For Senior Environmental Counsel Tallat Hussain, a global mindset is one of the most important qualities for success at this Firm. "We have 44 offices in 30 countries across six continents," she explains. 

So how should aspiring lawyers get to know White & Case?

Demonstrating your interest in a law career: Virtual learning and more 

Yohanna Wilson, Graduate Resourcing and Development Specialist, confirms that recruiters want to see evidence that applicants have taken steps to demonstrate their interest. "It is important that you demonstrate your interest and commitment to the legal profession; you can do this by attending open days, networking events and presentations on campus, or by undertaking legal or commercial work experience."

For the many students without the personal contacts or means to organise their own work experience, there's an alternative, as Yohanna explains. "We understand gaining legal work experience is difficult, so we have recently launched our virtual learning platform on Inside Sherpa. We will accredit this as legal work experience on an application form, if you decide to apply for a vacation scheme or training contract."

Taking the next step: Vacation schemes 

Trainee Aiden Ang explains how he decided on a career in law. "I started to gain an interest in commercial law in my first year of university after attending a few social and career events. Meeting highly intelligent and driven individuals who genuinely enjoy the work they do was a key factor in persuading me that a career in commercial law was what I wanted."

For Aiden, experiencing a range of different firms helped him decide on the right fit. He says, "The White & Case vacation scheme was the one I enjoyed the most. I received high-quality work, the people I met were extremely approachable and friendly, and I could sense that the Firm took diversity and inclusion seriously."

Tell your story: Making an impact with your application

Yohanna's top advice for students putting together their applications is simple: "Tell your story! Explain in your application form and in your interview how your heritage, background, cultural understanding or language skills can help you to become a successful trainee solicitor at our global law Firm."

She adds that she encourages applicants to be themselves. "We want to get to know the real you, so let your personality shine through."

Continuous learning and development 

"No two days are the same, which means constant opportunities to develop new skills and improve existing ones. There is also a great variety of work, which provides great exposure and allows me to have a better understanding of the bigger picture in large, complex transactions," says Aiden. 

"You form strong connections and friendships throughout your training contract, not just with fellow trainees but also with associates and partners who are genuinely interested in teaching you and developing your career."

Regular structured training, social activities and more 

According to Aiden, "We also regularly get invites for events from both internal and external speakers on a wide range of topics, and we also get to attend great events such as our annual volleyball and football World Cup. This was hosted in Madrid this year, and we got to meet colleagues from our global network of offices."

The support continues at the next level, according to associate Ndidi Ezenwa. She says that, "The primary learning and development opportunities arise daily through on-the-job training and having your work reviewed by more senior lawyers. My department runs weekly classroom-based training on key concepts and areas of focus."

The importance of mentoring and coaching

As well as this formal learning, personal coaching and mentoring has also been important for Ndidi. "The Firm offers a female executive coaching programme with an external coach and an internal mentoring programme, which paired me up with one of the partners in my team to discuss career development and goals. I've also had a number of opportunities which have enhanced my experience, including international secondments in both Singapore and Lagos, Nigeria."

Networking: Key for success 

Finally, Ndidi reflects on the important role that networking plays. "I think the mistake that juniors typically make is assuming that networking is for associates and partners. Networking is for associates at every level, and the earlier lawyers start developing their personal network, the better."

She adds that while many networking contacts will continue to be colleagues, there are other long-term benefits. "Some of these people will become great friends, while others may be the source of future business or referrals. Networking is helpful to build visibility and build your personal brand, so I think it's never too early to start."