Knowing what firms look for is one thing. Knowing how to demonstrate it in an application, in your preparation, and in how you present your experience is harder. That gap is where many candidates get stuck.
This is part two of a careers guide on what firms want in future trainees. Part one explored the skills, behaviours, and mindset firms value. This article focuses on how to apply those qualities through skill-building, targeted applications, effective use of AI, and presenting non-traditional experience.
This guide draws directly from a careers webinar hosted by The College of Legal Practice, bringing together three practitioners who recruit, train, and supervise the next generation of lawyers. Salma Maqsood is a commercial property solicitor and President of Bristol Law Society. Egbe Manton is an in-house lawyer with a background at a Silver Circle firm and co-founder of a tech and AI-enabled legal careers organisation. Saima Haroon is a consultant solicitor, supervisor, and Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship coach at the College.
How can students or early career candidates start developing skills while studying or working?
Salma: I recognise that there is a lot of pressure on students nowadays, for some, managing study alongside work is genuinely difficult. I often suggest joining your local law society and attending junior lawyer events. Networking might sound like a buzzword, but I see it as a low-pressure way to build confidence, meet people in the profession, and start feeling comfortable in those environments. I also recommend The Law Society’s Get Involved programme as a way to gain experience through committees and projects.
Egbe: I think about skill-building in terms of time budgeting. If you have three hours a week, allocate one of them intentionally. This could include virtual work experience, online courses, or skills modules. You’ll find over those two, three, four months, that your skills will improve because you’re being very meaningful about investing time into your development.
Saima: Non-law work really helps - In my experience, roles outside of law can teach you a lot. I worked in a call centre, and it taught me more about client management than I expected. Dealing with customers, working with different people, and adapting to fast-paced environments all build transferable skills.
How can candidates make their applications stand out to law firms?
Saima: There’s a tendency to make as many applications as possible, but we can spot a generic copy and paste from a mile away. For me, tailoring each application to the firm and practice area is essential. A genuine application that shows real interest stands out immediately.
Salma: I always encourage candidates to go beyond a firm’s website. I suggest reaching out to junior lawyers on LinkedIn and asking for an informal conversation. In my experience, most people are willing to help. Those conversations give you insights you will not get elsewhere and help you decide whether a firm is right for you while also strengthening your application.
Egbe: Firms are making an investment in you as a trainee, so you need to justify that investment in the effort you’re putting into your application. I tell trainees to use a simple test to work out if you’ve done enough. If you can swap the firm’s name for a competitor’s and your answer still works, it is not specific enough. It’s soul-destroying when you get to application 650 and you see they are all the same. I see candidates perform better when they focus on refining a smaller number of applications rather than mass applications with no unique work!
How should applicants use AI in law applications, especially if firms ask about it?
Salma: Please check the formatting of your applications when using AI. Do your research as lazy AI is really easy to spot. I am not against using AI, but I expect candidates to engage properly with their applications and ensure the final version reflects their own thinking.
Egbe: I see AI as a critic rather than a ghostwriter. I recommend starting with your own draft and then using AI to challenge it, identify gaps, and improve clarity. Firms are increasingly asking about AI use, so I advise being honest and explaining how you applied critical thinking.
How can non-traditional candidates market their transferable skills?
Salma: I had a delayed route into training and brought skills from various different roles, but really made sure those connections were clear in applications. Connect the dots - don’t make it hard for the firm to work it out themselves. I always suggest listing every skill you have developed across your roles, then clearly explaining how those skills apply to legal practice.
Saima Haroon: My path was not linear. I worked as a paralegal, took a career break, and then moved into a different area of law. In my experience, firms often value transferable skills like managing deadlines and handling responsibility more than purely technical knowledge - career changers often make great lawyers as they bring that depth and breadth of experience.
Be intentional
The difference between a good application and a standout one is rarely volume - but rather, the intention behind it. Consider working on fewer, carefully crafted applications over excessive amounts that are generic across every application. Firms can spot copy-and-paste from a mile away, and a tailored application that shows genuine understanding of the practice area will always carry more weight.
Equally, having experience, whether in law or outside it, only matters if you explain why it is relevant. Salma's advice to connect the dots holds true across every background: do not leave it to the recruiter to figure out how your skills transfer. Whether you have worked in a call centre, taken a career break, or followed a non-linear path into law, always ensure you articulate what you gained, and how it applies to legal practice, in your applications.
Thank you, Salma, Saima and Egbe for your time and insights. If you haven’t already, we recommend starting with part one of this guide, which explores the core skills and behaviours firms value before diving into application strategy. You can also watch the full webinar now on YouTube.