LLB Law course. As he had an international background, he had already developed the ability to adapt to studying in English at a UK university level and was also able to gain a head-start in the degree as he began to learn law-related modules. He connected with as many people as possible including his law cohort and getting involved in various societies allowing him to befriend people of different cultures and perceptions.
Being Proactive
During the summer before starting his LLB Law degree, Bill proactively searched for early opportunities in this competitive and cut-throat industry. He cold-called and cold-emailed hundreds of different law firms in Seoul eager to learn more of the desired traits and the type of legal work that lawyers handle. Unfortunately, Bill was met with many rejections (which certainly wouldn’t be his last) with a sheer majority of law firms deeming he was too young. However, through taking charge of a period where most students relax, Bill eventually heard back from a foreign legal consultant and UK Solicitor - Ms C (a name made for the sake of anonymity) offering him a chance to ask questions. Currently, Ms C works at Kim and Chang (South Korea’s largest law firm) but she had practised at Clifford Chance before. Bill would later find a mentor figure within Ms C, sparking his interest in Clifford Chance.
Having a Mentor Figure
Meeting at the first-floor cafe of Kim and Chang, Bill had a chance to learn a great deal from Ms C who specialised in equity capital markets, private equity and aspects of financing thus creating his parallel interests in those areas that required an acute commercial acumen, understanding clients’ needs and an ability to tackle each perplexing and headline-making deal as a sort of puzzle within a close-knit team of lawyers. Ms C’s charitability to invest her limited time in budding talent and the rigour she had for her work inspired Bill immensely to set a high and challenging bar for himself.
Preparation for the SPARK Scheme
Ability to Reflect on Past Mistakes
Filled with eagerness to learn more of Clifford Chance, Bill applied to the Year 12/13 Insight Day which resulted in an unsuccessful application. Another rejection...but how exactly did Bill react? He pressed forward by reflecting on the faults of his application. He reflected that this was due to his own lack of understanding of the firm and its clients’ needs (one of the most important qualities to exhibit).
Networking
Having re-assessed himself, Bill attended “Burgers with Clifford Chance” (a networking dinner at Durham University) figuring it was the best way to increase his knowledge of the firm. This opportunity allowed him to meet with members of the graduate recruitment team, future trainee solicitors, trainee solicitors and associates. He described the event as ‘a delightful experience’ where Clifford Chance’s friendliness truly shone through. He really felt appreciated as an individual, not just a student at Durham University and lawyers and the Graduate Recruitment Team really dedicated time to answering each of the attendees’ questions and listening to their stories. After the dinner when Bill attended the Open Day, he was even invited to the office bar for a chat being offered help whenever he needed.
Attending the Open Day
Bill had now learned of the firm’s culture first-hand and had acquired knowledge of the firm’s specialised practice areas, motivating him to apply to the Open Day. Bill’s experience at the Open Day allowed him to enhance and tailor his application for the SPARK Scheme as he learned that his application must be a truly genuine and authentic portrayal of the best version of oneself, and one that complements the culture of the firm. Believing he had developed a competitive application, he applied for the “SPARK Scheme”.
The SPARK Scheme Application Process
The written application for the “SPARK Scheme” normally opens in August and closes in early December. Clifford Chance does not review applications on a rolling basis, which means they will wait until after the deadline to review all applications. This gives applicants a substantial amount of time to tailor their application by seeking out opportunities in the first few months at university and to practise the Watson-Glaser test.
Part 1: Written Application
Bill spent a long time tailoring the work experience section and the essay response section which offers, in his view, one real chance to show the applicant’s distinguishable interest and fit for Clifford Chance. Bill recalls that not many those who give advice stress this work experience section.
The Work Experience Section
Bill approached each work experience explanation as an essay on its own, ensuring he connected each experience back to Clifford Chance. This meant he researched the firm beforehand (Clifford Chance’s website, his personal experiences, Open Day…), drafted responses and then re-drafted and edited by cutting down the responses to fit the word count. It is important to know that the type of work experience (legal or non-legal) does not matter. What matters is the ability to summarise what you learnt from that particular experience that allows you to have a unique perspective at work and towards a client and its connection to Clifford Chance. Each work experience tells a different story so personalise it, enhance it so that it doesn’t just become a ‘filler’ line on your CV. Be prepared to invest a lot into the process as it is arguably one of the most competitive positions in the legal industry.
Bill’s Example:
He had previously interned at a B2B marketing firm as a high school graduate with no prior awareness of what this job would entail. Bill believed his experience here, specifically his role advising issues international clients had as the only English native speaker at the firm, showed he was able to adapt in a dynamic environment quickly and effectively whilst understanding the needs of a commercial client.
The Essay Response Section
Many applicants often wonder what they need to do to ‘stand out’, emerging as a stronger competitor. Bill’s answer to this is personalise your application. Write down what you think defines you as an individual and not another student. Exhibit the qualities that law firms appreciate: be unique, colourful and sociable individuals.
Bill’s Example:
His overarching answer to this section was explaining his experiences that helped him develop an unwavering commitment to reading Law.
He was already a trainee and no, it was not in the legal profession. It was in a music industry that is rapidly sweeping across the world, the K-Pop industry. Bill had been scouted by top entertainment agencies, including the “Big 3” in South Korea and was pursuing this dream of his, endlessly practising for auditions and constantly communicating with large and renowned agencies daily to become a K-Pop idol boy-band singer.
During this period, he witnessed a close friend of his being oppressed tyrannically in a ‘slave contract’ triggering his passion for helping another, especially since it would mean helping his friend overcome her life’s greatest dilemma. By researching the domestic entertainment laws, day and night, Bill adopted the role of his friend’s unofficial legal advisor as she had no resources to access and afford a lawyer. He began to familiarise himself with statutes and aspects of the contract that were initially so alien to him so that he could advise his friend on her contract using specific points of legal argumentation and to record certain pieces of admissible evidence. All the while, he was balancing his academics and extracurriculars as a high school student.
“I ensured I showed Clifford Chance how my experiences not only defined me as an individual of diverse interests but specifically that it connected to my motivation to study law and to become a lawyer at Clifford Chance specifically.”- Bill Lee.
Part 2: Assessment Day
Successful applicants who have been holistically assessed during the first stage of the written application would be invited to an assessment day. Bill was informed that there would be two parts to the assessment day, a competency interview and a post-case study interview on the implications of the case study he would be doing in between the two interviews.
Bill’s Preparation Tips: Pre-Assessment Day
Ensure you read the companies section of the Financial Times everyday leading up to the interview to develop an understanding of the commercial sector and most importantly how these news will affect law firms and clients. It also helps nurture an understanding of the actual role of commercial lawyers to read the News section on the Clifford Chance website.
Know your ‘story’. Bullet point what was written in the first stage of the process and reaffirm your uniqueness and purpose of becoming a lawyer at Clifford Chance. Having a guideline will help with nerves on the day.
Research and truly understand Clifford Chance’s desired traits in lawyers and how the law firm differentiate from other law firms and specifically direct competitor firms within the Magic Circle and the group of top US firms with an office in London.
Structure experiences divided by Clifford Chance values in the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Reflection) form to provide your interviewer with a coherent, concise and organized answer to exhibit effective communication skills.
Assessment Day
Bill’s Routine on the Day
Set out a mind map of responses for each value that the firm emphasise on
Read the morning copy of the Financial Times
Read Clifford Chance’s news sections on recent deals
Have a positive attitude to be the best version of your genuine self
Bill admitted to being incredibly nervous but thankfully the Graduate Recruitment Team had been very welcoming. The applicants were constantly reminded that they were exceptional individuals and had earned every right to be at this stage.
The Competency Interview
The competency interview questions the applicants’ motivations on becoming a lawyer and suitability. It is CV-blind therefore be sure to exhibit your complementary values to the law firm using examples. The aforementioned “Bill’s Preparation Tips: Pre-Assessment Day” should help. Initially, Bill said he was nervous but as the interview went on, he learned that nerves had no place in the interview and that speaking comfortably about who you are was the best approach. This is because the interviewers are genuinely trying to hold a formal conversation (less like a Q&A interview) and trying to get to know applicants as an individual.
The Case Study and the Following Interview
Bill had to complete a reading exercise which consisted of several commercial articles of interest to Clifford Chance lawyers and a writing exercise following it. It was to be done in a relatively short time frame and therefore in a quick and effective manner. It assesses one’s ability to perform under pressure and the ability to balance and organize the time given and priorities and one’s reading comprehension ability. In the Case Study Interview, he was asked a few questions on the implications of the articles on the law firm and its clients, and Bill made sure that he was able to think on his feet, adopt a creative outlook that caters beyond client expectations. One thing he was surprised about was the fact that you are not expected to know and get the right answer with every response. No right answer usually exists with this interview because it assesses whether applicants can think on one’s feet and coherently and concisely support their reasoning.
Tips for the case study activity:
The content for the case study is chosen by Clifford Chance which means applicants are unlikely to have come across the materials before nor are they able to predict what will come up. However, Bill’s tips are:
Regularly follow relevant commercial news through the press to showcase your research in business matters.
Annotate and summarise a commercial article a day within a short time frame.
Learn to skim-read and to highlight the most important parts of an article.
Be creative when thinking of the implications, really stretch your capacity, analysing not just how it affects law firms but rather the specific firm, its clients, and competitor firms
By Bill Lee & Ke Thie Kiew