LC.N TCPH 2020

No of scheme places 60 Location of schemes London Length of schemes 1 week Remuneration (per week) £350 Dates of schemes Insider report Clifford Chance

Tyra Ntege is studying law at the University of Kent. She took part in Clifford Chance’s first-year SPARK scheme last summer and will join the firm as a trainee in August 2021.

What did you do while on the scheme? It was a very busy week! For the first couple of days there were several presentations on the firm’s different practice areas and we completed classroom-based interactive case studies and workshops in groups. There were further presentations on many aspects of life at Clifford Chance, including the firm’s global strategy, its extensive pro bono work, tech and innovation, and how the firm deals with mental health and resilience. On the third day we undertook two work shadowing placements and I worked in the tax and public M&A departments, which I really enjoyed. During the last two days of the scheme we went to the Netherlands and met partners in Clifford Chance’s Amsterdam office, and found out about the history of the firm in the city. There was a useful skills session on how to get from your comfort zone to your stretch zone, alongside social and sightseeing events such as a boat tour and dinner. The trip was a great opportunity to ask questions about what it’s like to be at the firm in a more relaxed environment. What did you feel that you gained from the placement? Participating in the scheme completely broke the ice and demystified my preconceptions about engaging in high-level work. I now know what it’s like to step into an environment where this work is being done by experts and I know I will feel comfortable and confident on my first day as a trainee. I also got the chance to cultivate an interest in different areas of law I never thought I would go into – something that can be difficult when just reading a textbook. What were the most enjoyable – and most challenging – aspects of the scheme? The trip to Amsterdam was the most enjoyable part of the scheme because I got to know the people who will be my future colleagues. I was relieved to discover there was no dog-eat-dog attitude with members of the scheme and instead we developed a strong team spirit and camaraderie. I found the work shadowing challenging because I was in my first year and didn’t know a huge amount about topics such as tax law and M&A. I learnt how to adapt to an environment where I didn’t know a lot and was building my knowledge from scratch. It’s important to be bold enough to ask the questions you might think are silly. Did the scheme end with a training contract interview or some other kind of further recruitment process? If the firm thought you were ready to have a training contract interview, you received an email a few days after the scheme. I was interviewed later in the summer and found out shortly afterwards that I had been offered a training contract. It wasn’t like the first assessment day though, the follow up interview was more of a chat around my time on the scheme. Is there one key thing that you took away from the experience that you would pass on as advice to others? Put your best foot forward and don’t go in with limited expectations. Have an awareness of the world around you and keep that awareness as you go through the week because you never know who you might bump into – partner or client – with whom you might share a similar interest. It’s about connecting with people on a personal level, so be yourself.

June 2020 July 2020 Closing date for applications 12 December 2019

Application procedure Via our website careers. cliffordchance.com/ukgrads For full contact information and details of Training Contract, see the firm’s full entry in the main directory on p316

Remember to cite The LawCareers.Net Handbook on your application form if you apply to this law firm.

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WORK EXPERIENCE

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