How to prepare for the clerkship season

[lawstudent]

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Its near the end of the 'clerkship season' and reading the other thread i got the impression that to get a clerkship at one of the top law firms is very competitive. I was wondering if anyone would care to give a few pro tips for people like me (second year). i.e. what grades, experience needed etc

thanks =)

[flamearrows]

Study harder.

[twa13]

Start thinking about your resume now. You need a good balance of stuff so getting on top of that now is a good idea.

[lawstudent]

i study very hard =( but is it enough? lol

[jake1987]

Originally Posted by lawstudent

Its near the end of the 'clerkship season' and reading the other thread i got the impression that to get a clerkship at one of the top law firms is very competitive. I was wondering if anyone would care to give a few pro tips for people like me (second year). i.e. what grades, experience needed etc

thanks =)

1. Law marks ARE important. No matter what people say, this is the first thing the firms always look at (whether or not firms admit it). Despite what all the firms say about having a balanced resume (ie. extra-curricular activities, work experience etc.), in the end, if you have good grades, it makes life A LOT easier. A balanced resume (which i'd highly recommend having) alone is not enough.

2. Clerkships generally - aim for for 70+ law average. If you want to work at a top tier (big 6) - this is generally a must (this is just to get the interview). Especially with Mallesons, Freehills and Allens, marks are VERY important. You might get away with a lower average for mid tiers, but again, it NEVER hurts to have high marks. If you're flying with 75+ average, you have a very high chance of getting interviews.

3. Get as much experience as you can - build your resume. Legal exp, volunteer, part time jobs etc.

4. Just keep in mind that the firms are comparing you with your peers. As much as the firm's say their requirements are minimal (ie. no need legal work experience, marks don't matter, just be 'yourself' etc), you need to distinguish yourself from the other 900+ law students. And having high marks and legal experience is a good way to do so (there are many students out there sitting on a 65% average with a part-time jobs)

[flamearrows]

Originally Posted by lawstudent

i study very hard =( but is it enough? lol

If you have a high distinction law average I guarantee you'll get enough interviews to make your heart sing and your dry cleaning bill very sad.

[melsc]

Originally Posted by jake1987

2. Clerkships generally - aim for for 70+ law average. If you want to work at a top tier (big 6) - this is generally a must (this is just to get the interview). Especially with Mallesons, Freehills and Allens, marks are VERY important. You might get away with a lower average for mid tiers, but again, it NEVER hurts to have high marks. If you're flying with 75+ average, you have a very high chance of getting interviews.

3. Get as much experience as you can - build your resume. Legal exp, volunteer, part time jobs etc.

I am a little unsure if 70+ is enough (maybe it depends on the uni) I had like a 73 average + 18 months legal work exp + mooting, mentoring etc... and got three interviews, no one big and no offers. Maybe if you got to MQ/UWS you need a bit higher?

I think the best advice is be prepared!Have a good resume and cover letter and check the spelling and grammar. When I went to Gadens they had circled even misplaced/missing punctuation.

Know the firms well, be confident and work hard. Balance good marks with with experience, anything you can get but don't let your grades suffer! Also practice interview and sucking up skills. They often have cocktail nights etc, you need to have good conversational skills and bond with them all.

ALSO if they offer any workshops/cocktail nights etc make the effort to go, I believe a friend and I got our Gadens interview partly by going to their interview workshop!

Best of luck, its a tough race and I hope you can learn from my mistakes!

[Strawbaby]

Originally Posted by melsc

I am a little unsure if 70+ is enough (maybe it depends on the uni) I had like a 73 average + 18 months legal work exp + mooting, mentoring etc... and got three interviews, no one big and no offers. Maybe if you got to MQ/UWS you need a bit higher?

You're scaring the hell out of me now

[hYperTrOphY]

Originally Posted by melsc

I think the best advice is be prepared!Have a good resume and cover letter and check the spelling and grammar. When I went to Gadens they had circled even misplaced/missing punctuation.

Yep. Your cover letter is so important. Not only is it one of the primary means by which you convince the firm to give you an interview, but it is a tangible example of the calibre of your work.

A 70+ average may mean very little if your cover letter demonstrates an incapacity to write well, for instance.

I understand that melsc applied to a considerable amount of firms. I'm not sure if melsc would agree, but I would probably advise people that, unless you're preparing really early, to be somewhat selective. This is for at least 2 reasons:

1. The more applications you do, the less time you can spend on each. Spending less time on each applications means less proof-reading, editing etc.

2. Cover letters should be tailored to the firm at which you're applying. The more firms you apply to, the less time you have to really tailor it, and the greater the risk of sending the same letter to every firm.

To repeat what others have said: grades are important. A D+ average will put you in a very good position. Remember, however, that while good marks are necessary, they probably aren't sufficient.

[flamearrows]

Originally Posted by hYperTrOphY

1. The more applications you do, the less time you can spend on each. Spending less time on each applications means less proof-reading, editing etc.

2. Cover letters should be tailored to the firm at which you're applying. The more firms you apply to, the less time you have to really tailor it, and the greater the risk of sending the same letter to every firm.

Further to this, I'd suggest that you pick ten firms or so to apply to and spend your time on applying for them. Be realistic about this. I have a friend who misjudged the market, applied for the six top-tiers and four mid-tiers and got nada. If he'd gone more like 6 mid-tiers, 2 low-tier and 2 top-tier then I think his chances would've been better.

If you can find someone who has had some success the year before and grab their resume and cover letter (resume formatting is important!) and then tailor them you'll be in a good position too. FWIW, my cover letter runs like this (paraphrased):

Hello!

I am really good at university. Here are the prizes I have won/marks I have achieved.

Oh man, I sure have done some teamwork. Extra-curriculars eveywhere.

Got some relevant work experience in a corporate (investment bank in my case). Still workin', improvin' my skills.

I don't just work and study! Do some sports. Involved in some clubs. Done some mooting.

I'm interested in law. More specifically, I am interested in [firm name] because [two areas you are good at appeal to me]. I like that you [worked on two recent transactions]. I particularly look forward to working on [x] in the future.

To reiterate: I'm a great guy!

Sincerely,  

Me.

[lawstudent]

Honestly guys, is 70+ average in your law marks enough? provided you've written a good cover letter and some work experience.

[flamearrows]

Originally Posted by lawstudent

Honestly guys, is 70+ average in your law marks enough? provided you've written a good cover letter and some work experience.

People are telling you probably not. Maybe you really should think about taking my advice?

[lawstudent]

Originally Posted by flamearrows

People are telling you probably not. Maybe you really should think about taking my advice?

lol i think i posted my question like at the same time as you, but i've read your sample cover letter and everything now, thanks for the advice =)

[Libbster]

In my opinion putting in stuff about what attracts you to firm xyz does not make much of a difference, had a friend who put the wrong firm name on the cover letter and still made it thru' to the 2nd round and another one who didn't even bother and got offered top tiers.

[LA88]

Originally Posted by lawstudent

Honestly guys, is 70+ average in your law marks enough? provided you've written a good cover letter and some work experience.

If you want in at the big 6, I would say you need an average of 76+. That said, a poorly written cover letter will screw you over. I think when you get to July you need to make a judgment call:

* If you have an average over 76, a balanced CV, and fancy your ability at writing a great cover letter, apply for the big 6 and a few mid-tiers.

* If you have an average of 70-75, a balanced CV, and think you can write a sound cover letter, apply for mid-tiers and maybe a few 'lower-end' big 6 firms.

* In all other cases, apply based on whether you think you have a reasonable shot at getting a job at the firm you want to apply for. Of course, just because you have a 76+ average doesn't mean you have to apply for a big six. Apply for jobs where you want to work and think you could get a job at.

The above may sound harsh, but it's important not to kid yourself. You need to be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses. I like to play soccer in my spare time, for instance, but I've never entertained the thought of going professional or playing for Australia. So why waste my time turning up to try-outs for Sydney FC?

The worst thing you can do is apply everywhere; being selective means you can produce higher-quality applications, and increase the likelihood of being employed.