Standing out from the crowd: a Masters in International Business Law

Georgina Baxter, trainee solicitor

After two years of rejections and thanks but no thanks e-mails, I decided I needed something to make my application forms stand out. I realised 99.99% of applicants would have 3 A’s at A level and comfortable 2:1 degrees, so I needed to do something to make somebody look twice at me. As someone who has always enjoyed studying, a Masters seemed a logical choice. I was told by many firms that if you pick a specialist subject, firms will be impressed at your dedication and interest in the law. I chose a Masters in “International Business Law”, with an option to study human rights law.

Doing a specialist subject helped me in several ways: the training contract application, as it showed I had something different, the interview itself as I could talk passionately about my dissertation subject, answers to questions about commercial awareness were at the forefront of my mind and also due to studying human rights law. I could talk about “world issues” which went beyond the law. Firms want to know you’re academic but they also want to know about other things that you’re interested in, such as humanitarian issues, sports or even particular artists-just something outside the legal bubble.

A Masters not only helped me secure a training contract but it helped prepare me for the LPC. Both courses are “self-taught” in that you have to get up and read: no-one is going to lecture you. Doing a Masters also made me truly enthusiastic about becoming a solicitor, something which law firms no doubt picked up on in my newly edited application. If years of applying have taught me anything it is this: never be ashamed of what you have done or want to do, I am a restaurant worker with no connections to the legal world but I have always wanted to be a solicitor. Find something that makes you stand out, whether it is a Masters in a specialist subject or the fact you have run for charities the past 5 years – whatever it is be proud!

William Reddie: Holman Fenwick Willan LLP

In order to secure a training contract, I tried to get as much work experience as possible. I spent some time at a firm but also worked in an in house legal department. It seems an obvious thing to say but my work experience really helped me to decide what type of law I was interested in. When I found something particularly interesting, I went away and found out more about it. In interviews, I could then talk about what I had found out and why I was drawn to that area. Not only did this improve my own knowledge but it also helped to show that I had genuinely taken an interest in certain areas of practice.

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Why is "ambush marketing" big business?

Congratulations to Holland for reaching the World Cup Final. However, Dutch brewer, Bavaria could also be the winners from the World Cup. Bavaria's inventive approach to capture the attention of the world's media during the World Cup was considered a wildly successful tactic to market the brand by some and a cynical publicity gimmick by others- which side of the fence are you on?

When 36 women wearing orange mini- dresses are heading in your direction - you are bound to take notice. When these "supporters" entered the stands at South Africa's Soccer City stadium for the Holland versus Denmark match, the cameras, predicatably, turned towards them en masse, capturing shots that would grab the attention of the global media. The key thing is, the fans were associated with the Dutch brewers Bavaria; all of the mini-skirted ladies were subsequently ejected from the venue and two were arrested on charges of organising "unlawful comemrcial activities". Meanwhile, a spokesman for FIFA, the tournament's governing body, said it was looking into all available legal remedies against the brewery.

The World Cup's authorised beer, Budweiser, paid millions for the exclusive rights to be official sponsors during the competition. Sponsorship is a high- stakes business, both for the brands splashing out and sporting and governing bodies cashing in - meaning that so- called "ambush marketing" of brands trying to benefit by associating their brand names with the event, has itself, become a huge growth industry. But this means there is potentially huge exposure for any brand that manages to outwit event organisers and pull off an ambush.

Events like the Olympics and the World Cup are hugely expensive to organise and deliver, such events could not go ahead without big-money sponsorship and this in turn means that the organisers have a duty to protect those brands investing in the event and aggresively prevent unauthorised third parties from infringing those rights by using ambush marketing strategies.

Does YOUR application STAND OUT from the Crowd?

Law firms receive hundreds of applications and CV's for Training Contracts and work experience placements.

Why should they pick you?

Does your application really stand out from the crowd?

Top Tips on using work experience to enhance your application at www.ultimatelawguide.com

Do you have enough fuel for your Journey?

When I was travelling along the long and winding road of pursuing a Training Contract I often thought of myself on a journey, and making that journey in a car.

I was in the car and the Training Contract was my final destination.

• The wheels were my academic and vocational qualifications- degree, LPC/GDL.
  
  
• The seats were my work experience and commercial understanding.
  
  
• The steering was my reasons for wanting to become a Solicitor.
  
  
• The CD player, surround sound, tinted windows and alloys, well those were all of my extra- curricular activities, skills and interests - the things that made me different and allowed me to stand out from others on the same road making the same journey.

Now everyone has the potential to be travelling in a Bentley, Ferrari or Rolls Royce - to be the first choice student that law firms want - the BEST CANDIDATE.

But Bentleys, Ferraris and Rolls Royce's, however great they might be, are not going to get anywhere without the petrol. The fuel to complete the journey. I needed the fuel for my Training Contract journey, for I thought that I was doing everything I possibly could do, but without the self- belief, the confidence and the persistance, you are unlikely to reach your Training Contract destination.

So, at times when I thought about giving up, I remembered that If I tried hard enough I could be a Bentley/a great application. I had the potential, I just needed to believe in myself and the confidence to make it happen!

Securing a Training Contract with a 2.2 degree

Academic qualifications and results are one of the first things on your application that a recruiter will look at. On paper, before a recruiter has met you, they will have little idea of how good a candidate or potential trainee you might be, but one thing that instantly stands out are your grades and academic abilities and achievements.

It is well known that the majority of major law firms specify a minimun of at least a 2.1 on their websites and in their brochures, but what happens if you acheive a 2.2 classification in your degree? Check out the 'Articles' section on our website http://www.ultimatelawguide.com for our latest article on tackling the application process with a 2.2 degree, with contributions and insider thoughts with Clarke Willmott LLP Graduate Recruitment Manager Heather Cooper.


Do you have a 2.2 degree?


If so, how are you strengthening other areas in your application?