Alex is a Law student from the University of Southampton. Alex secured an internship at DLA Piper in London through Bright Network. 
What motivated you to apply for your role?
“I think a lot of people are pushed into commercial law right at the beginning of their degree. I was quite stubborn and didn’t want to go straight into it without trying other things.
After having experience in a few other areas of law, I realised that commercial law was the one for me. I’m glad I tried those other options, because it’s made me more confident that I’m a good fit for commercial law.”
What was your application process like?
“It was a pretty straightforward process. They seemed to be more focused on getting to know you, rather than trying to test your knowledge on specific matters which seemed to be the practice at other firms.”
“This showed me that the firm really cares about its people and recruits based on who they are.”
What have you learned from going through the process?
"Everyone has their own journey, so you just need to focus on what you want, who you are and what helps you succeed."
What are you most proud of about your journey?
“A lot of my peers commenced their journey a few years before me, whereas I only started applying for roles in my final year of my degree.”
“Because of these circumstances, I have put immense pressure on myself to achieve something that takes a lot of perseverance, ambition, honesty and luck.”
What are your tips for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
“I took an “all-in” approach and basically did everything I possibly could. I attended events, used all the possible resources and focused on this for three months.
This sort of approach was tiring, but I wanted to do this because I wanted to know that I did my best and gave my all, no matter the result.”
Tell us about the future. What’s next?
“I’m very excited to meet people at the firm, immerse myself in the work and being surrounding by individuals that have similar ambitions to me – I'm really looking forward to starting my internship!”
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