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Applications are open and commercial awareness is one of the first things recruiters will test. This is often what separates applications that progress from the ones that don’t.
On September 30 at 12.00, Dylan Anton, future trainee at Clifford Chance, will run through the key stories and developments from the past few months that you should know for your applications. He will also go over how to utilise these stories in your applications.
The session will close with a live Q&A where you can ask Dylan anything about commercial awareness, staying up to date, or the application process.
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An American hedge fund called Gramercy is funding a massive £36 billion lawsuit against a mining company on behalf of over 400,000 Brazilian people who were affected by a deadly dam collapse in 2015. Litigation funding is when an outside company pays a law firm’s costs to run a case in exchange for a cut of the money if the case succeeds.
Gramercy told the lawyer running the case to accept a £1.4 billion settlement from the mining company, but the lawyer refused on the basis of this being a bad deal. Just two months later, this same lawyer was removed as head of his own law firm in a move that Gramercy backed.
Analysis
This story demonstrates what can go wrong when a case that was originally meant to help victims gets tangled up with a litigation funder that is looking to gain returns on their investment quickly.
And in the UK, lawyers have to act in their client’s best interests rather than the investor’s best interests, adding to the confusion as to how strategy is deployed in cases of this sort.
What impact does this have on the sector?
Big lawsuits are increasingly reliant on litigation funding, so more cases like this could surface where the funder pressures the lawyers involved to settle early
Law firms will likely face more scrutiny as to how much influence funders like Gramercy have over their business
Regulators may introduce stricter rules over how much control a funder can exercise in order to protect vulnerable claimants like the affected Brazilians in this case
How to use in applications
Applications
Access over 20 law firm profiles, complete with breakdowns, seats, secondments, and other requirements.
A 9-step law firm research checklist that shows you what to look for, where to find it, and how to use it.
This breaks down recent transactions and explains how to move beyond simply mentioning a deal, towards demonstrating real commercial understanding and relevance.
How to structure your answers, apply the rule of three and build a compelling narrative for your applications.
15 real application answers samples from major firms along with an explanation of what worked and why
What to do if your efforts still aren’t converting, despite trying everything.
Track your applications, access CV and Cover Letter templates, and more.
Psychometric Tests
A clear breakdown of the key skills tested in critical thinking tests, along with where to practice, mistakes and red flags to watch out for.
Interviews
Guidance on how to develop your commercial awareness and a worked example showing what a strong answers looks like.
Over 80+ interview questions asked by leading law firms.
Covering common formats, how firms assess answers, and how to communicate clearly and confidently on camera.
Work Experience
This covers six avenues you could explore to gain relevant legal work experience.
Explore free virtual internships and DIY vacation schemes. Build real-world skills you can showcase on applications.
80+ opportunities across law firms, chambers, early-careers programmes and paralegal roles.
Studying
Includes proven tips for managing time, revision, and exams.
How to structure a problem question answer and showcase your legal reasoning.
Covers how to open with impact, write clearly and finish with a focused conclusion.
A simplified guide to OSCOLA referencing, covering how to cite cases, legislation, books, journal articles, and more.
Register Today to Unlock FREE Access
Want a clearer route to securing a training contract?
The Future Trainee Academy brings the full recruitment process into one place, with guidance from a recruiter who assessed 10,000+ candidates and examples from future trainees at top firms.
It covers applications, interviews, assessment centres, and more. You’ll also get a certificate you can add to your CV and LinkedIn.
When you join, you will also gain access to the Watson Glaser Practice Hub where you can practise as much as you need to comfortably pass it!