Equal Opportunity
Posts
📩 Successful Applications

📩 Successful Applications

Application samples used by future trainees

Alin George Ilinca
January 11, 2026

Hey there

This week, we released an expanded set of application resources — now with 10+ real successful samples — to help you write stronger applications.

Inside, you’ll now find over ten successful application samples submitted to firms Magic Circle, Silver Circle, and US firms. Each sample is shown alongside the original question, with a clear explanation of what worked and why.

If you’re applying for vacation schemes or training contracts and want a more practical, example-led approach to these stages, you can access all of the resources by signing up below.

📄Research for your applications
Access over 20 law firm profiles, complete with breakdowns, seats, secondments, and other requirements.
💼 Virtual Work Experience
Explore free virtual internships and DIY vacation schemes. Build real-world skills you can showcase on applications.
📚 Studying
First Class LLB Notes, Problem Question Model Answers, Essay Structures and more tips to ace your degree.
✍️ Application Writing & Tests
Application tracker, CV & Cover Letter guidance, psychometric tests guidance, interview answering guidance and more.
🏆 Personal Development
Resources to boost your confidence, communication, and professional skills.

11 January 1569 — The first state lottery is held in England. The funds were meant to be used to improve the shipping industry. It would would take another 129 years before the first Statute of Lotteries Act would be enacted in 1698. The act declared all lotteries illegal, apart those authorised by Parliament.

12 January 1784 — the Continental Congress, representing the Thirteen American Colonies, ratified the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the American Revolutionary War with Great Britain.

13 January 2020 — Same-Sex marriage becomes legal in Northern Ireland through the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019

14 January 2023 — The UK Government confirmed that England will introduce a ban on single-use plastic items. This came into effect in October 2023.

15 January 1559 — Elizabeth I was crowned Queen of England.

16 January 1707 — The Act of Union 1707 was passed, merging the English and Scottish parliaments and paving the way for the new country of Great Britain.

17 January 1706 — Benjamin Franklin was born. He helped draft the US Declaration of Independence

By Dylan Anton, Future Trainee @ Clifford Chance

Two interesting stories worth considering this week:

1) Venezuelan Strikes and Oil Restoration

The Update

Last week, the US struck Venezuelan military and government infrastructure with missiles, then going on to depose Nicolas Maduro - the authoritarian president of the nation. Following this, the Venezuelan government has been using armed forces to suppress civilian support of Maduro’s removal.

At the same time, Donald Trump states that US oil companies will be able to enter Venezuela and rejuvenate the nation’s poor oil facilities. Share prices in oil companies like Chevron surged on the Monday following the strikes as these companies plan for their entry and investment into Venezuela.

The Implications

These strikes run further than just some favourable oil agreements, as Trump’s demands for the temporary acting president - Delcy Rodriguez - extend to cutting ties with allies like Russia and China.

How do companies fare in this period of turmoil?

Oil companies are gaining quick and easy access to large oil reserves that will undoubtedly fuel revenue and profit in the long term
Hedge fund managers profit from a bond surge as prospects of repayment have improved under the US intervention
The regime change has unlocked previously frozen claims, which means lenders have prospects of recovering what they are owed on Venezuelan assets

How to Use This

The unfrozen claims, new sanctions regime, and future oil company investments all require legal advice across Disputes, Trade, and Project Finance. These strikes have both economic impact through oil activity and geopolitical impact through shifting political allegiance in favour of the US. As such, this is definitely something to look out for in law firm interviews as you may be questioned on the potential impacts of these strikes, and also questioned on the potential challenges/opportunities for firm clients.

2) Shrinking US Trade Deficit

The Update

Economists predicted a US trade deficit of around $60 billion - trade deficit referring to the amount by which a country’s imports exceeds its exports. Instead, the US trade deficit narrowed to around $30 billion, massively beating out economist predictions.

A lot of this is down to a drop in pharmaceutical imports for the US, since Trump was able to secure exemptions from tariffs for drugmakers back in September.

The Implications

One of Trump’s economic objectives was to rebalance global trade, which is an objective that this smaller trade deficit seems to support. Certain economists have since revised their GDP growth estimates for the US upwards.

What are the implications of a smaller trade deficit for the US?

Trump’s aggressive tariff regime is yielding positive results for the nation, fundamentally altering supply chain decisions
Sector-specific exemptions from tariffs are becoming a substantial component of companies’ economic successes
This information does not inform us of whether domestic demand for goods and services is increasing, or whether consumer demand is falling altogether

How to Use This

Trade policy decisions have multi-billion dollar implications, especially when involving sectors like pharmaceuticals. It is worth considering corporate lobbying strategies that look to drive favourable trade policies, and also how supply chains are quickly restructured to adapt to changing trade patterns. Law firms at the top level mostly advise multinational companies so must be able to effectively navigate a changing trade policy environment.