Hi, my name is Alex! I grew up in south London and then went to Warwick University where I studied history. I never had a clear idea of what I wanted to do after university, so whilst I was there, I focused on gaining a variety of work experience. I did one summer internship at a bank and then another at a national newspaper - the latter was a little strange as I ended up writing obituaries for people who were still alive (I won’t name any names)! I then did my Vacation Scheme at Jones Day in my third year and realised that I had a real interest in law.
What inspired you to apply to Jones Day?
I first encountered Jones Day at a Bright Network careers event back in 2018. I got speaking to their graduate recruitment team and left with a really good impression. After doing some follow up research into Jones Day, the biggest thing that jumped out to me was the training system.
Rather than doing the standard 4 x 6-month rotations through different departments as is the case at most city law firms, here we share an office with another trainee and source our own work. This allowed me to build my own Training Contract and choose exactly what I wanted to achieve across the two years.
What are they key things to consider when researching law firms and what would you consider to be the most important?
Try to pin down and identify the unique selling points of each firm. On the surface these large international law firms can all look very similar, with offices in the same locations and similar types of clients. This means it is important to dig a little deeper into the specific areas a firm is active in. For example, if you’re applying to the London office of a global firm, what do they do well in London compared to other locations?
You should also try and understand their business model, which can be hard to do. To make it easier for yourself, try following up in an interview and asking questions to develop a better understanding of the firm as a whole. This will also show the interviewer you want to find out more.!
Culture is something that is mentioned a lot, how can students find out what each firm is really like?
This is something I think is really hard to do without meeting the firm in person. My suggestion is to go to as many events as you can. Don’t just rely on websites as many of the firms will make the same kind of claims. Instead, try and develop your own understanding of the culture by interacting with the people. Since I’ve started here, the culture has become very clear and it’s not something that I could have fully grasped had I not spent time in the firm.
How can students use their research to show their interest through a cover letter or interview?
The key is to focus on a topic that you have a genuine interest in. If you just reel off lots of statistics from the website, like how many offices a firm has or what deals they’ve done, then you don’t give the interviewer a proper insight into who you are.
I’d suggest you do some research to find a case or deal that you have a genuine interest in, so that you can offer an opinion. This helps turn it from a question-and-answer interview into more of a two-way conversation, which is what an interview should be!
How valuable are opportunities to meet firm representatives at events, and how should students make the most of this time?
The key is to ask lots of questions and not to hold back when it comes to the questions you want to ask.
Another tip is to make sure you speak to lots of different people from the firm. If you go to an event, don’t just go straight to the partner at the stand, speak to the associates as well as trainees. You can learn a lot from everyone at these events (including other students), so don’t only talk to who you think is the most important person there.
Finally, any tips for anyone who’d like to apply to Jones Day?
Have a clear idea of why you want to apply and make sure you can get this across to recruiters with genuine enthusiasm. At Jones Day, the application process isn’t designed to be a test of legal knowledge – as a history student I had no real legal knowledge when I applied! It is more important to show why you’re suited to the job, and what motivates you.
Jones Day’s Virtual Work Experience is also a great resource to show your interest in the firm and will help you understand the work we do on a day-to-day basis. Taking the time to complete experiences like this will allow you to articulate why you’re applying and will help you to give specific examples of the kind of work you’re looking forward to getting involved in.
Want to find out more about life at Jones Day? Meet the team at Bright Network FESTIVAL on 7th September!