What London law firms to apply to as an international law student?
1) Aim HIGH
Many international law students are under the impression that they need to apply to smaller or less prestigious law firms, because the competition is insane and they stand no chance of competing against many other domestic candidates.
Yet, speaking from personal experiences, I think you may be better off applying to bigger law firms.
The bigger and more international the firms are, the more likely they will consider an application from a foreign-educated candidate. The reason is that they need more international employees to meet their global business needs as well as diversity and inclusion targets.
if you have additional language skills or work experiences in another country, your CV will probably appeal to big law firms that work with international clients on a daily basis.
2) Bigger firms have more resources for foreign talent
Bigger firms are also in a better position to provide visa sponsorships and cover all the necessary expenses. They are usually more experienced in handling any immigration issues arising from your visa status, as they have a track record of hiring foreigners and a dedicated immigration team to guide you through the process.
If you get invited for an assessment centre but you’re not based in the UK, some international law firms are even able to reimburse you for part of your flight/train ticket.
3) Identify firms that value foreign talent
Back when I applied for a training contract in London, I mostly shortlisted law firms that:
(i) have a strong international brand;
(ii) have a passion for diversity and inclusion (you can identify those firms by looking at the D&I initiatives on their official website); and
(iii) have a track record of hiring international candidates, including (but not limited to) Baker McKenzie, White & Case, DLA Piper, Latham Watkins, Dentons, Hogan Lovells, and of course, the typical Magic / Silver Circle firms — these law firms should be your main focus when applying for a training contract.
Specifically for point (iii), I used to check each firm’s profile on Legal Cheek to assess the percentage of Current Trainees attended universities abroad, and then create a spreadsheet listing out all the firms that recruited foreigners in the past.
Keep trying
I think one thing all international law students must bear in mind when applying to law firms in a different country is that no matter how good you are as a candidate, someone is going to reject you.
Even today, if I want to apply for a different role, I still get rejected for reasons possibly unrelated to my ability. Don’t take rejection personally.
Remember, you worked as hard as others to make your best application. You spent as much time as others to prepare for the interviews. You are as worthy as anyone else to get the job.
