1
WHAT TO KNOW AND EXPECT WHEN APPLYING AND
INTERVIEWING FOR A CANDIDATE LEGAL
PRACTITIONER POSITION
Take note that nothing in this booklet constitutes legal advice or advice of any kind.
Readers must consult official and alternative sources before making any decisions based
on the information provided herein. Templates and examples provided by us are merely a
guideline and nothing more. We will not accept any liability whatsoever.
Take note further that this booklet is intended for personal use only and that the
unauthorized sharing hereof is prohibited.
, 2
1. Introduction
In these notes, I discuss what to know and expect when interviewing for a
candidate legal practitioner position. I also provide some personal tips when it
comes to applying for positions and attending interviews.
2. Applying for candidate legal practitioner positions
Whether you are applying for an advertised post or are just trying your luck with
a firm, the following is imperative:
Your spelling and grammar must be perfect.
• There should be no spelling or grammatical mistakes on your CV or in
your email to the firm in question. Use capitals where appropriate and
remember your punctuation marks.
• If English is not your first language or you tend to struggle with spelling in
general, have someone check your CV for any mistakes.
• I am adamant about the accurate use of the English language. As a
candidate, and even as an attorney, you will constantly send emails and
draft important documents, so above-average spelling and grammar is
critical.
• It also looks lazy and careless if there are too many mistakes on your CV.
It is often a requirement on a job post that the applicant submits a cover letter
together with their application. Even if it is not a requirement, do it anyway.
• Obviously, doing a separate cover letter for each job post will take forever,
so having a generic cover letter is fine, but you must at least tweak it a bit
before sending it off to different firms.
• Relatively personalised cover letters are appreciated, and best believe,
we can always tell when it is entirely generic.
• I recently received an applicant’s cover letter which made reference to our
“large and respected blue-chip company client base.” Firstly, I work at a
WHAT TO KNOW AND EXPECT WHEN APPLYING AND
INTERVIEWING FOR A CANDIDATE LEGAL
PRACTITIONER POSITION
Take note that nothing in this booklet constitutes legal advice or advice of any kind.
Readers must consult official and alternative sources before making any decisions based
on the information provided herein. Templates and examples provided by us are merely a
guideline and nothing more. We will not accept any liability whatsoever.
Take note further that this booklet is intended for personal use only and that the
unauthorized sharing hereof is prohibited.
, 2
1. Introduction
In these notes, I discuss what to know and expect when interviewing for a
candidate legal practitioner position. I also provide some personal tips when it
comes to applying for positions and attending interviews.
2. Applying for candidate legal practitioner positions
Whether you are applying for an advertised post or are just trying your luck with
a firm, the following is imperative:
Your spelling and grammar must be perfect.
• There should be no spelling or grammatical mistakes on your CV or in
your email to the firm in question. Use capitals where appropriate and
remember your punctuation marks.
• If English is not your first language or you tend to struggle with spelling in
general, have someone check your CV for any mistakes.
• I am adamant about the accurate use of the English language. As a
candidate, and even as an attorney, you will constantly send emails and
draft important documents, so above-average spelling and grammar is
critical.
• It also looks lazy and careless if there are too many mistakes on your CV.
It is often a requirement on a job post that the applicant submits a cover letter
together with their application. Even if it is not a requirement, do it anyway.
• Obviously, doing a separate cover letter for each job post will take forever,
so having a generic cover letter is fine, but you must at least tweak it a bit
before sending it off to different firms.
• Relatively personalised cover letters are appreciated, and best believe,
we can always tell when it is entirely generic.
• I recently received an applicant’s cover letter which made reference to our
“large and respected blue-chip company client base.” Firstly, I work at a
