You may want to get a better idea of whether a commercial lawyer is the right career for you by further exploring the career, completing virtual internships, gaining work experience, and more. If you work part-time, understanding the functions of the business and recognizing the relevance of business-related legal issues can also determine your interests in commercial law. You may also want to explore areas other than business law to see if there is an area of practice you prefer in comparison. When you ask these questions, you will revisit a unique aspect of your career: law applied in a practical business context. If you can convince the law firm you are applying for why you are particularly interested in applying the law in a practical economic context, then you are well on your way to a successful response. Even though many motivational questions in business law don`t explicitly ask why you want to work at this firm, the right answers should make it seem like you want to work at this law firm first and foremost. The first six tips below will help you do this, as they all rely on you to do your research in the business before you fill out your application form. You won`t be able to convince recruiters that you want to work in business law at their firm until you invest the necessary hours in your research. This special search feature will help you: it will give you a checklist to go through when searching for law firms to make sure you cover the firm`s culture and attractiveness, the structure and offering of training contracts, and the context. If so, think about what you liked about the job. What did you like about participating in business transactions? Have you gained experience in different fields of activity and, if so, are there things you have found together that you have enjoyed? Now that you understand what law firms are looking for when they ask you the question “Why commercial law?”, you are better able to find an answer that will be successful.
You should consider the above information when reading, as it informs our advice on structure, content, and specificity. If you`re interested in a career in business law and are expanding your professional options, a sure way to stand out is to take contract management courses. Although many commercial lawyers encourage students at career events to apply to work in competitive companies within their commercial department, there is unfortunately one mistake that often shocks students who wish to become commercial lawyers. It`s harder than they were told, and certainly harder than they thought. A typical answer to the question “Why business law?” often includes a long story about how the candidate first met a law firm or attended an open house. While personal stories are great for adding flair to your response, they can be cumbersome and misleading. Remember that you are not intended to entertain a law firm recruiter or your interlocutor – your goal is to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in accordance with the points discussed in the previous section. Browse the graduate positions in business law available today and take the next steps in your career in this exciting sector. After all, the law firm wants you to show why you are interested in business law from their perspective. This is perhaps the most difficult thing for students to discern, as the generic nature of the question suggests that it requires a fairly general answer. However, at the end of the day, your job is to show them that you are a good fit for them, and the best way to do that is to tailor the response to them each time. By asking these questions, you try to understand what`s going on with the work and the role you enjoyed.
Once you find this point, it will serve as a good source of motivation for the career (since it comes from your personal experience!). Finally, follow the structure above: show your ambition for commercial law, use your story to make what you say emotionally persuasive, and don`t forget to support your interest in commercial law by focusing on it. If you`re a graduate or student, or want to get your foot in the door, Bright Network`s Business Career Path is the perfect place to start. We have everything from advice for first-year law students, our application advice for apprenticeship contracts, how to get a vacation program and how to become a lawyer. You understand what the day-to-day work of a business lawyer (articling student) is all about. With that in mind, I will now give examples of some of the aspects you should consider when trying to convey your personal reasons for pursuing your chosen career. So far, this article has covered the reasons why a particular firm might ask you, “Why commercial law?” and the recommended structure for your answer to such a question. What is covered now is the content you should include in your response. In this section, we cover: You also need to understand why you are being asked this question. What is the reason why the recruiter is interested in discovering your interest in business law? Only when you have put yourself in the recruiter`s shoes and really understood the question, should you start writing. Before diving into the key points, you should be aware that you can get a subtle variation of the same question.
For example, you may be asked why you are particularly interested in international trade law or what makes you particularly suitable for a career in business law. Fortunately, these variations can usually be solved with the same processes mentioned here. The only major exception is when you are asked, “Why corporate law?” Corporate law is slightly different from commercial law because corporate law is related to clients` affairs (e.g. mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, etc.), while commercial law is everything that is done by a law firm in the city. So make sure your answers reflect this subtle difference in the survey! Show that you have researched commercial law. Mention any cases that have caught your attention recently, especially those related to the headquarters where interns work in the company. On the company`s graduate recruitment website, you can find out in which departments the interns are guaranteed to work. For example, two of your internship positions at Hogan Lovells are in the Corporate and Finance groups and another in one of its process teams. All future Bristows lawyers are guaranteed a seat in the Intellectual Property Department. This article summarized how to answer a question “Why business law?” in the context of application forms and assessment centres. First, we proposed to use a clear structure with three “PEE/AL” paragraphs. “Why do you want to pursue a career in business law?” – While the question may seem simple, it can be difficult to answer correctly and be a barrier to completing your vacation program or apprenticeship contract.
If your answer isn`t up to par, many law firms will reject you immediately, even if the rest of your answers were satisfactory. Some of these application questions ask why you are suitable for a “long-term career” in the company – describe some of your goals here. Outline how you want to grow and explain why you think this particular company will support your progress. For example, you may want to name the firm`s top clients in a particular field of activity or their reputation for training and mentoring. Again, research is everything. Find real reasons why you want to pursue a long-term career with the firm – they can come from a thorough reading of the website, conversations you had at a campus fair or cabinet presentation, or time spent there as part of a vacation program or open house. Think about the skills the company is looking for (check out their website) and show that you have them. For example, many commercial companies attach great importance to customer centricity; Show that you are good at dealing with people and that you are able to build new professional relationships by highlighting opportunities or jobs where you have had to provide a service or deal with clients.