As an alumni of Brodies' summer placement programme, and with applications for next year's programme now open, I thought it would be worthwhile jotting down a few hints and tips for current law students who also aspire to join Scotland's leading law firm.
In the summer of 2021, I secured a summer placement with Brodies in the firm's rural business team and at the end of that placement, I was offered a traineeship, commencing in August this year.
Tip 1 – plan ahead
Although the closing date, Monday 8 January 2024, seems like a million miles away right now, circling a few dates in your diary in advance of this deadline can really help to bolster the overall appearance of your application form. By giving yourself more time to read and go through your application, you are in turn minimising the risk of any spelling and grammatical errors appearing. The absence of such mistakes is crucial in terms of leaving a good first impression on anyone reading your application.
Tip 2 – be genuine
When filling out your application; write about the real you. If you play tennis, mention that. If you volunteer in your spare time, mention that as well. From personal experience, even if you think your hobby is too niche or too 'boring' to be of any real interest to anyone else (my hobby of training sheepdogs is a lot more interesting than it sounds … trust me) still mention it regardless of whether you think it is cool or not. Brodies wants to know and hear about the true you.
Tip 3 – transferable skills
While having prior legal experience helps, it is certainly not the be-all and end-all. What is far more important is your ability to demonstrate how your current skillset can be transferred to a career in law. Whether that involves the communication skills you learnt from your part-time job, or the teamworking skills you obtained from being part of a sports team, make sure to draw upon these skills in your application form and to specifically link them back as to why they make you best suited for working at Brodies.
Tip 4 – research and follow us
My final top tip would be to conduct some thorough research into Brodies as a business. By doing so, you are not only advancing your own knowledge of the firm – which you can later refer to in your application form if appropriate – but you are also proactively finding out whether Brodies is the right choice for you. If you like what you see, dropping a follow on all of the Brodies socials (Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn) can also go a long way in showing your engagement with the firm.
Applications for 2024 summer placements are now open.
Contributor
Trainee