We recently talked with Serena about how she secured a training contract with Osborne Clarke, how she built her commercial awareness before the interview, how Bright Network Academy helped her and her top tips for members looking to follow in her footsteps.
Serena, Trainee Solicitor
What stood out to you about Osborne Clarke?
I chose Osborne Clarke because of the firm's genuine commitment to innovation within the legal sector. During my virtual vacation scheme in 2020, I received excellent insight into Osborne Clarke's sector focus, and how the OC Solutions team use technology to transform the way that clients work. It is this genuine commitment to helping clients succeed that attracted me to Osborne Clarke.
How did you build your commercial awareness before the interview?
To build my commercial awareness, I would sign up to email newsletters by reputable media outlets such as The Economist and the Financial Times. I tried to engage with the stories that genuinely interested me and relate this to the work that commercial law firms do to help clients. For example, my part-time job in retail gave me a greater understanding of the specific issues retailer clients would be facing, particularly during the pandemic. I also would try to listen to daily news podcasts such as the FT Daily News Briefing every morning.
What would be your top tip to members going through the application process?
My top tip for applicants is to maintain integrity and always be yourself. Although this might be generic advice, many firms such as Osborne Clarke value diversity, inclusion and authenticity. It could appear quite disingenuous to present a false version of yourself to impress the partners and graduate recruitment, so I would urge all aspiring solicitors to ignore any possible nerves and genuinely just present the best version of yourself!
How did Bright Network help you secure this role?
I enjoyed reading the Commercial Awareness Newsletter by Bright Network, as well as watching the Bright Network Academy modules run by Chris Stoakes, which gave me an excellent insight into a career in commercial law. I was also lucky to attend the Future Top 100 Lawyers event by Bright Network in 2019, where I was fortunate to win an award. This event really helped consolidate that I had a genuine interest in a career in commercial law.
Tell us more about how you used Bright Network Academy…
Bright Network Academy was undoubtedly an invaluable resource for my future career in law. The modules provided by Bright Network gave me an unprecedented insight into the realities of commercial law. Specifically, the free psychometric practice tests available really helped me prepare for the online tests that firms like Osborne Clarke use. Furthermore, the Bright Network Academy also helped me enhance my soft skills, such as networking and CV writing. I would encourage all aspiring lawyers to use Bright Network Academy!
What’s been the toughest interview question you've faced and how did you tackle it?
I remember being asked by another firm to tell them about a time where I have failed. This question had me stumped, but I tried to stay calm and think about possible examples I could use. As this was a competency question, I framed my answer using the STAR framework which helped to improve the clarity and structure of my answer. Thankfully, I gave a relevant answer that I believe my interviewers liked!
What top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Be proactive: seek out opportunities that you think would be beneficial for your personal and/or professional growth. I tried to involve myself in mentoring schemes, workshops, and work experience placements to substantiate my interest in commercial law. Furthermore, this will also prove to firms that you are genuinely interested in a career in commercial law.
- Broaden your network: following my previous point, getting involved in a variety of opportunities would also help widen your professional network. This is beneficial because you can build connections that could give you helpful advice when you get to the interview stage at a firm.
- Stay positive: the process can be extremely draining at times, so it's important to take time out for yourself and take breaks whenever you can. Rejections can be brutal, so do your best to stay positive and not dwell on them too much.
