How do you answer: "Why do you think you will be a good commercial solicitor?"

Jun 01, 2023

Written By Dhuha Al-Fahad

Anyone who made applications to commercial law firms would likely be familiar with this question - ‘why do you think you will be a good commercial solicitor?’. In a sea of generic answers, you must ensure that your reasons for pursuing a career in commercial law are personal and specific. Here are some tips to ensure that you write a memorable answer and stand out as a promising candidate.

Understand what a commercial solicitor does

Before writing your answer, it is vital that you understand exactly what a commercial solicitor does and how the role differs from other commercial careers. One way to do this would be to read articles and attend events on commercial law, how being a solicitor differs from being a barrister and the responsibilities of a commercial solicitor.

It’s also important to ensure that you tailor your answer to the firm that you are applying to. To do so, reach out to trainee solicitors or representatives on LinkedIn (or attend open days) and ask questions relating to their responsibilities and their position within the team. Make a note of their responses and have them as a reference point whilst writing your answer.

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Match aspects of the role to your experiences and skills

Once you have researched the law firm and the commercial law industry in general, it is important to take some time and think about your skills as well as any notable experiences that you have. It may be that you have held a committee position within a society, have completed legal work experience, or you have been a campus ambassador for a law firm.

However, it is important to emphasise that it is not necessary to have legal work experience. Any experience would allow you to demonstrate that you have not only been able to meet the demands of varying roles, but can adapt to different responsibilities effectively.

Once you have made a note of your experiences, match these to specific aspects of being a commercial solicitor. This is the final step before planning your answers.

Plan your answers using PEE structure

Following on from your research into the role and your experiences, plan your answers using a PEE structure. This step will take the most time - so ensure that you plan your answers well in advance of the application deadline.

Before delving into how you can write this answer, here is a breakdown of what exactly a PEE is.

P - point you are trying to make.

E - evidence which backs up this point.

E - how the evidence demonstrates the point that you are making.

In the context of this question, the PEE structure would resemble something like this:

P: point about what a commercial solicitor does or a skill which they need to have - - For example, the role focuses on client interaction so you need good problem solving skills.

E: Evidence where you have demonstrated this element.

- Were you involved in a client-interviewing competition? Did you have a role in a shop or retail where you had to face a lot of customers? Where have you demonstrated effective problem solving?

E: Explanation on how that experience matches up to the role of a commercial solicitor.

- For example, you have been able to effectively handle multiple queries and have attained customer loyalty. This shows that you can effectively answer questions and queries of clients in a commercially evolving landscape.

- Ensure that the explanation focuses specifically on the firm. If the firm allows its trainees to sit in on meetings with clients, then mention this and how your skill can support the firm in their maintenance of client relations. This is where your connections with the firm will come in!

After you have an idea of what you want to mention, construct roughly two to three PEE answers which follow this structure. Keep in mind many firms have a word limit on this answer. Once you are happy with the answers you have provided, try to find someone who can read these answers and provide feedback. Whilst it can help if this person has a legal background, seek out anyone who can read your answer with a fresh set of eyes. This will allow you to find out whether your points are clear and whether they logically follow.

Even if you are not asked this question in an application, it is still hugely important to think about this as you may be asked this question in an interview. In this case, have some examples to back up your research into commercial law. You do not have to have fully written answers but ensure that you have enough points to talk about in an interview.

Conclusion

Whilst this is a question that will involve a lot of research and thinking, it is still one of the key indicators that law firms will use to find out whether you are right for the role.

Ensure that you spend enough time on this question and really think about how you can add value to this role as well as the firm in general. From there, the answers will become specific to you as a person and memorable to the team reading.

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