In this blog, Hannah, a second-year Law student at the University of Nottingham, gives a step-by-step account of her training contract application process.

Everyone at LEAP is delighted to hear that Hannah has now secured a training contract at a magic circle law firm, and we can’t wait to follow her career in the years ahead!

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Applying for a training contract felt quite intense at times because there are many stages, and each one tests something slightly different. What helped me most was breaking the process down and being intentional about how I prepared for each stage.

Application stage 

At the application stage, I made sure to include the ways I had engaged with the firm and how that developed my interest in applying. I led with something specific I had learned, such as a strategy or deal from an insight event, and explained why it stood out to me. Rather than relying on broad terms like “global” or “innovative”, I focused on why each aspect appealed to me and how it aligned with my experiences. For example, if I mentioned a practice area, I connected it to work I had done in corporate or compliance, or to my interest in financial regulation.

I also tried to be evidence-based. Instead of stating that I was resilient or analytical, I demonstrated those qualities through examples, which made my answers more authentic.

Psychometric testing 

This stage is important, so it’s worth giving yourself enough time to practise and feel confident going into it. First, I watched walkthrough videos on YouTube to really understand the reasoning behind the answers. That helped me see patterns in how questions are structured and how to approach them logically. I found it helpful to create my own system for remembering the reasoning, which made it easier to apply the same approach during practice and the actual test.

Most firms provide a mock test on their websites that mirrors their format. I completed these under timed conditions to get used to the pressure, and worked on balancing speed with accuracy.

Video interview

For the video interview, I prepared for questions about the firm and my motivations. I went back over my application and made sure I knew my experiences inside out. This was really helpful because if you get an unexpected question, you can adapt examples of your experiences to the question at hand, and I found it useful to write down all the skills that could be interpreted from each experience. For example, a leadership role could also demonstrate communication, resilience, organisation, or commercial awareness depending on how it was framed.

I also practised speaking my answers out loud. Video interviews can feel unnatural because you’re speaking to a screen, so I tried to sound conversational rather than robotic.

Assessment centre

I looked into the firm’s different practice areas and what they actually do in real scenarios. I tried to think about what situations might come up, such as an M&A transaction or a restructuring, and what the role of each team would be in that context. That helped me approach the case study in a more structured way.

When building my legal and commercial knowledge, I also prepared for curveball questions. For example, I thought about how global economic changes, regulatory shifts, or geopolitical events might affect clients. Even if those exact questions didn’t come up, that broader preparation helped me think more commercially.

Before the interview, I also looked at the firm’s annual report to understand their strategy and priorities. I made sure I could discuss recent deals and explain why they were socio-economically significant, and why that interested me. That depth of understanding really strengthens your answers.

I also tried to keep my tone natural at this stage. Unlike a video interview, you’re speaking to actual people, so it’s important to engage with them rather than sound rehearsed.

Tips

• Prepare well for psychometric testing.
• Practise reading and digesting large amounts of information quickly, especially for case studies.
• Know the firm’s practice areas, particularly the ones you are most interested in. Understand what they actually do and the types of matters they handle.
• Know the role of a trainee. Be clear on how trainees add value, what responsibilities they have, and how they support deals and cases.
• In case studies, be mindful of who you are writing to. If you’re advising a client, avoid excessive legal jargon and focus on clarity and commercial implications.

Support from LEAP

LEAP provided meaningful support at key stages of my application process. In particular, my mentor gave me a session on application writing and offered detailed, constructive feedback, which helped me refine my answers and sharpen my focus.

I also completed a mock case study interview. My mentor’s advice to understand the specific legal work carried out by each practice group encouraged me to approach case studies with a more practical and commercially grounded mindset.

Overall, LEAP enhanced both my written application and my performance in the later stages by deepening the substance of my answers and strengthening my strategic approach. Having that guidance at pivotal moments also made the process feel far less isolating.