In conversation with: Clifford Chance Graduate Recruitment
Wednesday 21st October 2020
Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, Clifford Chance’s 2020 SPARK and Vacation Schemes were delivered remotely in the form of a Virtual Summer Scheme.
Clifford Chance Graduate Recruitment Specialists Yasmina Kone and Zoe Jenkins offer their reflections on the scheme and provide some advice for prospective applicants, in conversation with Commercial Astuteness Founder and Editor Kiran Pillai and President of the University of Bristol Law Club Joe Defries. Kiran and Joe both took part in SPARK 2020.
Kiran Pillai (KP): Zoe and Yasmina, thank you for taking the time to speak to us. With the 2020 schemes taking place in such unprecedented times, what were the challenges you anticipated and/or faced in running the virtual scheme?
Zoe Jenkins (ZJ): Running a virtual scheme was completely new to us and we certainly learnt a lot along the way. We anticipated it would be a challenge to give students an insight into our culture and a feel for our people virtually as networking in the office has always been a huge part of our scheme. We were very surprised with how successful this was virtually as we facilitated it through pre-scheme socials, virtual networking, using break out rooms to facilitate smaller group discussions and by connecting participants with a trainee buddy.
KP: Following on from that, one of the key highlights for me was the way in which the virtual scheme maintained all of the key elements of an in-person scheme. The ability to have meaningful interactions with people from across the firm was a particular highlight. The receptiveness of partners and other senior people to questions really emphasised a dedication to the learning and development of the firm’s junior people and, by extension, its interns.
ZJ: We also asked the students to be on camera and ask their questions directly rather than using the chat to ensure they were visible to each other and the speakers throughout the programme – this made a huge difference with how interactive it felt! The feedback on this has been really great, so getting an insight into a firm’s culture and people can definitely be done virtually – it just requires a bit of thought and careful planning!
Joe Defries (JD): Definitely – my highlight of the scheme was getting to know the people at Clifford Chance, one example being regional managing partner Michael Bates who answered my questions regarding the firm’s culture and how the firm adapted over lockdown. The virtual setting allowed us to ask lots of questions and engage with other students’ questions in the chat. I think this brought us closer and made the scheme feel more collaborative as we were constantly bouncing ideas off each other.
What were the benefits or most rewarding elements of the virtual format?
ZJ: We created a bespoke programme for the students, even more so than we've been able to do in previous years. We always tailor our schemes to the cohort to ensure the content is in line with the students' interests and their development areas. As we were not constrained by a lack of rooms we were able to host as many sessions as we liked and the students were able to shape their own experience by selecting what they'd like to participate in real time and what they would watch back later. We were able to record all of the sessions and the students had access to this for a few weeks after the scheme so they could reflect and review anything they missed.
JD: Over the three days, I really enjoyed the balance between detailed practice areas talks and informal networking sessions. I was impressed by the level of thought which went into the scheme; having lunch with trainees, completing daily tasks and working on case studies in small breakout rooms made a big difference to how connected I felt to the rest of the cohort. Being able to re-watch and review sessions in the weeks following the scheme was a main benefit of the virtual format – it created an opportunity for us to interact with Clifford Chance like never before.
ZJ: Funnily enough, experiencing something completely new together during a very challenging time really brought the cohort together in a way that I couldn't have imagined. We all had a good laugh along the way and it was great to see everyone form friendships via Zoom. I couldn't imagine my first experience running a vacation scheme any other way!
KP: I would absolutely agree. Despite the virtual format, we had some great relationships form across our cohort. I remember in one of the trainee-led sessions, a key attribute discussed for a successful trainee (and lawyer) was adaptability. In addition to providing a great scheme experience and platform for our cohort to get to know the firm’s people and each other, I think the virtual scheme provided an opportunity for everyone to adapt to challenging and uncertain times in a way which will only be excellent preparation for a future legal career.
JD: Being allocated a trainee buddy was another benefit of the scheme, as I now have a contact who I can regularly speak with and learn from. Our conversations have given me a deeper insight into how Clifford Chance supports its future and current trainees and what level of responsibility to expect.
KP: I would fully second that. My trainee buddy has been especially helpful and willing to offer their time to answer any questions that I have.
Do you have any tips for prospective SPARK 2021 applicants – such as what the firm looks for in a strong application?
ZJ: This is something we are asked all the time, and if I'm honest there isn't a straightforward answer. A lot of it comes down to not what work experience, extra curriculars and hobbies an applicant has done, but how an applicant articulates and reflects on their experiences. It's important for an applicant to recognise how they added value to their role, and what the results of their actions were. It's very easy to fall into the trap of telling us of a specific skill without demonstrating it, and this can be the difference between a weak and strong applicant!
JD: A tip I would add is to never underestimate the value of your non-legal work experience. At interview, I reflected on key skills I’d developed whilst working in hospitality and I was able to discuss times where I’ve had to deal with difficult individuals, manage a team, find solutions and be resilient. I then linked these skills to the role of a trainee solicitor and why I’m pursuing a career in commercial law.
ZJ: We look for students with a good work ethic, curiosity, a willingness to learn, and passions outside of their academics and work. Applicants often worry if they don't have lots of legal experience, but the truth is everyone needs to start somewhere! After all, we are looking for the potential to be an outstanding lawyer, we aren't looking for the finished product. Lastly, it's so important for applicants to have resilience and maintain a positive attitude. The graduate market is extremely competitive – a successful application doesn't always happen the first time round!
JD: I think it’s really important to be yourself and enjoy the experience. My competency-based interview felt like a conversation rather than an interview and I used this as an opportunity to ask questions and find out more about the firm.
I also conducted my research of Clifford Chance using a range of sources. I regularly listened to the Clifford Chance podcast and kept up to date with briefings found on the website. I also reached out to SPARK alumni and learnt about the firm’s vision and strategy before I applied.
KP: That’s a very good point – I found that the key to success in the application process was good preparation, as well as the positive attitude that Zoe mentioned. I always liked to think of it as having confidence in one’s experiences, preparation and willingness to learn – without being complacent.
Looking at the current application cycle, I would encourage prospective SPARK applicants to look at the Clifford Chance Events Hub. I’ve watched some excellent sessions there and signed up to a few over the coming weeks and months. Having been through the last SPARK application cycle, I can attest to their usefulness for a prospective applicant!
Could you discuss the move to the new year-round Clifford Chance Global Virtual Internships on Forage (previously known as InsideSherpa)?
Yasmina Kone (YK): Launching our global virtual internships is part of our commitment to breaking down barriers to access the profession and democratising access to opportunity. We used to offer an in-person vacation scheme, but this was only open to around 30 candidates per year. We recognised the demand for legal work experience, and wanted to play our part in offering meaningful skills development opportunities to as many candidates as possible. The global virtual internships have a reach that we could never replicate in the office – they're open access, and not limited by jurisdiction. It was an opportunity for us to show our global network in practice, give individuals an insight into the work that we do in Clifford Chance, and support their learning too.
KP: It’s certainly a highly innovative step and has provided more open and meaningful insight into the areas of law that Clifford Chance operates in. I have completed a Global Virtual Internship on Forage and it was both interesting and representative of the internship tasks we encountered on the virtual scheme, so I would encourage prospective applicants to look into this.
Once again, thank you very much Yasmina and Zoe for taking the time to talk to us.
You can access the Clifford Chance Global Virtual Internships here.
The Clifford Chance Events Hub can be found here.
Yasmina Kone and Zoe Jenkins are Graduate Recruitment Specialists at Clifford Chance.
Kiran Pillai is the Founder and Editor of Commercial Astuteness. He is a second-year Law student at the University of Bristol and Co-Director of the University of Bristol Law Club’s Commercial Awareness Programme.
Joe Defries is a Correspondent at Commercial Astuteness. He is a second-year Law student at the University of Bristol and current President of the University of Bristol Law Club.
